Soeder and Kitchener, that’s a marriage made in heaven. The Bern-based company, which has stores in Zurich as well, was among our first soap customers. We have also made ourselves at home with them twice over the past few weeks with a temporary pop-up in Zurich and a shop-in-shop in Bern.Sarah Huber from Kitchener was kind enough to answer a few questions.


1. WE
Who are you? And what is your Soeder Connection?

Kitchener is a family business from Bern. For almost 60 years, our main passion has not been about brands but about products. It's not specific scenes or the latest trends determining our product range, but the joy of shopping. We don't want to be hip but always independent, individual and challenging. As a retailer, we try to create a distinctive style that is neither ahead of the times nor trailing behind the brands; instead, we want to offer an exciting shopping experience that fascinates and surprises our customers over and over again.

We have been stocking Soeder products for six years.


MAKE
Why should people shop with you? What can you offer that other stores can't?

We are always on the hunt for exciting products. At Kitchener, you'll find a variety of fashion, home goods, natural cosmetics, books, records, and much more. Since the beginning of 2021, we've also been running an Épicerie, Kitchener SUPPER. We focus on the selection and presentation of our products; a visit to our 600-square-metre shop in Bern should be an experience. Our customers particularly appreciate the fact that they always discover something new.


3 THINGS
Which Soeder product tipped the scales in our favour – and which one blew you away recently?

When we started working with Soeder, there was only the soap, but we really liked it straight away. A good soap, a glass bottle, Swiss made and refillable– who could ask for more? My favourite product is the face cream; I couldn't do without it! However, I also loved the last two soaps, Wermut Negroni and Hinoki Yuzu.


4. GOOD
What is your take on sustainability – and what goals have you set yourselves to achieve more sustainability?

As consumers, we can change the world – if we purchase mindfully. So we think: consuming less, and choosing products that last and give us pleasure for a long time, is the most sustainable way of consuming.
Kitchener wants to provide a platform for small, independent manufacturers and their products. We choose our partners very carefully; we value direct contact and a relationship of trust just as much as we do specific labels. We choose durable products that can be fixed when damaged, and we pay attention to materials, production methods, and transport routes. The perfect product does not (yet) exist. Our task is to provide our customers with as much information as possible about a product or label they want to buy. By this, we enable them to decide in line with their values.