Italian Kitchen Furniture Brand 'ALTA' Launches in Korea

ALTA, a kitchen furniture company renowned in Italy for its world-class design sensibility and craftsmanship, has launched in Korea.

According to the company, this entry into the Korean market came about through a Korean sales rights agreement—rather than a dealership arrangement—with AMS, a Korean company that had been seeking custom-designed products imbued with Italian sensibility.

Rather than following a simple made-to-order approach, ALTA kitchen furniture identifies each consumer's preferences and needs and handles everything on a custom basis, from design all the way to production. The company supplies only to penthouses and luxury homes in Europe and the United States, producing and selling just 500 products per year. ALTA also owns PRIMO PIANO, a high-end brand applied exclusively to luxury Italian homes. Notably, to create eco-friendly kitchen furniture, ALTA grows its own FSC- and PEFC-certified poplar trees, which are used to make the wooden panels for its kitchen furniture. In accordance with European Union directives, the trees are grown in an environmentally friendly manner, without the use of chemicals, fertilizers, or pesticides.

A company official explained, "ALTA has three acclaimed head designers who have swept various awards at Italian furniture design awards," adding, "What began 70 years ago as a company where five artisans produced small quantities on a made-to-order basis without a brand name is now an Italian kitchen furniture company with more than 100 employees." Marco Antonello, the head of ALTA kitchen furniture, said, "We could earn more money by taking on more orders, but rather than making things carelessly, we will make even a single piece in a way that consumers can use comfortably," adding, "Going forward, we will show consumers in Korea as well that Italian products are not overpriced hype, but genuine Made in Italy products with good quality and craftsmanship."

Meanwhile, ALTA's three head designers, recognized at the Italian furniture design awards, give lectures every year at the Milan Furniture Fair.