Villeroy and Boch, a luxury tableware company, will be soon celebrating its 275th anniversary – and a lot has changed during the years, especially when it comes to popularity of tableware sets.
Starting in 1748 by two prominent European craftsmen, Jean-Francois Boch and Nicholas Villeroy, the company became worldwide known for its high-quality designs of porcelain and tableware products.
“It is a family-owned business focused on excellence in quality and design. That’s why generations after generations, our consumers choose tableware by Villeroy and Boch. Historically we have a big consumer fan base in Canada due to appreciation of the Made-in-Germany high premium porcelain and vast distribution across retailers and specialized stores,” says Victoria Rogulska, the Head of Marketing at Villeroy and Boch.
Although Villeroy and Boch only has an eShop, customers who are looking for its luxury tableware designs can find its products, such as popular collections, at the Hudson’s Bay.
“Today we are investing in our eShop business in Canada which allows us to focus on our consumer’s preferences and needs. Additionally, we have a strong in-store presence across flagship Hudson’s Bay stores, where new and popular collections are showcased.”
Villeroy and Boch sell a variety of high-quality products such as dinnerware, serveware, glassware, flatware, and it also sells tableware sets. However, it has been noted that young people today have lower interest in sets like their grandparents probably had and are more interested in style and statement pieces.
“Customers are looking for style, innovation, quality, and, of course, European craftmanship. Also, consumers are interested in interior design, food, and traveling. They are entertainers who love to turn every dining experience into something special. Consumers are looking for high-quality dinnerware collections and, of course, the best value propositions. At the same time, they are no longer just looking for complete dinnerware sets but also for home accessories, statement pieces, and gift ideas for every occasion.”
Rogulska said its most popular design right now is historical classical dinnerware collections and are “pleased to see a high demand for the newest award-winning porcelain sets, like La Boule and Manufacture Rock.” Villeroy and Boch products are also known for the perfect wedding gift, housewarming gift, and it has an option to create a gift registry.
For its 275th anniversary, Villeroy and Boch will be celebrating by launching its new unique porcelain collections.
As for customers not being highly interested in tableware sets anymore, Villeroy and Boch is not the only ones seeing this new trend. An article from the CBC, along with others, have stated seeing the trend of Millennials not being interested in buying or inheriting tableware sets – which brings the questions of why the trend is changing and where will all these tableware sets go if being left behind? Stay tuned for an in-depth article discussing the changing popularity and what it means for the future for tableware.
As for Villeroy and Boch, Rogulska said dinnerware is its most popular category in the business, and it is “being accompanied by home, accessories, statement pieces, and gift ideas.” The company keeps up with the latest trends by continuously updating its eShop.
“We are constantly optimizing our eShop and will be launching new programs that will benefit our loyal consumers. Our eShop helps us to connect with our consumers, share inspirational ideas, and new lifestyle trends, and tell the story about our Brand and collections.”
