We had a chat with Jong Boo Kim, CEO of global juicer brand Kuvings, to hear about the company's 47-year journey and vision for the future.
Kuvings is a global kitchen appliance brand operated by NUC Electronics Co., Ltd., headquartered in South Korea. The company sells its signature Whole Slow Juicer in over 90 countries around the world, with branch offices in the United States, Germany, Japan and China.
Loved by health-conscious consumers across Europe, Australia, Singapore, Thailand and Poland, Kuvings continues to expand its global presence through innovative products and a strong commitment to health.
Question: How did you start working in the home appliance industry?
A: In 1972, I started working for a blender company as a traveling salesman. It was a humble but rewarding start. I was in direct contact with customers and knew exactly what they wanted in kitchen appliances.
I saw first-hand how appliances change lives. Without the right tools, people rely on unhealthy processed foods for quick, easy meals. But when customers realized that a good blender could help them incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their diet, they were motivated to change their lifestyle. Buying an appliance was the first step towards a healthier future – and that was what really woke me up.
In 1978, I founded my own home appliance company – NUC Electronics – to bring healthy living to families across Korea.
Question: How was the Kuvings brand started?
A: I wanted to explore an easier way to consume fruits and vegetables. Many health experts were talking about the benefits of juicing and I was intrigued. After doing some research, I discovered that juicing raw vegetables helps the body absorb nutrients faster. Aha! I had found my next journey.
I knew I wanted to create a slow masticating juicer. During my research, I realized that this type of juicer is the most effective because of its slow juicing mechanism. I also wanted this product to be available worldwide because healthy living is a global need.
In 2007, my team and I created the brand "Kuvings". The name is a combination of the German word "Küche" (kitchen) and the English word "living". It represents Kuvings' mission: to improve the kitchen life and health of consumers with convenient and innovative products. This is a goal I have pursued since the 70s, and now the Kuvings brand has achieved it on a global scale thanks to advanced technology.
Kuvings now has branches and distributors in over 90 countries, in addition to factories in Korea. I am very proud of what we have achieved.
Question: What inspired Kuvings' signature product – the Whole Slow Juicer?
Answer: We asked ourselves, “How can we make juicing more convenient?” Then we realized that preparing ingredients before juicing is very time-consuming.
After extensive research and development, Kuvings created the world's first Whole Slow Juicer in 2012. As of 2021, we have patents in 65 countries.
Conventional slow juicers have a feeding tube that is only 1–2 inches wide, requiring users to cut ingredients into small pieces. The Kuvings Whole Slow Juicer has a feeding tube that is 3–3.5 inches wide – enough to fit whole apples. Most ingredients can be fed into the machine without cutting them, saving on preparation time.
It was difficult to build a slow-speed motor that was powerful enough to handle raw ingredients, but our efforts paid off. Unlike traditional slow juicers, the Whole Slow Juicer's motor can crush large pieces while retaining maximum nutrients.
Currently, Kuvings focuses on the Hand-Free AUTO Series (AUTO10/AUTO8/AUTO6), which allows users to juice multiple ingredients at the same time with ease. This innovative product line has become the brand's flagship product with strong sales in the US, Europe and Asia.
Question: What makes Kuvings different from other home appliance brands?
A: Quality control is extremely important to me. We are constantly testing our products and looking for ways to improve. We have invested heavily in our R&D centers for that reason. I believe that if you don't challenge and innovate your products, you won't be able to move forward as a brand.
There are a lot of imitation products on the market, and we always compare our products to them to make sure we are superior. We see our products as clearly superior, and I think our customers see that too.
Question: What is next for Kuvings?
A: We are developing a new range of products to make it easier for people to choose a healthier lifestyle. They will be the start of juicing and blending without taking up much space or money. They are ideal for busy people who want to be more health conscious.
Ultimately, Kuvings will continue to combine new technology and 47 years of experience to create healthcare devices.
Alongside the vision of its CEO (Jong Boo Kim), Kuvings continues to demonstrate its industry leadership through significant milestones. Recently, Kuvings reaffirmed its innovative position in Europe – notably with a victory at the Unified Patent Court (UPC) in a major patent case.
This commitment to innovation goes hand in hand with the trust that consumers place in the brand. Since 2016, Kuvings Poland has been awarded the “Laur Konsumenta – Golden Consumer Award” every year until 2025. This prestigious award – awarded for 19 consecutive years – recognizes the most trusted and loved products and services in Poland.
With relentless innovation and global trust, Kuvings is poised to shape the future of healthy living.
*Source: https://apnews.com/press-release/
