It’s a story that Hollywood couldn’t have told more beautifully: one that is captivating and moving – one that we can all empathise with. And yes, it has a happy end, sustained by millions of people worldwide and an ever-growing community of fans. The principle performer is: Quooker, better known as 'the tap that can do everything'.
1970: What madness!*
Han Peteri, Gründer / Founder Quooker (1918–2007)
In London I had a watershed moment. I remember the moment very clearly; it was at the headquarters of Unilever in London Blackfriars.
Lipton had the idea of making an instant soup. It was a powder sealed in a closed airtight sachet that you emptied into a cup and poured boiling water onto. In a flash, you had a delicious soup. We had already spent an hour in discussion: 'Could you call this an instant soup?' That was the question. But no-one had said how fast it was. People were asking, 'Could we describe this as instant soup?' So I asked, 'How long does it take for the powder to dissolve?' The answer: 'It takes five seconds to rehydrate 95%.'
At this I began to get a funny feeling in my stomach: five seconds! And you had to add water from a kettle that had been standing for five minutes on the stove – one of those kettles with a spout? That’s crazy! How come no-one has any boiling water in the house? I saw it immediately in my mind’s eye. And thought: it can’t be that difficult. It’s nothing more than machine technology. And I know a thing or two about that!
But I won’t say anything yet, I thought; I need to think about it quietly first. I stayed at Unilever for another year and then left the company. Before the year had ended, I had built a prototype.
*The remarks made by Han Peteri come from the anniversary book that his daughter Harriët Peteri produced to celebrate his 89th birthday and for which she conducted lengthy interviews with him.
As so often in the movies, this star came from small beginnings. Our story begins in the Netherlands where, when visiting the Lipton headquarters, Rotterdam-based physicist Han Peteri came up with the idea of a 'hot water tap'. His bravado, his pioneering spirit and his refusal to give up were rewarded: the invention succeeded and was patented in 1971. Which didn’t mean that it took off immediately, however. Even though the concept was ingenious, the market wasn’t ready for it. It was Hans Peteri’s son Niels who first got the ball rolling again, after finishing his studies: he gave the trailblazing product development the final touch, took care of the manufacturing processes and safety certificates, and ensured that the trade fair and television appearances generated the first orders. And he brought his brother into the company as a distribution expert.
2012
Market launch Fusion
A single tap for hot, cold and boiling water.
The next [R]evolution
2018
Everything from one tap with a flick of the wrist: cold, warm, 1OO°C boiling as well as chilled water, sparkling and still.
The brothers never doubted that they would be successful. With typical Dutch composure and the unshakeable will to complete the work that their father had started, they made the Quooker – a neologism of the words quick and cook – into a globally established brand. 'A comfort you don’t need if you don’t know about it, but something you won’t want to give up once you’ve tried it' they explain with a smile. Its advantage is within your grasp and very easy to use: exactly the water you need at that moment flows out of the tap. Refreshingly cool, pleasantly warm, boiling hot or sparkling. And this saves time, water and energy: in comparison to boiling water on an induction stove, the energy consumption is approx. 35 % less. The Quooker has long conquered the modern kitchen; around 300,000 are delivered all over the world every year. Different designs fulfil individual style preferences and trends: there are round, angular and pull-out versions; classically elegant ones in gleaming chrome; glamorous versions in brass or gold; stylish in matt black or purist in matt stainless steel. The portfolio is being constantly expanded and a new model series is about to be launched onto the market. Once again, it will be a smart allrounder, that’s for sure.
