The kbbreview Podcast

In this latest special Rising Star episode, sponsored by Blum , kbbreview's George Dean meets Jessica Liu - a young designer whose career has been anything but accidental. From early days sketching in art class to mastering the intricacies of kitchen design, Jessica’s journey is one of focus, creativity, and determination. Now part of the close-knit team at Chisholm Design , she’s already making h...

Host Andy Davies swaps his loft for the lush surroundings of The Belfry as the kbbreview Podcast goes on tour to the annual KBSA Conference . Fresh from the conference sessions, Andy grabs a chat with Trevor Scott , Liz Pantling-Jones , and Nick Warrington to ask a crucial question at the the heart of these kind of events. Are independents better off going it alone, or is there real power in colla...

When it comes to brands with long and illustrious histories it doesn't get more long and illustrious than Aga Rangemaster and in this is a very special bonus episode of the show we're talking to MD Dominic Worsley. The Aga is as English as Stephen Fry drinking tea, eating fish and chips wearing a bowler hat under a brolly in a drizzle and there are very few kitchen retailers out there that haven't...

What really makes a KBB business unique? In this week’s episode Andy Davies is joined by Justine, Nick, Trevor and Liz to get to grips with differentiation – how you define it, why it matters, and whether those USPs you recite are genuinely unique. Is it all part of a carefully mapped-out strategy, or something that develops more naturally over time? How do you know if your USPs are really unique...

‘Building an Award-Winning Entry’ The kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2026 are officially open for entries — but what does it really take to catch the judges’ eye? In this special episode, host Matt Baker is joined by Andy Davies to break down everything you need to know about entering. We cover: The full line-up of categories (designers, retailers, showrooms, newcomers, installers, suppliers...

It's the third and final part of our look at how the industry has changed in the five years since Covid and we're doing it by looking at the relationships between retailers and the three vital groups of people without whom they wouldn't have a business. In the first two parts we talked about the consumer and the supplier and now, to round it all off we're looking at installers. How has that intera...

The kbbreview Rising Star is back and we've teamed up with our good friends at Blum to shine a spotlight on the industry leaders of tomorrow. We're sitting down with apprentice cabinetmaker Lorenzo Dell’Aquila from Simon Taylor Furniture, whose skills are more than learned – they’re inherited. With a father who once crafted high-end office furniture (and was even asked to furnish the BBC), Lorenzo...

How have kitchen and bathroom suppliers changed in the last five years? The kbbreview Podcast is back with Andy Davies and our panel of regular retailers – Justine Bullock , Liz Pantling-Jones, Trevor Scott and Nick Warrington . Last week we explored how the consumer has changed since Covid, and this time we’re flipping the focus: how have suppliers changed? From pricing and terms to service, supp...

✨ The Rising Star 2026 mini-series kicks off! ✨ In this special episode of The kbbreview Podcast, news and features writer George Dean takes the mic to introduce the very first finalist in our 2026 Rising Star Awards – Rachelle Hawes from Et Lorem in Beaconsfield. We’ve teamed up with Blum to shine a spotlight on the brightest young talent in independent KBB retail, and over the coming months yo...

New season, new format! The kbbreview Podcast is back for Season 16 and we’re shaking things up. For the first time, host Andy Davies is joined by a regular panel of top retailers - Justine Bullock, Liz Pantling-Jones, Trevor Scott and Nick Warrington - bringing you weekly, frontline insights from the world of independent KBB retail. We’re kicking off with a three-part series on how the industry h...

We catch up with Katie to talk Showerwall, product development and life at its new home Bathroom Brands... Welcome to a very special bonus episode of The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and he met up with Katie Cope, Showerwall's current head, at the recent InstallerSHOW. This is a really interesting conversation for a couple of reasons - wall panelling is a proper growth area in the b...

