“In summer, if you turn on the cold tap at 8 a.m., the water comes out at forty degrees,” Philipe says from the Quooker office in Dubai. “That’s why consumers here are mainly interested in chilled and sparkling water, but only once they are convinced the water is filtered and therefore clean and safe to drink. That’s not something they’re used to. Everyone drinks from plastic bottles.” The main reason to buy a Quooker is the water filter and the CUBE. “The convenience of always having boiling water on hand is something they only discover once the Quooker is installed in their kitchen.” Capturing consumer attention When Philipe became Managing Director of Quooker Emirates five years ago, he quickly realized the challenge ahead. “Kitchen dealers were not eager at first to include Quooker in their showrooms. Most people didn’t know the product yet, so we had a lot of explaining to do, and we still do.” The fact that the target group consists largely of expats makes communication more complex. “Each community consumes media from their home country, which makes them harder to reach. That’s why you see so many billboards here. Everyone is trying to grab the consumer’s attention.”

Cultural differences Philipe explains why the target group is not always receptive to Quooker’s benefits. “Many expats here work hard and have household help who does the cooking. That means they don’t directly experience the convenience themselves. Sometimes there’s also concern that the help might damage the Quooker.” On the other hand, Emiratis tend to have high spending power and appreciate premium products. Thousands of households in the Emirates now have a Quooker in their kitchens. The most popular model is the Flex, with matte black as the top finish, followed by stainless steel and gunmetal. The PRO3 tank is the best seller. “We hardly sell Combi systems, because for most of the year, hot water already comes out of the cold tap.” Over the next five years, Philipe aims to triple sales. “The key challenge is communication,” he says. “We need to keep explaining the benefits.”

Dutch company culture Quooker’s Dutch family-business culture is also clearly felt in the Dubai office. Philipe, who has Dutch roots himself, actively promotes this. “Our team consists of thirteen people from nine different nationalities, and we speak ten languages on the work floor. Because many are far from their families, we try to create that same sense of belonging here. We organize a team outing once a year and have a monthly happy hour, where we finish work an hour early to have a drink together and play traditional Dutch games. Unlike many companies here in the UAE, we don’t have an office helper to serve tea or clean up. Everyone does that themselves. The atmosphere is down to earth, everyone is equal. Some people find it unusual that I sit among my team as a manager, but in a family, no one sits apart in a separate room.”

Published on 20-02-2025