Husband-and-wife duo create kitchen products that marry cheer and utility
Brandon and Julie Fuhrmann loved cooking in their Manhattan apartment’s kitchen — despite its extremely modest proportions. To maximize the kitchen’s utility, they started designing creative, space-efficient kitchenware and tools. Their innovations worked so well, they decided to share them with other design-conscious home chefs, launching online kitchenware shop Cooler Kitchen in 2014.
Now in Long Island, New York, Cooler Kitchen leverages multiple digital sales channels to reach customers worldwide. The company’s products are available through its Shopify-powered website, Amazon, Walmart, Faire, and Flip, giving it broad reach and diversifying its revenue streams. “Online marketplaces offer Cooler Kitchen incredible volume, and provide customers a trusted shopping environment — both of which drive significant sales,” Brandon says.
Over time, he and Julie have become attuned to nuances of different platforms. “Each platform comes with its own set of customer expectations and behaviors, so we adapt our product listings, logistics, and marketing strategies accordingly,” he explains. To boost their performance, Brandon and Julie also integrate their inventory systems, and continuously optimize listings based on sales data.
Efficiently managing fulfillment is another key to Cooler Kitchen’s growth. The business uses a number of tools, including integrated fulfillment services like Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS). “Those services help us manage inventory and marketing across many channels, and offer benefits like increased visibility and diverse customer bases,” says Brandon. By streamlining complex, time-consuming activities like storage, shipping, and returns, integrated services give the couple time to focus on important business-building tasks like product development and mastering new sales channels.
Cooler Kitchen’s success illustrates how today’s broad range of digital tools and marketplaces help passion-driven entrepreneurs find customers, grow, and thrive. “It’s so rewarding to see our products in kitchens worldwide and hear from satisfied customers,” Brandon says.
