By Donna Heiderstadt
Product innovation, future trends, and technology were the topics of conversation on Wednesday, as a panel of executives from Samsung and Dacor appeared on KBIS NeXT Stage for Looking Ahead: K+B Challenges and Opportunities. On hand to discuss these subjects were Shane Higby, Head of Digital Appliances at Samsung Electronics of America; Gary So, Vice President of Marketing at Samsung Electronics of America; and Geraldine Morrison, Executive Director at Dacor. The session’s moderator was Pamela McNally, NKBA’s SVP of Marketing & Digital.
The Changing Appliance Landscape
The conversation began with a question about the shifting trends in appliances and how Samsung has addressed this evolution in terms of product, technology, and customer service. “The market certainly has changed. And if I can humbly suggest, Samsung has been leading some of that change in a few key areas: The first would be design, the second connectivity, and the third area would be sustainability,” said Higby. He then pointed to Samsung’s recently launched kitchen product line, Bespoke, which he said, “offers consumers choices that they previously never had in the appliance space — not only the choice of color but also material, namely glass, which gives the product a more premium look.”
In the area of connectivity, Higby said that Samsung continues to lead as well, noting that over 80 percent of the brand’s appliances are connected, while sustainability is very much a corporate initiative for the company, with 275 products Energy Star-certified and 43 of those having received the most efficient rating.
Primary Product Design Trends
Talk then turned to the primary product design trends in home appliances. Samsung’s So began by noting that over the past few years, the consumer’s relationship with their appliances has changed dramatically. “Pre-pandemic, it was much more function-driven and utilitarian,” he said, “and we’re now seeing that the post-pandemic home environment is much more about an expression of your identity. Appliances are no longer just an object that you cook or clean with, but much more about who you are and your design aesthetic.”
McNally asked, “Is this a generational trend?”
“We think this trend is here to stay,” So said. “Consumers of all ages want the ability to create something uniquely their own.” He went on to say that with kitchens becoming multifunctional spaces for dining, working, and family time, consumers, especially Millennials, are eager to have their appliances be “camera ready” and flip from work mode to play mode.
The Luxury Appliance Market
McNally then asked Dacor’s Morrison how design and connectivity apply to the brand’s products. “With the Dacor product line, design is key,” she said. “Our designers are making sure we have the best materials, the best finishes, the best of everything because that is the standard that consumers expect.”
She added that connectivity is also very important to Dacor, and that with cameras and technology, consumers can now know what’s inside their refrigerators, not with “gimmicky connectivity,” but rather intuitive, meaningful innovation that “will allow people to live a healthier life and do the things they want to do.”
Morrison also said Dacor is seeing a focus by consumers on multi-function, “being able to have one appliance that is heavy duty and can do it all — air fry, sous vide, steam, all those things — and that whatever appliance they are using, it is delivering a precision outcome.” She also said Dacor is seeing a lot of interest in 48-inch ranges and refrigerators since consumers are doing a lot more things at home and need more space to store and prepare food.
What’s “Cooking” for the Future?
Higby said Samsung is looking to round out its Bespoke refrigeration portfolio on both the higher and lower price points. On the low end, the brand will introduce a Bespoke side-by-side model that can still be customized and will feature sensors that make it easier to open the doors, which tend to be heavier than on other models. On the higher end, Samsung will introduce a new four-door Flex French Door platform that runs on the seventh-generation Family Hub with a new screen that’s twice as big as previous screens at 32 inches. “What’s nice about the Bespoke design is that it’s embedded into the glass which gives a seamless presence,” he said.
Another new innovation, according to Higby, will be two new wall ovens: the first wall oven that doesn’t have handles and the first wall oven with AI technology and a camera inside. The latter will allow users to monitor their cooking — and also share the video of their efforts with friends on social media.
Dacor’s“star” innovations, according to Morrison, will include both new 48-inch ranges and a 48-inch built-in refrigerator, the latter with 3D LED lighting, flex zones, and a feature that will make whisky-ball ice. “It’s definitely a really unique feature and it has generated a lot of talk among the customers who have visited us,” she said.
Samsung/Dacor sponsored the KBIS NeXT Stage throughout the show.