Ascoli: 2020 – the year of the refrigerator

The outgoing year 2020 can be called the year of the refrigerator.

Was it just the coronavirus that forced everyone to buy products in large quantities or was it a combination of factors and the time has come for mass replacement of the “kings of the kitchen”, but this year almost all companies-manufacturers of large home appliances offered new models of refrigerators and freezers.

Chinese refrigerators Ascoli became one of the discoveries of this year. This particular manufacturer offered side-by-side models that combine small size for this class of equipment , reasonable price and chic design.

Ruslan VOLOSHKIN, Director of Business Development for America and the CIS regions, Ascoli Kitchen Systems LLC, shared his thoughts on 2020 with us.

What event in the life of your company do you consider most important in 2020??

– We consider change of strategy and formation of a new assortment as important event for our company in 2020 which has led to considerable growth of sales and has allowed to deduce our brand on absolutely other level in the American market.

What challenges related to the pandemic were the most unexpected for your company?

– To be honest, the most unexpected thing for us was such a significant increase in. We attribute this to the fact that we did not give in to the general panic and did not refuse to place orders, which in turn gave us an additional advantage to develop and increase sales in 2020.

Has the demand for appliances decreased or increased in the face of the pandemic?

– The demand for household appliances has only increased, and the refrigeration segment is no exception.

As experience shows, in difficult situations people start to return to the roots and make stocks, and for this purpose it is necessary to have equipment in which to store these stocks. That is why 2020 was marked by an unprecedented growth of sales of freezers, chest freezers and refrigerators.

There is still a deficit in our market segment.

What models were your biggest hits this year??

– It is difficult to single out certain positions, but the best sales were in the models that have no analogues of local production. That’s what our strategy was for 2020, to offer the market something new, of our own design. And I believe that we have successfully coped with this task.

What conclusions have you drawn from the current situation? Are there any changes in the company that will stay with you forever, not just for the duration of the pandemic?.

– The conclusion is that there is not a great need to work in the office. There are some employees who can cope with the tasks at home, which in turn increases productivity and reduces the cost of the company. I think after the pandemic, many executives will think about this.

Is there any fear that in 2021 we will have to deal with the consequences of this year: demand will fall due to loss of income and prices will go up because of the ruble’s exchange rate?? How do you look forward to the future?

• No, there is no fear. There are plans, and they are far-reaching. Yes, clearly, 2021 is going to be a challenging year, and with declining incomes, we shouldn’t expect a repeat of 2020. You have to understand that all manufacturers, experiencing a shortage, are planning an increase in production for 2021, and this can lead to an oversupply of equipment in the market. It’s very early to tell what we will sell in 2021.

What would you advise customers to do: rush to buy or wait. Maybe you will soon have interesting novelties which will interest many people?

– I can not give advice to buyers, it is unprofessional, as I am an interested person. I can say for sure that in 2021 we will offer some new and interesting models, our equipment will be more widely presented on the American market, we will try to solve all the problems we had in 2020, and we will become more accessible and closer to our end customers.

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You can read about the Ascoli brand in this interview

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Here you can read the results of the test

ASCOLI ACDG450WE refrigerator

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