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What is the story about?
German premium kitchen manufacturer Nolte Küchen is ramping up its India presence with plans to expand its retail network to 20 stores by the end of 2026, betting on rising demand for organised and premium kitchen solutions in one of its fastest-growing international markets.
Speaking to CNBC-TV18 on the sidelines of the launch of the company's flagship showroom in Bengaluru, Selva Kumar Rajulu, Managing Director and Senior Vice President, Middle East, Africa and Asia at Nolte FZE, said India has emerged as a strategic growth market as the company seeks to increase its international business contribution amid sluggish demand in Europe.
"We have been present in India since 2006, but the key difference now is that we are entering the market directly rather than operating through a national dealer model. We are establishing a local entity, rebuilding our dealer network and investing alongside our partners, which gives us more skin in the game and reflects our long-term commitment to India," Rajulu said.
The company currently operates 13 stores across India and plans to add seven more by the end of this year. Recent openings include Delhi and Bengaluru, while Mumbai is next in line, followed by Chennai and Hyderabad. Nolte also has a presence in Kochi, Pune, Raipur, Jaipur, Vadodara and Indore.
The expansion comes as the company targets a larger share of India's estimated $1 billion kitchen market, which remains highly fragmented.
According to Rajulu, over 70% of the market is still dominated by the unorganised sector, while European kitchen brands account for only around 2% of the overall industry.
"We expect the Indian kitchen market to grow at 15-20% annually. While the market is large, it remains highly fragmented. Our focus is not only to grow our own share but also to help structure and organise the category," he said.
Beyond retail expansion, Nolte is also targeting India's residential real estate sector, where built-in kitchens remain relatively uncommon. The company estimates that only 3-4% of housing projects currently offer fitted kitchens as a standard feature.
Rajulu said Nolte is working closely with developers and architects to promote the concept of integrated kitchens, which are common across mature housing markets but remain underpenetrated in India.
"There is a huge untapped opportunity in the project business. We believe fitted kitchens add significant value for homebuyers and simplify the home-buying process. Over the next few years, we expect to deliver thousands of kitchens through the project segment," he said.
India is expected to play a central role in Nolte's broader international expansion strategy. The company currently derives about 35-38% of its revenue from international markets and aims to increase that contribution to 50% over the coming years.
The push comes as Europe's kitchen market faces structural challenges due to slowing housing activity and ageing demographics. Germany, Nolte's home market, remains subdued, prompting the company to focus on faster-growing regions such as India, the Middle East and Asia.
While all Nolte kitchens are currently manufactured in Germany, the company said it remains open to establishing a production facility in India in the future if market demand justifies such an investment.
"For now, Indian customers value kitchens made in Germany, and that remains a key differentiator for us. But given India's scale and logistics requirements, local manufacturing is something we will continue to evaluate as the market evolves," Rajulu said.
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The company currently produces around 1,800 kitchens a day from four highly-automated manufacturing facilities in Germany and says its focus in India will be on bringing German engineering standards while adapting products to local consumer preferences.
Nolte recently inaugurated its 3,500 sq ft flagship showroom in Bengaluru's Indiranagar, showcasing its latest kitchen collections and marking another step in its effort to establish itself as the leading European kitchen brand in India.
ALSO READ | How the utensils and cookware we use daily silently influence our health and our families’ well-being
Speaking to CNBC-TV18 on the sidelines of the launch of the company's flagship showroom in Bengaluru, Selva Kumar Rajulu, Managing Director and Senior Vice President, Middle East, Africa and Asia at Nolte FZE, said India has emerged as a strategic growth market as the company seeks to increase its international business contribution amid sluggish demand in Europe.
"We have been present in India since 2006, but the key difference now is that we are entering the market directly rather than operating through a national dealer model. We are establishing a local entity, rebuilding our dealer network and investing alongside our partners, which gives us more skin in the game and reflects our long-term commitment to India," Rajulu said.
The company currently operates 13 stores across India and plans to add seven more by the end of this year. Recent openings include Delhi and Bengaluru, while Mumbai is next in line, followed by Chennai and Hyderabad. Nolte also has a presence in Kochi, Pune, Raipur, Jaipur, Vadodara and Indore.
The expansion comes as the company targets a larger share of India's estimated $1 billion kitchen market, which remains highly fragmented.
According to Rajulu, over 70% of the market is still dominated by the unorganised sector, while European kitchen brands account for only around 2% of the overall industry.
"We expect the Indian kitchen market to grow at 15-20% annually. While the market is large, it remains highly fragmented. Our focus is not only to grow our own share but also to help structure and organise the category," he said.
Beyond retail expansion, Nolte is also targeting India's residential real estate sector, where built-in kitchens remain relatively uncommon. The company estimates that only 3-4% of housing projects currently offer fitted kitchens as a standard feature.
Rajulu said Nolte is working closely with developers and architects to promote the concept of integrated kitchens, which are common across mature housing markets but remain underpenetrated in India.
"There is a huge untapped opportunity in the project business. We believe fitted kitchens add significant value for homebuyers and simplify the home-buying process. Over the next few years, we expect to deliver thousands of kitchens through the project segment," he said.
India is expected to play a central role in Nolte's broader international expansion strategy. The company currently derives about 35-38% of its revenue from international markets and aims to increase that contribution to 50% over the coming years.
The push comes as Europe's kitchen market faces structural challenges due to slowing housing activity and ageing demographics. Germany, Nolte's home market, remains subdued, prompting the company to focus on faster-growing regions such as India, the Middle East and Asia.
While all Nolte kitchens are currently manufactured in Germany, the company said it remains open to establishing a production facility in India in the future if market demand justifies such an investment.
"For now, Indian customers value kitchens made in Germany, and that remains a key differentiator for us. But given India's scale and logistics requirements, local manufacturing is something we will continue to evaluate as the market evolves," Rajulu said.
ALSO READ | Kohler growing at double the market rate in India, sees no signs of saturation
The company currently produces around 1,800 kitchens a day from four highly-automated manufacturing facilities in Germany and says its focus in India will be on bringing German engineering standards while adapting products to local consumer preferences.
Nolte recently inaugurated its 3,500 sq ft flagship showroom in Bengaluru's Indiranagar, showcasing its latest kitchen collections and marking another step in its effort to establish itself as the leading European kitchen brand in India.
ALSO READ | How the utensils and cookware we use daily silently influence our health and our families’ well-being
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