According to the CSIL report Il mercato italiano dei mobili per cucina, the Italian kitchen furniture production slightly decreased by -1% (in terms of value) in 2023, if compared to the previous year. However, in terms of volume, the decline was more pronounced (-5.7%) standing at a value of about 930,000 kitchens produced.
The kitchen furniture sector is going through a general adjustment phase after the two-year boom following the pandemic. Business outputs tend to return to more subdued levels, aided by still high inflation and the resulting slowdown in the Italian economy. Low, low-medium, and mid-range products, which make up more than 70% of the total quantity sold, reported the largest declines (both in terms of value and quantity). High-end and luxury products grew (in value), while the variation in the mid-range was smaller.

Foreign demand instead remained stable. In 2023, Italian kitchen furniture exports remained at the same level as the previous year despite the uncertainties that characterized the international panorama, confirming the dynamism of Italian companies in the international markets, which have been able to expand their presence both through retail networks and through the acquisition of contract orders.

The share of exports on production has grown significantly in the last decade, reaching over 30% in 2023. As is well known, Italian exports of kitchen furniture are predominantly in the medium and high end of the market. Luxury companies (Boffi, Poliform) as well as midrange leaders with their high-end brands (Veneta Cucine, Scavolini) operate with significant volumes. Other examples of firms that have focused more on foreign markets are Snaidero, which has a significant share of sales deriving from European markets, and Armony, whose main market is France, as well as Dada, Arclinea, Cesar, and Aran.

As usual, France is confirmed as the main destination market, accounting for 19% of the total. The U.S. market is firmly in second position and is the only growing market (among the main ones) in 2023 for Italian manufacturers. Despite the slowdown in the domestic market and high instability characterizing the international economic environment, kitchen manufacturers have continued to maintain a high propensity to invest in product innovation.

The greatest differentiations are observed not so much from comparisons between materials, but within the individual categories observed: among laminates, a category that has remained essentially stable in recent years, its most sophisticated component, Fenix, is growing radically. In the lacquered segment, a relatively inexpensive component, UV lacquer, and a more valuable one, brushed lacquer, are becoming increasingly differentiated. The thermoplastics market has been renewed with PET. The trend toward “professionally” inspired collections have led to an increase in metal surfaces, aluminium, and others. Sales of ceramic slabs (20% of the market) are growing, especially in the high-end segment.

Environmental sustainability is a topic that continues to influence the strategic choices of certain manufacturers: the use of natural materials (e.g., non-toxic water-based eco-friendly paints) and innovative materials derived from recycled products and/or fully recyclable are two points of fundamental importance when it comes to sustainability in the kitchen. The transformation and processing of materials is also crucial and aims at reducing CO2 emissions and minimizing production waste, as well as the choice of certified materials.

The kitchen is increasingly integrated with the living space through disappearing doors that reveal and conceal, divide, and connect according to needs. The kitchen is a space for sharing that also extends to outdoor areas. There are numerous solutions for outdoor kitchens proposed, with various furniture companies presenting their initial models to meet the demands of an ever-expanding user base. Significant research on materials designed for both indoor and outdoor use: natural stone, engineered stone, ceramics slabs, steel, and other metals, as well as glass and wood.

Never before has the role of appliances in shaping the kitchen of the future been as prominent as now, defining new lifestyles. The kitchen is increasingly becoming a ‘smart Kitchen’ thanks to intelligence, including artificial intelligence, and connectivity.

Sustainability and connectivity are the main emerging trends. Appliances manageable via apps, ovens capable of recognizing foods and suggesting the most suitable cooking methods, cooktops capable of maintaining constant temperatures, and hoods capable of self-regulating power are some of the ‘smart’ proposals presented at the 2024 furniture fair.

On the design front, the quest continues to increasingly integrate technology with furniture: hoods integrated into cooktops, elimination of ovens and refrigerator handles, and ‘invisible’ induction cooktops seamlessly integrated into countertops. There’s the possibility of customizing appliances through interchangeable elements available in the most demanded colours in today’s kitchens.

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Find CSIL’s targeted kitchen furniture market reports at: https://www.worldfurnitureonline.com/multiclient-research/kitchen/

AMONG THE LATEST PUBLICATIONS:
– The European market for kitchen furniture, May 2024
– Il mercato italiano dei mobili per cucina, April 2024