We are thrilled to be working with some fantastic companies who care about sustainability and climate change as much as we do. For our latest issue of Acorn Life, we caught up with Tim Spann from the UK sales team at Keller Kitchens, a Dutch company which has been making beautiful kitchens for 90 years, now available at Acorn properties in Wedmore and Wrington.
Can you tell us about the Keller Kitchens and Acorn relationship and how long you’ve worked with us?
Our partnership with Acorn has been two years in the making and we’ve started to supply kitchens to them in the last few months via two contract partners we have in the UK, Arcos Interiors and Project Kitchens. We want to align ourselves with sustainably conscious developers wherever possible and Acorn are very much leaders in sustainability themselves. We’re extremely proud to be working with them.
Sustainability is a key concern for Acorn. How is Keller addressing environmental performance in its products and manufacturing?
Sustainability is absolutely key in everything we do. It is the starting point for every major decision we make, every investment and every product we launch. We are industry leaders in terms of sustainability because we’ve been carbon neutral since 2017. We generate all of our own electricity which has involved installing over 8,000 solar panels on the roof of our factory. We use nearshore sourcing for all of our materials and always from renewable sources. We use robotic warehousing, where robots store all of the offcuts of the materials we use so we can maximise the use of every square centimetre of board and material we possibly can. Everything, wherever possible, is water based when it comes to lacquering and staining the woods in our kitchens, which is environmentally friendly. We employ green biomass for heat and energy generation, which is filtered to make sure the absolute minimum carbon dioxide is fed out into the atmosphere. Sustainability is not just about what we do inside our business, we also fund initiatives outside our business such as carbon farming.
Are there particular materials or production methods you use that set you apart from other kitchen manufacturers?
Last year we launched a world-first product called Enduura, the first biobased kitchen produced from recycled materials that are bound by a biobased cellulose. All of these materials are free from any harmful elements and chemicals. Not only are they made from recycled materials, they are fully recyclable after their use as a kitchen and are also fully biodegradable. Even the Enduura handles are made from recycled sea plastics. We’re proud to say not a single tree is chopped down to make the Enduura product.
What trends are currently shaping kitchen design in new-build homes?
The kitchen has become the family hub of the house with open-plan and omni-plan layouts where the various living spaces in the home blend together and that kind of growth continues at pace. At the moment, texture is a really big thing and tactile surfaces with grain textures are very popular, as are more neutral and earthy tones, like our colours sesame and fossil. Another shift has been towards ultra matt and soft matt surfaces, which give you a sleek look in the kitchen, but these materials also offer fingerprint proofing. They are low maintenance
and great when you’ve got young children in the family. Beyond what we do, there is a trend towards smart technology in appliances, allowing people to turn the oven on with their phone, so their meals are ready when they get home.
How do you see Keller Kitchens evolving its offering to stay aligned with homeowner expectations in a changing housing market?
Our product team is extremely active and always looking at forthcoming trends. They visit all the major interior design shows and material launches, so we stay at the forefront of design. While sustainability is always a key driver, we do stay closely in touch with all upcoming trends. Our goal is always to meet the trends we see and in some cases we help drive, by meeting those trends with the most sustainable options possible.
How does Keller help achieve a balance between aesthetics, functionality and cost efficiency?
There is a shift towards a more natural look in the kitchen and sustainable products help deliver those natural aesthetics. In terms of functionality, the materials we’re currently developing are much more durable and therefore longer-lasting. As far as cost efficiency is concerned, we are a top five producer in terms of volume. We produce around 3,500 kitchens a week, so are in a strong position with our suppliers to buy materials at the best prices. Investments we’ve made have not only made us more sustainable as a manufacturer, but that machinery and technology is much more efficient. We have huge economies of scale which we’re able to pass on to our partners in the form of everyday competitive pricing.
Read more about our Green Partnerships in Acorn Life.
