Jasmin Huwar, KPM Store Manager, and Peter Franzen, Managing Partner of the Franzen Lifestyle Concept Store, represent KPM Berlin in Düsseldorf. This article appeared in the KPM customer magazine WEISS No.4

Ms. Huwar, you manage the KPM store in Düsseldorf. How do you start your working day?

With a coffee from the LAB mug and emails, after which I discuss things with my team. I'm also in contact with the manufactory in Berlin almost every day, for example to pass on individual production requests. Most customers are in the store in the afternoon, when I advise them on questions such as: Which porcelain suits my interior? That's what I enjoy most.

What questions do customers ask again and again?

They often want to know how the porcelain is made. I then explain that everything really is made by hand in the middle of Berlin - something we can be proud of. But also whether the white porcelain is dishwasher-safe - of course it is.

You have been working for KPM Berlin for almost three years. What have you learned during this time?

Porcelain is a very emotional product. Many pieces have been with our customers for years and they associate stories with them. That's why creativity and sensitivity are required when providing advice.

What significance does the traditional company have for you?

For me, KPM is a piece of German cultural heritage that must not be missed or lost.

Peter Franzen was already earning some pocket money in the family business at the age of 14. Today, he is a managing partner. Jasmin Huwar studied fashion design and has been working at the KPM store in Düsseldorf since 2017

Mr. Franzen, your Lifestyle Concept Store is located on Königsallee - just a few hundred meters away from the KPM store. How did KPM come to join your company?

We are all about lifestyle and tableware. We have been selling KPM porcelain for over 100 years.

How does a typical working day start?

Between nine and nine-thirty with the operational planning. We have a team meeting every morning in which the "order of the day" is given, as I affectionately call it: everyone is given their tasks and to-dos. We then open the store at ten o'clock.

What do you like about your job?

Together with my sister and my cousin, I am the fourth generation to join our family business. Work is an incredibly important part of our lives. I like the fact that we all pull together and are passionate about what we do.

What has changed over the years?

Demand has shifted: People used to have at least one service for everyday use and at least one for special occasions. What was a sure-fire success back then is increasingly rare today. That's why we have to get creative and develop new, contemporary products. At KPM, the KURLAND To-go mug and the currywurst bowl are good examples of this.