The biggest challenge in the UAE kitchen market is “customer awareness,” Selva Kumar Rajulu, Managing Director at Nolte FZE told Lana in an exclusive interview.
Rajulu’s comments came as the German kitchen manufacturer launches a AED25 million expansion into the region.
According to Rajulu, buyers are being misled by misleading marketing campaigns and low-quality alternatives.
Nolte unveils new Sheikh Zayed Road showroom under AED25mn expansion
“Some buyers may be misled by marketing campaigns or lower-priced alternatives that do not match our standard in quality or construction,” he explained.
The observation reveals the reality beneath the UAE’s booming kitchen sector, forecast to reach $200 million by 2030.
While customers invest between AED80,000 and AED150,000 or more in kitchens, many lack the knowledge to distinguish quality from inferior products.
In response, Nolte FZE is establishing a flagship showroom at Sheikh Zayed Road in the Eiffel Building One and shifting to direct operations to help customers make informed decisions.
“Choosing Sheikh Zayed Road was a deliberate decision,” he explained, revealing that visitors will be able to experience a “hassle-free journey, from personalised design consultation to professional installation and attentive after-sales support.”
“While many competitors offer high-end kitchen products, our key differentiator will be the end-to-end customer experience. Every touchpoint is designed to make customers feel supported, informed, and confident, with our team guiding them through each decision from start to finish. This will be the first directly owned brand showroom in the region, rather than through a distributor, allowing customers to interact directly with Nolte,” he added.
However, for customers making massive financial commitments, this represents a departure from the typical kitchen market experience where buyers navigate alone through conflicting claims and unclear product differentiation.
So why have Italian brands failed to solve this problem?
The UAE kitchen market has long been dominated by Italian brands in the premium segment.
Yet despite their market presence, these brands have not solved the customer awareness problem.
“While Italian brands have traditionally dominated the premium kitchen market, Nolte brings a unique proposition that combines German precision, design flexibility, and value for money,” Rajulu said.
But the real differentiation lies not in product features alone. It lies in the company’s willingness to educate customers about why these features matter.
Nolte’s approach suggests that Italian brands have won market share through brand reputation and design prestige, leaving an opportunity for a manufacturer willing to explain the engineering, materials, and construction standards that justify premium pricing.
Which is why its product strategy reflects understanding of customer confusion at multiple price points.
The company operates three distinct categories: Nolte Neo for the most premium buyers, Nolte for the broad middle market, and Express Kitchens for price-conscious purchasers.
“This approach allows us to serve customers across different budgets while maintaining the same premium German-made quality that defines Nolte, Rajulu explained.
However, one of the ways Nolte plans to prove its claims about quality is through reliability.
The company manufactures around 16,000 carcasses and approximately 1,500 kitchens daily, yet it manages delivery timelines through what Rajulu describes as a counterintuitive approach.
“For both retail and project clients, we plan deliveries in reverse, starting from the desired installation date and scheduling production backwards to ensure timely completion,” he explained, adding that this method allows Nolte to promise faster delivery despite German manufacturing being geographically distant from the UAE.
So far, Nolte has delivered 80,000 kitchens across the region, with approximately 12–13 per cent of that volume already completed in the UAE.
Yet Rajulu targets substantial growth. “Over the next three years, we are targeting a minimum compound annual growth rate of 25 per cent per year, driven by both the retail and project segments.”
The company already holds a share in the UAE market and aims to become the number one European kitchen brand in both retail (B2C) and project (B2B) segments.
Specifically, Nolte targets “at least 25 per cent market share among European competitors, with approximately 7025 per cent of our business driven by developers and 3025 per cent coming from retail customers. This balanced approach allows us to serve both large-scale projects and individual homeowners effectively,” he added.
In a market where confusion reigns, Nolte also holds another distinct advantage: it is the only German kitchen brand with both FSC and PEFC certifications.
“These certifications often become a deciding factor when all other elements are equal. We also aim to raise awareness among our retail customers through our upcoming marketing campaigns,” Rajulu said.
Nolte’s transition from a distributor-based model to direct operations also gives them a higher advantage
“By operating directly, we can engage with customers more closely, offer competitive pricing, and provide superior service without intermediary layers,” he added.
But it is not without its challenges, which Rajulu terms as a “major opportunity.”
“This direct model benefits both customers and the brand, allowing us to deliver greater value and efficiency. Clients can expect world-class services delivered by Nolte’s own specialists – from personalised design advice to professional installation and dedicated after-sales care. This approach reinforces our commitment to excellence and marks a strong, positive step forward for the brand,” he said.
When asked how Nolte stays competitive against brands producing closer to the region, especially since adding ‘Made in Germany’ increases costs, Rajulu explained its less of a “burden” and sees it as “value for money.”
“When comparing products on a like-for-like basis in terms of design, materials, and functionality, Nolte consistently offers superior overall value. We use top-quality materials and advanced production technology, ensuring durability, precision, and long-term satisfaction. So, while ‘Made in Germany’ adds prestige, it also reinforces trust and quality without compromising competitiveness,” he explained.
Aside from this, Nolte has also collaborated with leading real estate developers in the UAE on a project-basis, Rajulu revealed.
“We are actively working with several leading and bespoke developers on both project-based collaborations and framework agreements. Recently, we announced our partnership with MERED as the exclusive kitchen supplier for ICONIC Residences design by Pininfarina, located near Palm Jumeirah. Several more collaborations are underway, and we’ll be announcing them soon. These partnerships reflect our growing presence in the region’s premium real estate sector,” he said, adding that the UAE ‘s diverse market brings their own design preferences as well.
“Unlike more homogeneous markets, there’s no single dominant style here,” he said. According to Rajulu, most UAE customers share “a demand” for luxury, world-class design and quality.
“They are well-traveled and highly informed, often familiar with the latest global design trends,” he said, explaining Nolte’s wide range of finishes, design systems, and customisable options helps meet these diverse expectations, “ensuring that every customer finds a solution matching their lifestyle and taste.”
As for the future, Rajulu revealed that Nolte plans on expanding in the Emirates with “dedicated showrooms.”
These showrooms will cater to B2C customers, he said, concluding that the company is also focused on strengthening partnerships with major developers to grow project business.
