Page 5 - HBiz_August_2024

INTERVIEW
HOSPITALITY BIZ AUGUST, 2024 5
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‘We make products that work

well, last long and feel good’

Dhruv Agarwal, Director, Autopress India Pvt. Ltd. (Stahl
Kitchens) takes Sumit Jha on a tour of their plant in Pune and

talks about the journey of Stahl Kitchens, their brand ethos and
the road ahead.

Q Autopress India has been involved in refining the cookware Q What is competition for you? Do you believe increased
experience for a long time. Tell us about the journey of Stahl.
competition and enhanced product range would create a better
Stahl started in 2013 with a vision to create world class cookware in India market for cookware in India?
for the Indian consumer. Autopress India’s legacy of over 30 years of To me increased competition drives market growth. It’s simple, if there
manufacturing for some of the best global brands from Germany, France was an India Pakistan cricket match, many people would watch it. But
and the United States has aided us in this endeavour. Stahl has brought if the Indian team did not have good competition, if they were doing
many category first items to the Indian market over the course of a just net practice, however great they may be nobody would be interested
decade, enabling the brand and category to thrive. Stahl pioneered triply in watching them play! Good competition leads to category awareness,
cookware in India in 2015 (Stahl Artisan Series) and was the first to offer breeds innovation and an improved consumer experience. We do
revolutionary lightweight cast iron cookware in 2023 (Stahl Blacksmith however believe that the competition should be healthy and general
Plus and Blacksmith Hybrid). The team is young, growing and motivated integrity should be maintained. We try to educate our consumer for the
to create a revolution in the way India cooks. same.

Q What gives Stahl products the distinguishing upper edge? What Q With an eye on innovation and quality consciousness, what new
products can the market expect from Stahl?
is your USP?
We make products that work well, last long and feel good. The team at We take a holistic view of the industry including kitchen products which
Stahl has worked hard to create exceptional products by combining an aid in preparation, conversion, serving and storage. Stahl is already in the
intuitive understanding of materials, technology and brilliant design. conversion category with its range of cookware. Stahl’s Talon brand of
Our primary focus has always been on meticulously studying and solving high-quality knives will soon make its debut in the preparation segment.
consumer pain points, which gives us a distinct advantage. For instance, Talon knives will combine the resilience of German steel with precision
consumers who used traditional cast iron found it heavy to lift and tough and balance of Japanese blade craftsmanship. We are also planning to
to maintain. We understood these problems of cast iron and innovated introduce other kitchen tools in the future. We will be getting into smart
to solve for it. Our lightweight cast iron series (Blacksmith Hybrid cooking devices in the next year. While our cookware brings an added
and Blacksmith Plus) harnesses a unique technology with distinct flair to the table if you decide to serve in it, we are looking at expanding
manufacturing processes and materials, ensuring that our cast iron into high end serve ware and cutlery in the long run.
cookware is ‘Designed Different’.
Q Do you have a specific plan for increasing your presence in the
Horeca market?
Q What is the Indian market potential for products like yours, Stahl will be looking at interacting more with students of the hospitality
and do we expect international brands of repute to enter the
market? industry and for potential tie-ups with professional chefs. We are
There is a clear premiumisation of the market in India which is currently also looking at growing our distribution structure further so that any
taking place. Indian consumers aspire for good products. Be it cookware restaurant can have easy access to the Stahl range of products when they
or a category like shoes, consumers are willing to pay for quality. go out to buy.
People are understanding the need for good cookware. They are trying
different types of food and taking a more active interest in all things food Q Your message for the Horeca industry and why they should be
related - a change that has been largely driven by the pandemic. Food is using Stahl products?
currently the second most Instagrammable topic. Food is increasingly A good tool is very important in delivering a good end product.
being viewed as an experience with cookware playing an important role. HORECA businesses occasionally purchase inexpensive cookware
This is also reflected in the restaurant and catering business with the and rotate it. We would like to change this perception. HORECA,
increasing use of live counters, clean workstations, transparent kitchens like the Indian household consumer of today, is ready for a change.
and food as theatre. People are more conscious about the material and The experience of chefs can be enhanced by choosing quality high-
aesthetics of their cookware. Chefs today are celebrities with large fan performance cookware like Stahl which pays off over the course of its
followings. Thus, the market potential for products like ours is huge and lifetime, undergoes less wear and tear and is overall easier to use. n
international brands are already eyeing the Indian market for growth. sumit.jha@saffronsynergies.in

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