The opportunity in the kitchen air conditioning market lies not in the quality of the equipment or the size of the brands, but in the integration between devices and the user experience, comfort, and convenience of renovation. In recent years, the continuous popularity of kitchen air conditioning in first-tier markets is driven more by the promotion of enterprises and the pursuit of quality life by a minority group, and does not apply to all kitchen air conditioning products, all air conditioning companies, and certainly not the future of the air conditioning industry.
Written by Kong Yu
In recent years, Chinese kitchens have become a new battleground in the home appliance industry, attracting a series of competitions and struggles among refrigerator companies, integrated stove companies, water purifier companies, automatic cooking machine companies, and air conditioning companies. However, whether air conditioning can carve out a new track in Chinese kitchens remains an unknown.
Because whether air conditioning products that meet cooling demands can more conveniently and quickly integrate into kitchens, seize the "trade-in for new" market in kitchens, and meet new market demands is still uncertain. Currently, relying solely on unilateral promotion by air conditioning companies and sales by air conditioning dealers is very challenging. Kitchen air conditioning is definitely not just about selling equipment for profit; it's about selling services, experiences, and lifestyles, and only by getting close to users and household scenarios can there be opportunities.
The kitchen is a good battlefield, but not for air conditioning.
Kitchen air conditioning has a market, users, and demand! However, this does not mean that the new players who specialize in expanding the kitchen air conditioning market can seize business opportunities and market share. Especially for home appliance dealers who want to transform and innovate, the home appliance industry believes that they should not fall into the trap of the so-called "business opportunities in the professional kitchen air conditioning market."
Although the shipment of many quality home appliances has been sluggish due to the impact of consumer downgrading in the past year, the pursuit of quality life by mainstream consumer groups continues to rise. Professional air conditioning equipment and products tailored for kitchen scenarios have started to gain popularity in some regional markets and households.
During this process, there have been so-called professional kitchen air conditioning brands and commercial groups in the market, claiming that a round of market opportunities for professional kitchen air conditioning has arrived, with a market size reaching billions. Those who seize the professional kitchen air conditioning market track early will gain huge business opportunities.
In response to this, many home appliance dealers in the market, as well as entrepreneurs who want to enter the professional kitchen air conditioning distribution, need to have three basic understandings:
First, kitchen air conditioning is not a new category, species, or market that has emerged in the past two years; it has always existed, and leading air conditioning companies have been leading in layout, promotion, and competition. Mainly Daikin, Hitachi, as well as Midea, Haier, Gree, and other large enterprises, there is basically no room for professional kitchen air conditioning companies; more of these are the main battlefield of air conditioning giants, including household air conditioning and central air conditioning, which have already launched corresponding cooling and oil pollution solutions for kitchen scenarios.
Second, professional air conditioning equipment for kitchen scenarios, mainly cooling equipment, is the future trend and direction. However, this does not mean that some new players in the industry can launch new categories of kitchen air conditioning that surpass existing ones under the guise of "professionalism." It's more of a hype of the concept of "old wine in a new bottle." Innovation in end products for household air conditioning and household central air conditioning tailored for kitchen spaces has been steadily advancing, including mobile air conditioning, which is also competing for this market. It can be said that some new players in professional kitchen air conditioning who are "weak in strength" and want to quickly seize the kitchen air conditioning market will only end up as marginal players and speculators.
Third, there is definitely user demand and market opportunities for kitchen air conditioning, but it is not possible to separate it from the air conditioning market and become a specialized sub-business track for air conditioning. More importantly, the kitchen air conditioning market is currently in the stage of consumer cultivation and education, with market dominance in the hands of Midea, Gree, Haier, as well as Daikin, Hitachi, and a few large enterprises. They have already launched product solutions for kitchen scenarios and are actively competing. More and more families, whether in new installations or renovations of kitchen spaces, will seek professional home improvement companies to provide comprehensive solutions, rather than purchasing so-called kitchen air conditioning separately. Furthermore, many new companies that have launched professional kitchen air conditioning still face issues of low product quality, performance stability, and reliability, which can easily lead to user complaints and increased operating costs for businesses.
The so-called business opportunities and market prospects for professional kitchen air conditioning companies in the mature Chinese home appliance industry are a public false proposition. While professional kitchen air conditioning equipment is needed in Chinese households for cooling and comfort, the commercial groups that claim to create professional kitchen air conditioning are a complete false proposition and hype.
Industry thresholds are rising, and the market should be wary of blind speculation.
Currently, although the market competition focused on kitchen air conditioning has formed three major enterprise camps, the initiative is firmly in the hands of a few air conditioning giants:
First, professional air conditioning companies have launched two types of products, including household air conditioning and household central air conditioning, emphasizing integration with home decoration. Especially innovative products like ceiling-mounted and ducted air conditioners in household air conditioning, driven by leading enterprises such as Daikin and Midea, have become the main products sold in the market.
Second, professional kitchen and bathroom companies, mainly kitchen appliance companies like Fotile and bathroom companies like Oppe, have launched cooling range hoods and embedded cold air machines. Currently, they are only in the stage of occupying the market and have not made continuous efforts. They are more focused on promoting complete sets of kitchen and bathroom products. It is expected that further efforts will be made based on market and user acceptance.
Third, a few kitchen air conditioning startup companies, established only in the past 1-2 years, have launched so-called professional kitchen air conditioning equipment, hoping to seize a piece of the cake by taking advantage of the opportunity for large enterprises to focus on cooling solutions for kitchen scenarios. However, there are doubts about the stability and reliability of product technology, performance, and quality, as well as the professionalism and rapid response capabilities to meet user service demands. Currently, there are many participants in the kitchen air conditioning market, but few are truly competitive. While traditional air conditioning systems are often described as "three parts quality, seven parts installation," kitchen-specific air conditioning products are more about "five parts quality, five parts installation." The stability of product performance and the reliability of service are crucial. This serves as a reminder to many dealers in the home appliance market to exercise caution with new brands and companies claiming expertise in kitchen air conditioning. It's important not to prioritize short-term profits over customer satisfaction, leading to issues like stagnant inventory or continuous complaints from users.
Moreover, in the current trend of "trading in old appliances for new ones," seizing market share for kitchen air conditioning is no easy task. On one hand, the kitchen renovation trend is driving user demand, but so far, kitchen appliance companies have not found better breakthroughs beyond the replacement of range hoods and gas stoves. Upgrading sink spaces involving plumbing, as well as adding dishwashers, poses challenges that go beyond updating appliances to testing the capabilities of kitchen cabinet renovations and services. On the other hand, kitchen air conditioning involves more than just sales and installation; it requires integration and renovation within kitchen spaces, addressing specialized issues like oil fume prevention in addition to blending with cabinets. Who will handle the construction, and who will provide follow-up services?
Whether now or in the future, the commercial opportunities in the kitchen air conditioning market naturally lie in the hands of a few professional air conditioning giants. It is challenging for so-called professional kitchen air conditioning companies to establish themselves in a mature market, often leading to a "flash in the pan" situation!
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