G. Kalyan Kumar

The Indian kitchen market is booming, and many global kitchen brands are keen to take a slice of the big market. The latest is Takara Standard, Japan’s renowned kitchen brand famous for its HORO enamel kitchens.

It is testing the waters in the lucrative Indian market with its USP as the world's only enamel kitchen maker with its proprietary Horo enamel material.

According to market sources, Takara has captured kitchen markets with its unique enamel material. Enamel is a dream material that combines metal and glass, optimizing the strength of each with exceptional aesthetics and user comfort.

Debut at the Ace Tech Expo

The ACETECH exhibition in New Delhi, which was held in the second week of December 2023 and served as the starting point, brought great attention to the exhibition pavilion of Takara Standard Kitchen and saw an overwhelming rush. Ace Tech is Asia's leading architecture, construction, and engineering trade show.

This is the first time that Takara Standard products will be launched in India. So far, the company has not launched sales here. According to Toichi Ishiyama, the brand's overseas business strategy manager, the company is targeting the premium segment of the Indian kitchen market. He is very optimistic about the prospects of the Indian market.

Takara Standard kitchen cabinets and drawers

Ishiyama predicts that the appeal of high-end enamel kitchens will attract a significant portion of the premium customers to Takara Standard. For Indian customers long used to wood or wood-alternative modular kitchens, enamel kitchens from Takara will be a new and exciting experience.

The material of HORO combines the strength of iron with the beauty of glass. Takara HORO claims the toughness of iron to withstand impacts, with the glass cover working as a shield, protecting it from dirt, grime, and moisture.

Takara has now expanded its glossy surface portfolio to include matte surfaces and added more variety to the surface design.

User benefits

In a nutshell, the benefits are the following:.
• Easy to clean
• Quick wipe
• Magnetic message board
• Moisture- and cold-resistant
• Resistant to shock and cracks
• Inkjet printing technology allows for more colors and designs.
• Heat resistance and odor resistance

Takara Standard, with its high-quality enamel in the kitchen systems, offers a glassy surface. The user's benefits from easy cleaning with a quick wipe are immense. This is significant for Indian consumers who prepare food with a lot of oil. Thanks to the hi-tech kitchen’s steel base, any termite damage and corrosion caused by persistent moisture will be offset.

The appeal of the Horo Takara standard unit kitchen, with its high-gloss surface finish, attracts users. It is made of heat-resistant materials and has an original design.

Takara Kitchen retains its beauty for many years, like antique jewelry. It gives inspiration to potential users. It is committed to environmentally friendly practices, such as the use of easily recyclable materials and eliminating the use of adhesives during assembly, which are attributes that support India's sustainability efforts, the Takara Standard team said.

Japan's top kitchen brand

Takara Standard is Japan's No. 1 kitchen brand, with a long legacy. The company has 16 factories, 156 offices, and 165 showrooms in Japan. The company released its first kitchen made of enamel in 1962. According to the management team, the company continues to grow in the kitchen segment with its sales, organizational, and technological capabilities.

There are also many allied business lines. Despite the entry of new players in the Japanese domestic market, Takara Standard has maintained its solid presence and has been resilient in its market appeal.

Since launching its luxury kitchen line, the company has grown beyond the domestic market and enjoys unbeatable market power despite numerous competitors in the sector, including Lixil, Panasonic, Cleanup, and others.

Toichi Ishiyama

The Indian foray is part of its brand plan for its overseas sales and the bid to carve out more revenue channels. According to the management, the goal is to generate 10 billion dollars in overseas sales by 2030.

Managing Director, Toshiaki Noguchi, who met with the media at the expo sounded upbeat about the interest expressed by influencers such as architects, real estate professionals, interior designers, and consumers in the kitchen product.

Enamel charm

Enamel was introduced to Asia from ancient Egypt via the Silk Road and achieved remarkable development in Japan. What makes holo enamel so durable is its high-quality finish.

These include a sturdy metal base and a clean glass surface. To make Takara Horo, the mixture is baked at 850 °C. Special steel plates are pre-treated many times, then glazed and baked at high temperatures.

Big growth in the Indian kitchen market

At the ACETECH event, Takara Standard announced two flagship models, which received a great response as their originality and unique features were confirmed. The Indian modular kitchen market size is approximately $3.67 billion, is growing at a CAGR of 24 percent, and is likely to reach $10.91 billion by 2028.

This high growth is due to the growth of the construction and home improvement markets. The Indian market has several top players with significant market share.

Modular kitchen at an Indian home

These are Hettich India, Godrej and Boyce, Magpie Retail, Hafle India, and Sleek International. Livespace offers modular kitchen accessories online and is thriving.

Increasing urbanization, improved lifestyles, an increasing female workforce, and the quest for a kitchen that is a complete solution with all fixtures and cabinetry offering maximum functionality are driving modular kitchen penetration.

Impressive outlook

Takara Standard was established in Japan in 1912 as a manufacturer of iron hardware products, and it diversified into enamel-based kitchen products after a few decades. The company released the world's first enamel system kitchen in 1967 and became a major home appliance manufacturer with the highest kitchen sales in Japan.

The company began its extensive international expansion in 2015 and achieved steady sales growth primarily in East Asia, including China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Everywhere, the mission is the same: making life comfortable for everyone.