Global furniture brand BoConcept launches eco-conscious products in sustainability drive

Danish furniture brand BoConcept has announced that it will be rolling out environmentally friendly products in the Kenyan market, as it seeks to meet consumers’ growing need for health and wellness.

The products, which include contemporary furniture, accessories and lighting for living, office and outdoor spaces, have been manufactured using materials that have minimal negative impact on the environment.

These will help to mitigate the negative effects of climate change. Packaging is also done using recycled materials, with most of the products having warranty tags of up to 5 years.

“People want products that will contribute to their well-being, they know the benefits of environmentally-conscious products and are therefore beginning to ask what are you doing even as part of your corporate social responsibility,” noted Charlotte Obidairo, the Managing Director of BoConcept Africa.

Since it was established in 1952, the firm has grown from a single store in Denmark to more than 300 stores spread across 65 different countries in 6 continents. Charlotte is the owner of 6 BoConcept franchises across Sub-Saharan Africa. These are Nairobi (Kenya), Lagos, Abuja (in Nigeria), Abidjan- Cote d’Ivore, Johannesburg and CapeTown in South Africa.

She attributes the rapid growth of the firm to having a customer-centric approach, and building trustworthy relationships with customers. To make home restyling easier, BoConcept offers customers its own comprehensive interior design service.

All designers are in-house and work solely for BoConcept. Each designer delves into the customer’s specific needs and lifestyle helping them unearth their particular traits and design inclination. The designer then takes measurements and develops detailed plans, either in-store or in the customer’s home.

“Trust is so key. For us it is not just about pushing sales. We do not want to sell you a whole lot of things which you do not need. We want to sell to you exactly what represents you. We believe that designs should never come at a cost to the customers’ individuality or lifestyle. As such, approximately 80-90 percent of designs can be adapted for either size, colour, material or components,” notes Charlotte.

She also says that investing in the right team has been key to their success, noting that without the right staff, not just in terms of skill, but also the right attitude, a business cannot progress, because the staff have a very big effect on the customers.

“If it wasn’t for the amazing people that have stayed with us, we would not have been able to grow and expand because we need that, the stability and experience,” noted Charlotte.

She says that they hope to open more stores across Kenya in the near future, leveraging on Kenya’s rapidly growing real estate industry to serve more customers.

“Kenya is lovely, it’s been a lovely experience through and through. We opened during the pandemic and it was a bit difficult but now we are seeing a surge in orders and deliveries whether it is for our corporate clients, apartments or Air BnBs, offices, or hotels. They are liking the durability of the products, and we are getting a lot of positive feedback which is inspiring to us,” noted Charlotte.