Helping to make life easier for our distributors and customers.

With our new and highly anticipated Undercounter Range now live having been launched in the UK in January, Classeq UK, Managing Director, Andy Salter has taken some time to reflect on the journey taken to get to this point, plus what it truly means for our distributors and end users.

Andy puts forward his commentary on what the new range means for our core values and mission.

I wanted to take a moment to recognise a positive start to 2024. With a new product launch to the UK market underway, several bustling events at iconic UK locations, and new product developments in the pipeline, it all marks a significant chapter in our journey, and what better time to reflect on the core brand focus of Classeq both as a business, and as a peer.

Our new undercounter range promises to be a combination of everything Classeq stands for:

• Simple choice.
• Simple set up.
• Simple use.
• Simple cleaning.
• Simple app.
• Simple servicing.

Many of you will already know that our products and service have always reflected the simplicity and robustness of our brand’s vision. So, for a product range that was doing so well (and was so well loved by our customers) - why develop and change it? As the adage goes: if it's not broke, don’t fix it.

We all know that complacency can get you in trouble at times and no matter how tempting it is to rest on your laurels, we owe it to the market and to our customers to move ahead.

Plus, we had motivation - we wanted to deliver the best possible machine to operators and be ahead of the market. My fear was that the time would pass us by, and in two years later, we would be playing catch up rather than leading the way. Working in chaos only leads to poor results, rushed product development and sub-par output.

The business case.
With our business roots firmly planted in Stafford, UK, the home of our R&D and manufacturing, our reach is expanding globally. And that's never been about just a shipping a product; it's about building long-term relationships and a strong reputation; a promise to deliver the kind of value that the hospitality world wants and needs, that could be in a kitchen in London or a bar in Sydney.

But expanding the company and the supply of our machines worldwide does present a few challenges.

Thinking globally, we have to recognise that technical expertise can vary greatly, and training engineers may not always be so easy. This is where our simplicity ethos really comes into its own. Our machines are designed to be simple inside and out, for both the operator and engineer, meaning our focus and commitment had to be on improving the usability and accessibility of our machines.

We want our machines to deliver the best results, but also, the best experience. That meant removing all barriers to a wonderfully simple experience with the machine. Whether that’s installation, service and maintenance or everyday use. The simplicity of the new undercounter range fulfils that. If someone (with minimal training) can install and use the machine, that means we can expand into new markets more organically.

So, that’s why we were so focused on improving the functionality while increasing the simplicity. With over 47 years of supplying the UK market behind us and the experience of working with a great network of distributors we feel we can take these learnings and increase our international sales significantly in the next three to five years with the improvements we’ve made

Plus, because the new machine is so easy to use and maintain, customers are using and maintaining it properly, and it’s not expensive to fix. This ultimately extends the life of the machine. And that keeps customers happy for longer, making us the obvious choice for the mid-range market.

Simply the best

“We are committed to developing the best machine in our segment of the mid-range market. We had a great machine, but we wanted the best machine in our market.”

Since January we’ve been busy hosting two launch events including Lord’s Cricket Ground and The World of Wedgwood in Staffordshire. This allowed us to gather feedback from guests and showcase our new product. Prior to the events we had machines on trial across the UK and internationally. The feedback on the new range was outstanding. We wanted to know if the product was reliable and simple to use, of course. But essentially, were the results better?

This is ultimately something we cannot afford to lose sight of.

The sole purpose of our equipment is to produce a clean glass and plate; so, what’s the point of improving our systems if we don't focus on the core intention of the product?

Our trialists were impressed with the results which they pointed out were markedly better. They also loved the inside of the machine and how well it was designed and put together.

It took us roughly two years from making the decision to improve our range, to having the machine ready to launch. This just demonstrates why you cannot afford to rest on your laurels!

Having distributors give us such a positive response to the new range really supported our own work. And I hope they feel equally well supported themselves when it comes to marketing and technical assets. I know training teams on a new product and updating websites and sales material, is all extra work. I appreciate all that work, it shows a great commitment to Classeq from our partners. It’s our strong partnerships that makes Classeq such a success.

Market observations
What drove a lot of businesses back in the day was the proliferation of restaurant chains that went from 10 - 300+. This exploded for a period of around 10 years (particularly during the 2010s and pre-Covid). Most dining was done in those mid-range restaurants. But this mass market is slowly disappearing since more barriers to expanding have emerged.

As a result, the market and the end user are becoming more discerning. There is an onus on establishments to produce the best experience for their customers - often something quirky, unique, and fantastic. That quickly becomes their USP, but it’s very difficult to expand. You have to do what you do really well, or else you risk fading into a saturated market.

Doing what you do well, and to a high standard requires the best equipment, best suppliers, and the best people. I believe these are some of the greatest challenges for our end user right now, particularly with the rising costs of utilities, staff, and rent.

Our customers are becoming savvier with their spending, and more selective about what their site needs, the cost, the environmental impact, the usability, the longevity, and reliability. This is part of what really drove the development of the new range.

Restaurant groups who may not have considered Classeq before, now are.

Market challenges
Staff, costs, growth, scaling… There are so many market challenges to consider. Of course, one of the most pervasive challenges at the moment is the ability to find staff at a good cost and retain them. The impact of a high staff turnover can lead a business to lose trading hours and even days. That’s where our design and consideration for simple use of our new range is so important because of that challenge. Pot washers and kitchen porters can easily pick up how to use our new range, plus if your machine doesn’t work, people can walk out; it can get stressful and often messy in a busy kitchen. Why add to that with unreliable equipment?

What’s next?
Our research & development never stops, there’s always more than one project running in parallel, and with the new Undercounter Range now launched, rest assured that another project comes to the forefront. It’s important that we continue to look forward and stay ahead.

Our ongoing goal is to create a machine that is so coveted, our end users come to our distributors asking for a Classeq. They know the quality of the machine, the quality of the company and how easy we are to work with.

Everything we do is to help our distributors and our end users. We vow to consistently innovate and develop, making it as easy as possible to sell and use our product.

At Classeq, we are passionate about the growth and success of the hospitality sector. That’s why we are committed to providing you with content that explores every juncture of the hospitality journey from the distribution of catering equipment right through to the patron’s plate.

If there is a topic you’d like us to explore further, do let us know. Otherwise, view our full content library here, or speak to a member of the team today . Whether it’s a new machine you need, or technical support, our team is ready to assist.