Cainz has developed a new product brand in collaboration with nendo, a design office led by Oki Sato. We will revamp our product development system and develop brands based on eight concepts. New product brand products will be released one after another.
Cainz was founded in 1978 as a home center business, and in 2007 it turned to developing original products. From fiscal 2007 to fiscal 2022, sales of original products have increased approximately 2.3 times.
On the other hand, the environment and needs surrounding people’s lives are changing, such as the diversification of lifestyles and rising prices. In response to these changes, we have revamped our product development system with an eye toward meeting consumer needs over the next 10 years.
Until now, Cainz’s product development system began with planning by individuals and proceeded through a vertical decision-making process, with individual development for each category. Although this system had the advantage of being able to speed up development and improvement and quickly respond to market needs, it was difficult to accumulate knowledge and technology, was limited to one-off products, and did not allow for cross-sectional information sharing and development. It also had the disadvantage of being sparse and dependent on individual ability.
Under the new system, we will redefine the value Cainz provides based on the brand concept and identify issues from lifestyle scenes rather than product categories. Product development is carried out in a cross-functional team. However, this does not mean that traditional planning by individuals will no longer be carried out.
There are eight product brands: “CAINZ”, “CAINZ Style”, “CAINZ FIT”, “CAINZ MAKE”, “CAINZ IZM”, “CAINZ PRO”, “CAINZ PET”, and “CAINZ CYCLE”. The brand concept for each is as follows.
- CAINZ: “Supporting” life
- CAINZ Style: Make your daily life “easy”
- CAINZ FIT: Make your daily life “healthy”
- CAINZ MAKE: Make your life “creative” in your own way
- CAINZ IZM: “Professional perspective” in everyday life
- CAINZ PRO: Making a craftsman’s day “better”
- CAINZ PET: Make life “comfortable” with “my child”
- CAINZ CYCLE: Make bicycles your “partner” in life
Cainz President and CEO Masayuki Takaie explained the brand concept using the example of a frying pan. Until now, CAINZ has provided inexpensive and functional frying pans as products that are “safe and secure,” “anyone can coordinate,” and “prices that satisfy.” From now on, we will be able to offer a variety of value just by using frying pans, such as the “Easy” theme that is non-stick and easy to clean, the “Healthy” theme that cuts excess fat, and the “Professional Perspective” theme that includes chef-recommended iron frying pans. said.
The Shinjuku store has already begun creating a sales floor based on eight concepts that are different from conventional stores. Previously, frying pans were only available in the frying pan section, but the Shinjuku store is experimenting with expanding them based on the concept. In addition, the first product brand, CAINZ Style, is scheduled to be released in April 2024.
At the presentation, a talk session was held between Mr. Takaie, Mr. Hiromasa Tsuchiya, Chairman and Representative Director of Cainz, and Mr. Oki Sato, Representative Director and Chief Designer of Design Office Nendo. He introduced the aims of the reform of the product development system.
From left: Mr. Masayuki Takaie, Mr. Hiromasa Tsuchiya, Mr. Oki Sato
Mr. Tsuchiya cites the fact that Mr. Tsuchiya was a fan of Mr. Oki Sato as a reason for the collaboration. In response to this, Mr. Oki Sato said, “It’s embarrassing to be called a fan,” but he also said of his impressions from visiting Cainz after receiving the offer, “If you buy for a purpose, it’s easy to find and buy. “I felt that if we could create a one-dimensional shopping experience, we would be more powerful.”
Mr. Oki Sato also introduced the content of his discussion with Mr. Tsuchiya. When it comes to coffee, there are convenience stores that allow you to drink it freely with the push of a button, and on the other hand, you can also enjoy it by grinding beans and brewing it on the weekends. When he asked Mr. Tsuchiya which one he would take, he replied, “I’d like both, and there’s something in between.” He explained the direction of the collaboration: “There are various values associated with the keyword “coffee,” including relaxing at a coffee shop, and our stance is to embrace all of them.
Mr. Tsuchiya says, “Even as an individual, there are times when you are busy and times when you are slow.How can we respond to all of those needs?It’s not just about products, but about store development, human resource development, and organization. We aim to strengthen and evolve our products from the beginning.”He added, “In order to take advantage of the fact that Japanese home centers handle a wide variety of products, we will treat various parts as DIY, and actively move and live life.” “I want to create a situation where we can make changes. We will create value and business that goes beyond products, such as services in addition to products.”
