Meet Gastroexin, our Premium Partner in Czech Republic, in a talk about the future for the HoReCa and commercial kitchen industry, hygienically clean ware washing, and how the ongoing Corona-pandemic is affecting the Czech Republic, the industry, and everyday life.
It is Wednesday morning when we sign into our digital meeting with kitchen equipment company Gastroexin, one of our long-term partners, who just like us strive to end the wasteful method of manual pre-washing in sinks. Michal Chromek owner of Gastroexin, appears on the screen from the office in Ostrava. The mandatory facial mask is on, something he has learned to get used to during the last year. The Corona pandemic is having its presence, even digitally.
Question
So how has the year with the Corona-pandemic been for you and your company?
Answer
– Well, these are special times, for sure. The business and the industry are moving slower, but we keep on going. There is still a need for clean pots and pans no matter if it is before, during, or after the pandemic. With that said, there are a lot of companies that are unable to spend a lot of money right now, but it will become better and when it does, we are ready, says Michal.
Question
Is your company working from the office or from home at the moment?
Answer
– Actually, almost all staff have already had Corona, so we have shifted from home office to most of us working from the office. It feels good for us all to be able to work more normally now, says Michal.
Question
How about the whole country? Are you in any type of lockdown right now?
Answer
– Yes, there are a lot of restrictions in the Czech Republic. We cannot travel between districts to visit friends and family. Only for work, and then you need a certification showing why you must travel. Most shops are closed, and we need to wear masks in public places. I think it is a similar situation all over Europe, says Michal and continues:
– As a consequence of this, we as a business cannot show our equipment and solutions at exhibitions and it is hard to get in contact with new customers.
A great example of savings that could be made when switching to Granuldisk technology is the Ostrava City Hospital case study that we made together with Nor:disk. Here the customer got to try a machine from Nor:disk and ended up saving 51% water and 56% chemicals.
Question
How long have you been working with ware washing solutions from Granuldisk?
Answer
– It was around 2011/2012 when we first got in contact with the solutions. It was our service technicians in the other company we own, MAVA, who started getting inquiries from customers to service their Granuldisk machines. Since there were not a lot of Granuldisk machines in the Czech Republic at that time the customers had not found a service partner who lived up to their expectations. So, we contacted Granuldisk and asked for support to be able to make a great service job, and that is when our cooperation started. Since then, we have sold 300 machines in the Czech Republic, says Michal.
Question
What are the benefits of the ware washing solutions from Granuldisk?
Answer
– We work with a lot of great brands, like Rational, Hobart, MKN etc. but for ware washing we prefer Granuldisk. They are the only machines in the whole world that washes completely clean. Often potential customers need to see it with their own eyes to believe it, which is why we offer them a free 1–2-month long trial. Then they understand the benefits and 80% of our trial customers end up buying the machine in the end. That is how great the solution is, says Michal and continues:
– A great example of savings that could be made when switching to Granuldisk is the Ostrava City Hospital case study that we made together with Granuldisk. Here the customer got to try a machine from Granuldisk and ended up saving 51% water and 56% chemicals.
Founded: 2018
Location: Ostrava, Czech Republic
Worked with Granuldisk since: 2011/2012
Does: Gastroexin is a company that among all supplies equipment for commercial kitchens. Gastroexin works with a network of dealers and represents several premium brands in the Czech Republic.
Employees: 4
Question
Will manual ware washing still exist in the Czech Republic in 10 years? 20 years?
Answer
– There are still a lot of kitchens performing manual pot washing in sinks in the Czech Republic. We have a lot of work in front of us if we want to get rid of all those sinks, but it could be possible. According to us there should be one Granuldisk solution in every kitchen, so let us all get to work, says Michal and laughs.
Question
Which trends do you see in the HoReCa industry?
Answer
– Hygiene is the number one trend. It is more top of mind now than ever and everyone is invested in getting rid of Covid-19 and offer safer customer experiences. Catering and deli counters are growing day by day, much since the restaurants are closed. When the Covid pandemic is over there will be a lot of companies ready to invest and we predict that hygiene will still be top of mind, says Michal.
Question
What are the next steps for the partnership between Gastroexin and Granuldisk?
Answer
– The buying cycles are very long. From the day that we contact a customer to them deciding to buy a machine, it is around 16 months. So, we should try to strengthen our partnership by planning even more ahead. Who shall do what, what are the upcoming prices, etc. Planning is key for us to accelerate our partnership, says Michal.
Since Granuldisk started in the late '80s, one of our core missions has been to provide sanitized and clean wash ware to our customers. Having met millions of customers in the commercial kitchen industry world-wide we’ve gathered a lot of knowledge about how to achieve safe washing results while staying efficient and revenue-generating. We'd love to share our knowledge and learnings with you.
Contact us to learn more about the technology, and what it could do for you.
