Wihuri Metro-tukku's stunning Konepaja wholesale exudes light - Metos implemented the demo kitchen

Opened at the end of last year, the wholesale outlet at Helsinki Konepaja in Vallila exudes space and light. Located in a sheltered environment, in the middle of the city life, the wholesaler serves the city's restaurants from its central location. Tukku's wide range of products and services are carefully designed to make the everyday life of kitchen professionals easier.

One of its services is Demo kitchen, which, among other things, helps Metro-tukku's client companies to develop their restaurant business. The kitchen is hosted by chef Juuse Mikkonen, who enjoys working in the shiny new premises. 

– We have been able to bring our demo kitchen and its services to a central location and as part of the service package, says Juuse. 

A smooth and flexible project

Previously, the wholesaler's demo kitchen in the capital region was in the Vantaa logistics center. Metos equipment has already become familiar in the Vantaa kitchen, and through a competitive tendering process Metos was also selected as the equipment partner for the new premises. Working with a familiar and reliable partner streamlined the work from design to implementation.

 

– I am very satisfied with the end result: all my wishes and the kitchen's equipment needs were met. The project was also made easier by the fact that I have known the Metos key account manager Petteri Honkanen for years, and we have worked together on kitchens before. 

– Our whole cooperation on this project has been very easy. In big projects, there are always situations where something in the original plan needs to be changed. Such situations were always solved with Metos in a flexible and quick way, Juuse praises. 

Putting the customer's needs first

Juuse calls the new Konepaja first class in terms of space and equipment. 

The demo kitchen serves a wide range of needs, including as a stage for Wihuri Metro's own videos and other content, and as a venue for suppliers' product demonstrations. 

The kitchen is also used to regularly spar with customers on menu and product development, and everything has to adapt to the way customers' own restaurant kitchens and equipment look. So versatility is required in the equipment.

– My plans were based on the assumption that the services in the demo kitchen should take into account the full diversity of our clients. That's why, in addition to the typical kitchen equipment, we have a Metos pizza oven and a grill, for example. It is the range of equipment that distinguishes Konepaja from our previous demo kitchen.

Space creates an experience

Juuse says that the Konepaja is getting praise from customers.

– The hall exudes history. Old structures have been left exposed and the space is flooded with natural light. Even the demo kitchen has been designed from the outset to look good, for example in videos: we have warm wooden surfaces and elegant green tiles instead of clinical rust and white. The space is also very spacious and bright. 

The experience is rounded off by the finely designed and implemented equipment, which allows the space to accommodate everything you need. There are also new plans for the Demo kitchen's service portfolio, according to Juuse, but we will hear more about them at a later date.