We meet the dynamic founders of one the fastest growing networks of kitchen retail franchises - and this one is 100% British.  Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and he's out and about again, this time in Kirby-in-Ashfield just outside Nottingham. Andy is meeting brothers Scott and Ben Slater and their company Kesseler. A really interesting British kitchen manufacturer...

We meet the legendary interior designer to talk about his new kitchen range and his (very candid) thoughts on design and retail. Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and today we're in a dreary old loft in South London and our challenge is to turn this empty bit of audio space into a fully-fledged podcast episode in just 45 minutes BUT we only have a budget of 20p, some MDF,...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies. Neptune has grown from a humble start in the 1990s to become one of the UK’s most distinctive premium home and kitchen brands. With around 30 of its own showrooms and 80 more retail partners it has become one of the largest independent kitchen retail networks in the UK with little fanfare. And 'brand' is the most important word....

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this episode comes LIVE from the InstallerSHOW 2025.   This is the third and final LIVE episode we recorded at the show and we’re finishing with a question every single KBB showroom has on their mind– what should I be doing with social media?   And in particular we’re looking at small to medium sized showrooms that don’t have...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and we are LIVE at the InstallerShow 2025!  This is our second of three shows we did at the show, and this is such an important one as its about an area that gets to the heart of what good kitchen and bathroom design is all about – the combination of style, aesthetics and practical solutions tailored to the needs of the individual, wh...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this episode was recorded LIVE today (June 24, 2025) at the InstallerSHOW 2025 .  Today we’re talking about the most important topic of all at the moment – and that’s the health of the kbb independent retailer market after a difficult couple of years.  We did a snapshot survey of retailers a couple of months ago and the resul...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is Episode Three of Season 15. We've got a great interview for you today - Phil Cole, the co-owner of Clive Christian.  Founded in 1978 by Clive, it has become one of the few well-known kitchen brands in the ultra luxury arena - certainly in the traditional style.  It's had it's ups and downs though as we will hear, goin...

Welcome to another very special bonus episode of The kbbreview Podcast, you host is Andy Davies and today we've got a really interesting conversation with Rob Ginsberg from hib. Until very recently it was better known as H.I.B and was founded by Rob's father Warren Ginsberg 35 years ago. But it has undergone a major rebrand - and subtle name change - to underline its status as one of the leading a...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andrew Davies and this is Episode Two of Season 15. This week we're building up to the InstallerSHOW - the huge exhibition of all things plumbing, heating, electrical, renewables AND, of course, kitchens and bathrooms. It's at the NEC on June 24th, 25th and 26th and it is packed with loads of product, obviously, but also networking, demos, s...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies, and this is a very special bonus episode where we catch up with one of the biggest brands in the sector - InSinkErator. They've got a bold new strategy, an eye-catching rebrand and a cutting-edge product launch with their new Next Generation range. They're reinventing the food waste disposal market yet again and Andy caught up with managi...

Welcome to a new season of The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and we're kicking it off with a very special and exclusive interview with Dr Reinhard Zinkann - one of the two co-owners of Miele.  Andy met him at the global appliance giant's new Experience Centre showroom bang in the middle of Wigmore Street in London. Dr Zinkann's view of the market is about as top level...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast and the first of TWO very special episodes coming live from Blackpool and the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2025. Since we launched these awards back in September we've been putting out special monthly awards episodes talking to judges, organisers and finalists and it's all thanks to our 2025 Awards Podcast Partner Sonas Bathrooms.   You can find out mo...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast and the first of TWO very special episodes coming live from Blackpool and the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2025. Since we launched these awards back in September we've been putting out special monthly awards episodes talking to judges, organisers and finalists and it's all thanks to our 2025 Awards Podcast Partner Sonas Bathrooms.   You can find out mo...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is a very special bonus episode of the show where we'll be finding out all about our Adopted Retailer Partner Alku , the new range of kitchens from Getley. In our usual episode that came out yesterday you will have heard our latest catch-up with our Adopter Retailers themselves so today is the perfect time to learn more about Alku...