Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast and it's Part Two of our kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2026 winners special.

Since the launch in September last year we've been doing special bonus episodes of the podcast all about the awards and now, we're at the sharp end, we're at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, and the party has begun.

As with all our special awards bonus episodes, a huge thank you to our 2026 Awards Podcast Partner Sonas Bathrooms - you can find out all about them at sonasbathrooms.com.

So in Part One we heard from all the winners in our design categories as well as our Special Achievement winner. In this second part we'll be catching up with winners from the Retail and Showroom categories, as well as the Rising Star, Unsung Hero, Installation Company and Supplier Team of the Year.

Now let's get on with the business at hand!

Huge congratulations to all of our winners, massive thank to all our sponsors and, of course, a very special thanks to our 2026 Awards Podcast Partner Sonas Bathrooms.

And remember, if you fancy being here next year then, believe it or not, entries open for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2027 in September and we'll actually be announcing the host city and venue for that in a few weeks.

So thank you for listening and see you in September!

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast and this penultimate special bonus episode all about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2026.

And it's all come down to this. Host Matt Baker is at the event itself in the Hilton Birmingham Metropole and it's all happening!

As always, these special awards podcasts are all courtesy of our 2026 Awards Partner Sonas Bathrooms and, of course, you can find out all about them at sonasbathrooms.com.

We join Matt huddled at the back of the room while everyone is eating their dinner after an amazing welcome reception, he's got a quick chat with one of the kbbreview team - Commercial Director Tara McTIgue - and then we go straight into the actual ceremony with our brilliant host Jayde Adams.

We'll be hearing from all winners over two episodes - in this Part One we'll hear from our design winners as well as our Special Achievement awards recipient. And then in Part Two we'll meet the winners of the Retail and Showroom categories, as well as the Rising Star, Unsung Hero, Installation Company and Supplier Team of the Year.

So it's a lot to get through so let's crack on with the show!

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We are live at kbb Birmingham 2026!

And this is the perfect environment to talk about…. suppliers. In particular, what retailers look for in new suppliers, what questions are they asking, what are the deal breakers, is it all about product or all about terms?

Also when you see existing suppliers in environments like this, how important is that face-to-face and is it a chance to renegotiate or simply complain?

Live and in person, we have regulars Liz Pantling Jones from Lima Kitchen in Milton Keynes and Nick Warrington from Stuart J Warrington in Macclesfield. We're also joined by Darren Taylor from Searle & Taylor in Winchester....

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In this special episode of The kbbreview Podcast, host Matt Baker is joined by Managing Editor Andy Davies as they celebrate a huge milestone – Andy’s 20th kbbreview Retail & Design Awards ceremony...

From the early days to the present, Andy shares insights into how the awards have evolved, the philosophy behind them, the challenges and frustrations along the way, and the lessons learned from two decades of recognising excellence in the UK kitchen and bathroom industry. He also reflects on his favourite venues, the biggest changes he’s witnessed in the sector, and what he’s looking forward to at this year’s awards.

A big thank you to Sonas Bathrooms, our 2026 Awards Podcast Partner, for supporting this special episode and helping us champion the very best in KBB.

If you’re heading to kbb Birmingham, don’t forget to pick up our special show issue of kbbreview, packed with floorplans and essential show content. And for awards attendees, the Welcome Reception kicks off at 6:30pm with a complimentary drink!

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As Kutchenhaus hits the 100-showroom milestone, we sit down with UK general manager Jim Barnard to unpack one of the most remarkable growth stories in mid-market kitchen retail.

From just 10 showrooms in 2015 to a 100 High Street locations a decade later, Kutchenhaus has become a dominant force in UK kitchen retail backed by German manufacturing giant Nobilia and powered by a loyal network of owner-operators - nearly 40% now run more than one showroom.

Recorded at the opening of the brand’s 100th showroom in Beckenham, Barnard reflects on growth, culture and the realities of scaling a franchise business in a tough market.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why reaching 100 showrooms is “huge” for a business that only began franchising in 2015
• How Kutchenhaus balances freedom and framework to maintain brand consistency
• The secret behind multi-site franchise success
• Why Barnard believes “we’re not right for everyone – and not everyone is right for us”
• The resurgence of franchising across kitchens – and what it means competitively
• Installation, market headwinds and why the final two weeks of a project define everything
• What’s next, including expansion into untapped UK territories

“Our playbooks aren’t theoretical,” says Barnard. “They’re based on what we know works in the real world.”

If you want to understand why franchising is back in fashion – and how one brand has made it work at scale – this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, I'm Andy Davies and this is a very special bonus episode of the show.

Today we're meeting appliance brand Midea and if you're unfamiliar with them you won't be for long. They are, simply, one of the biggest appliance companies in the world. Based in China they are an enormous global player and their UK operation, established just four years ago, is now ramping up at a massive pace.

In particular for kitchen specialists they're building not just the Midea brand itself but also Teka - a brand with loads of heritage that they bought last year and many of you will already know.

Lots of you will get your first chance to see what they're all about at kbb Birmingham in March where they are going all in with a big stand so we're really looking forward to seeing what they come up and I'm sure you will too.

So, today we're meeting head of marketing Julia Livett and kitchen retail national account manager, Ben Day to get a bit more background on plans, strategies and ambitions and what Midea is all about.

You can also find more about Midea at midea.com/uk and you can meet them on stand G80 at kbb Birmingham.

This episode is sponsored content

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast with Andy Davies – and this week it’s a full-on industry face-off.

Kitchens vs bathrooms. Battle lines are drawn. Sides are taken. (Winner… technically undecided.)

Trevor and Liz fly the flag for kitchens. Justine stands firm for bathrooms. Nick sits somewhere in the middle, doing a bit of both. We grill them all: Why don’t kitchen retailers sell bathrooms? Why steer clear of kitchens? And what are the real-world pros, cons and commercial realities of doing both?

But beneath the playful rivalry lies a serious question for today’s tougher, shifting market: is diversification no longer optional?

From utility rooms and media centres to home offices and full interior design, we explore whether expanding your offer is the key to future-proofing your retail business or whether being a true specialist in just one is the answer....

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It’s the next special bonus episode of our Rising Star series, in association with Blum.

Host George Dean meets Laila Kamiabi, business manager at Haus of Design, who is already gaining hands-on experience across operations, marketing, HR and project management as she prepares to one day take over the business from her father.

Laila shares how she’s embraced a “learn by doing” approach, from running the studio’s social media and YouTube channel to understanding every aspect of the company’s day-to-day operations.

She also reflects on building confidence in front of the camera, expanding her skillset into design, and taking proactive steps to prepare for leading the studio in the future — a fascinating insight into the making of one of KBB retail’s rising stars.

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