Homegirl London pays homage to Joseph Joseph. You’ve probably spotted the vibrant, funky and functional kitchenware solutions created by Joseph Joseph in the shops, in fact, they seem to be absolutely everywhere. What you might not know is that this award-winning brand is the brainchild of talented twin brothers Antony and Richard Joseph who launched the company back in 2003. Antony brings creativity to the table, having studied design at Central St Martins while Richard secured a degree in business at Cambridge University and looks after the organisational side. The brand has roots in a family glass production business stretching back three generations, this heritage is reflected in their award-winning glass worktop savers which are made from toughened glass and hold a lifetime guarantee. Joseph Joseph is now internationally recognised for producing some of the most stylish and technically innovative products available and has become one of the fastest-growing companies in the worldwide homewares market. Their unique ability to match form and function has earned them global recognition for their multi-award-winning designs. The brothers kindly answered a few questions for me …
Q: Who came up with the idea of setting up a business together?
A: We both thought it was a good idea to set up Joseph Joseph after we’d started to sell a small range of products we’d designed back in 2003. We had 15 customers in year one and the products started to sell well so we decided to establish Joseph Joseph on the back of it.
Q: What’s it like working together?
A: It works well. We both have very clear roles in the business and complement each other. As twin brothers we were always competitive and ambitious, we also loved design and that’s definitely helped us developed the business into what it is today.
Q: Do any other family members work for the business?
A: Not quite. We have a younger brother Peter who has his own design business and bases himself in part of our London office. He doesn’t work for the business but we get to see him daily.
Q: Why do you think the business has been so successful?
A: We design products that offer problem-solving solutions and good functionality. We want to produce products people can use in daily life. This is the main focus of the business and has helped us succeed.
Q: If you had to pick one of your products as your favourite – which one would it be and why?
A: The Chop 2 Pot folding chopping board. It offers a simple functional solution to pouring chopped food from the chopping board into a cooking pot because the chopping board folds into a shoot. It sells as well today as it did the first day we launched it. It’s made of a durable plastic material and is tested to 10,000 folds which is equivalent to someone using it 3 times a day for over 9 years without it breaking.
Q: Do you have any plans to expand into other product areas?
A: Yes we have lots of plans; unfortunately I can’t say what they are at this stage. It generally takes us two years to develop a product so we are working on products for launch at the beginning of 2014 currently. There are lots of exciting things in the pipeline but unfortunately, you’ll have to watch this space.
Here are some of their fabulous products which you can buy at Joesph Joesph. Credits: text by Homegirl London, images supplied by Joseph Joseph, special thanks to Antony Joseph, Richard Joseph and Stacey Rose.
The genius, award-winning ‘Chop2Pot’ features a handle that when squeezed, creates a chute to guide chopped or diced food neatly into the pot or bowl and not all over the stove, from £13
Nest Utensils comprise of 5 essential cooking tools in a compact design, including a slotted spatula, spaghetti server, slotted and solid spoons and a ladle, £25
The CookBook Stand is great for displaying recipes on paper or electronic tablets, £30
Milly Mill is used upside down to stop excess salt and pepper falling all over the place and allows you to adjust the grain from fine to coarse, from £18
Caddy, £15, perfect for storing all your sink-side bits and bobs
Practical, space-saving kitchenware Nest 9, £40. Comprises of 5 measuring cups, 1 non-slip mixing bowl with measurements, a stainless-steel mesh sieve, colander and large non-slip mixing bowl
