In honor of the 30-year journey of Dieta kettles, we had the pleasure of talking with our Managing Director Ville-Veikko Litmanen about what he sees as similarities to the company's beginnings and what things are essential today.
The story of the Dieta kettle began 30 years ago, with the vision to produce the best kettle in the world. The first prototype of the kettle was completed in 1993 with a small group of three people in the corner of the factory hall. A lot has happened in the last 30 years, but the vision is still the same – the best kettle in the world.
“The vision has been refined, and we have become more ambitious, but the original vision has not been abandoned,” says Ville-Veikko Litmanen.
The end-user as a design starting point
The story of the newest kettle model Dieta Genier began by focusing on listening to end-users first before anything else. Usability experts and designers went on-site to a professional kitchen to observe food preparation. We also interviewed and listened to industry professionals from all over the world. It was only after the essential challenges faced by end-users had been identified the engineers were involved. Then we moved on to the product design and started looking for solutions. The feedback that Genier kettles’ user interface has received indicates the success of customer-oriented design.
“The messages from customers worldwide is that UI is comfortable and easy to use,” Litmanen enthuses.
The mixing tool has also been further developed in connection with the birth of the new generation of Genier kettles. The mixing tool for Dieta kettles is patented and unique due to its versatility. Various mixing attachments can be used with the tool, diversifying the kettle’s possible uses. By listening to end-users, the kettle’s potential has also been expanded beyond traditional kettle recipes and cooking methods. With the new mixing attachments, it can now also be used to marinate different salads, casseroles or even meat.
“The primary starting point for the design has been the end-users and solving their challenges, but then we have built added value on top of that through new solutions,” Litmanen explains.
Responsibility mindset in action
Dietatec is certified according to the ISO 9000 quality and the ISO 1401 environmental management system standards. “The certificate is a testament to the systematic perpetual development work we all do here to promote responsible action,” says Litmanen and continues: “These matters are meaningful to us, and we set goals for them. However, the certificates do not mean we have already reached our goal. Our mission is to continuously develop in a more responsible direction.”
A responsibility mindset is present in product development from the outset. For example, the energy efficiency of a product and its recyclability at the end of its life cycle are considered in the design. In addition, the production process and its environmental impact, as well as ergonomics, are things in which we want to invest.
“Part of the responsibility is also helping our customers act more responsibly and develop their activities in a more responsible direction,” Litmanen elaborates.
Easier and safer preparation
In addition to the best kettles in the world, Dietatec also wants to export its food production process expertise to the world. “Our mission is to make the professional kitchen working day easier and safer,” Ville-Veikko sums up and continues: “The tilting and mixing properties of the kettle also increase the well-being of the staff. We want to increase the efficiency of the kitchen’s process operations and increase the safety and ergonomics of employees at the same time.”
The entire staff at Dietatec is committed and stands behind both the vision and the mission.
“Our best value is our attitude. We’re proud of what we do. We all desire to participate and understand that success is only possible together,” Litmanen concludes.
