Don’t Bother. You won’t be able to get it right.
Senior Executive at Canadian Tire
It started with a challenge. Well more a threat from a senior exec at Canadian Tire. If I could convince this “knife guy” that we could make the best knives I could convince customers.
Benchmarking
I began the program by setting clear performance benchmarks. With the goal of displacing Henckels, I led lab testing, in-use evaluations, and take-home trials against top competitors including Henckels, Global, and Zwilling. This testing established the insights and specifications that shaped our design direction.
While cooking should feel effortless, we noticed that many of the top brands in the industry had uncomfortable grips and were tiring by the time a meal was ready. That insight became our opening to compete with the best in class knives.
User Testing
We diced countless carrots, deboned more chickens, and minced more garlic than I care to remember all in the pursuit of performance.
The next challenge was finding the right partner. Working with our team in China, we identified the only factory capable of meeting our exacting standards for cut quality and consistency.
Lab Testing
All supplier samples and benchmark knives were tested by CATRA, the industry standard for measuring sharpness and durability. This ensured our specifications were rigorous, objective, and benchmarked demonstrating that our knives consistently outperformed leading competitors.
Chef’s Grip
The key feature of the knife series is the branded “Chef’s Grip”, designed to encourage users to adopt a proper, safe, and secure grip.
A curved bolster promotes the pinch grip, while the rounded spine at the top of the blade provides added comfort during extended use.
Process
From the first sketch to the final product we tested each 3D print and prototype.
Launch
We launched with two 14-piece knife blocks, one classic and one modern, along with six open-stock knives. The first year exceeded sales expectations by 60% and all items have a +4.5 star rating.
Over the next four years, the collection expanded into a full assortment designed to meet the needs of the avid chef.
These outcomes reinforced that thoughtful ergonomics, material selection, and attention to detail in design can drive both customer satisfaction and commercial success.
Generation 2
As manager, we resourced the program with a new vendor that was 12% more cost-efficient and allowed for a $100 price decrease, giving us room to reinvest in design.
I supported my team member as they worked with quality team, branding team, and the vendor to refine materials, ergonomics, and packaging. The result was a new program tailored to customers with smaller kitchens while still delivering the performance of a premium knife line.