With a rich history spanning over 275 years, Villeroy & Boch is renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship and innovative designs. Today, our guest shares insights into the brand’s unique heritage, navigating the Azerbaijani market, and their global approach to satisfying diverse consumer tastes. Join us in this edition of NARGIS Magazine as we uncover the timeless charm of dining and ceramics with Andreas Schoenfelder, Sales Director at Villeroy & Boch.
What’s the uniqueness of your brand?
The uniqueness of the Villeroy & Boch brand lies in the consistency of brand building for over 275 years. Additionally, it involves understanding what shoppers truly like and pleasing them with the right decors and products. It's a mix of consistency, quality, and effective brand building.
What are the particularities of working in the Azerbaijani market?
In Azerbaijan, we have had a stable partnership for 25 years. What I’ve learned is that people in Baku are very family-focused. This sentiment is reflected in the decors we offer. Historically decorated and traditional decors resonate particularly well.
Are there differences among Villeroy & Boch consumers in different countries in the world?
Yes, absolutely. We segment our approach to cater more effectively to consumers and shoppers. In Azerbaijan, we observe a strong preference for traditional shopping, although there’s also a growing interest in more modern and stylish options. When you visit shopping malls here, you’ll notice a significant modernisation trend among the brands. However, traditionalists remain the dominant group, more so than in other countries like the US or Europe.
How do you adjust to the rapidly evolving preferences of consumers?
When it comes to shopping behaviour and preferences, we conduct extensive quantitative and qualitative research. For instance, when we design something new, we not only brief numerous global leading designers but also analyse fashion and interior design trends. We then test extensively in various markets because we understand that tastes vary widely before moving to production and launching it in the market.
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La petite Boule collection |
 Afina collection |
Which products of the brand have been especially successful in Azerbaijan, and what factors contribute to this success?
Yes, in Azerbaijan, our décor ranking differs from other markets. Our top choice is Audun, which is also very strong in some Asian markets. Another classic choice is French Garden, linked to our company’s heritage, blending German and French influences. Lastly, surprisingly, Christmas décor is quite popular despite Azerbaijan being predominantly Muslim. Its neutral and traditional design makes it universally appealing.
Villeroy & Boch is undoubtedly a sought-after brand, with many coveting its products for their homes. What collections or products do you think are essential for every household?
Our history and foundation are in classic dining, encompassing plates, cutlery, and glasses. However, we now refer to our business unit as Dining and Lifestyle because we recognise the importance of the gifting section. Gift-giving extends beyond weddings, encompassing dinnerware and home decoration items. In this realm, we excel in products rooted in our ceramic heritage of ceramics, such as vases, wind lights, and other home decor items, which are growing strongly. It’s a beautiful tradition to give decorative and not just tableware.
Which global trends in the world of tableware are currently significant in the market?
I would say that the biggest trend in tableware has been pottery. This started five to ten years ago and originally came from the restaurant business, where we are very active. Also, we see a return to lighter colours. A few years ago, even three or four years ago, darker colours were more popular. Now, people are gravitating towards lighter, brighter shades. And we also see a bit of a return of flowery decor, which has always been strong in Azerbaijan. But in other regions, it had become very neutral. It was a lot of black and white. And now we see a return of, like in fashion as well, big flowers.
Which traditions and innovations help the company maintain its leadership position over time?
One thing we are definitely strong in and proud of is our highly sophisticated engineering capabilities. We have a very strong presence in the hospitality business, particularly in hotels and restaurants, where performance and product durability are crucial. We excel in product quality. A significant part of our global business is in the bathing and wellness sector, where we constantly innovate. We work with different materials and surfaces to create lifestyle items. This is our absolute strength, and people can rely on the quality of our products. But recently, we made a huge acquisition. We bought another big bath and wellness company, which makes us even bigger on a global scale. We have now nearly doubled our workforce. With this acquisition, we have an even bigger global scale and footprint.
Villeroy & Boch is exclusively distributed in Azerbaijan by Italdizain.
Address: 28 May Street, 22A, Baku, Azerbaijan. Huseyn Javid Avenue, 22, Baku, Azerbaijan.
Phone: +994 (12) 498-03-33, +994 (12) 510-91-26
www.Italdizain.az
