How can a company expand their product portfolio into a new category within the kitchen?

Client Background

This client is one of the leaders in manufacturing products for the kitchen and is known for their dedication to quality and beautiful design. Due to the nature of the work, the client name and any proprietary information will not be revealed.

Generative research was conducted to understand consumer attitudes, rituals, desired experiences, and unmet needs throughout the kitchen. The insights from this research revealed that the heart of the kitchen is the kitchen sink, and there is consumer demand for innovative products for this area. Consumers expressed countless unmet needs and co-created new products that balanced utility and beauty.

To discover these insights our team conducted in-home research with consumers in three markets. Our research objective was to understand “today’s kitchen experiences” and co-create “idea kitchen solutions.” To accomplish this our team created a tailored methodology that combined contextual inquiry with co-creation.

To understand consumers’ current experiences and rituals in the kitchen, each interview began with an in-depth tour of their kitchen. During the tour we learned about the most important objects in the kitchen, their approach for storage and organization, and pain points that resulted in a less-than-ideal experience.

The consumers’ current experiences were the foundation for a series of co-creation activities. These activities provided a structure to create innovative new ideas that solved current pain points and created a more desirable kitchen experience. Each idea was discussed in detail to understand what product features and attributes are needed to bring it to life. After the research, our team lead a workshop with the client’s cross-functional business teams to prioritize the ideas and opportunities consumers created.

Kitchen Research - Food Preparation

This research effort provided the client with a pipeline of innovative product concepts and created empathy for the consumers using their products. In the time since this research was conducted, the client has seen success in the first generation of products released. They disrupted this product category and expanded their product portfolio.