Made In has positioned itself as a brand that goes beyond the traditional, commodity-driven approach to cookware. Co-founded by Jake Kalick, Made In's journey from equipment distribution to direct-to-consumer innovation offers rich lessons in product development, market positioning, and building brand loyalty in a fragmented industry.
In a recent conversation on The meez Podcast, Kalick shared insights into his journey and the challenges Made In has overcome to become a trusted name in professional and home kitchens alike.
From Distribution to Direct-to-Consumer
Made In’s story is unique because it didn't start as a typical Instagram-age cookware startup. Kalick comes from a family deeply embedded in the food service equipment industry, running a long-standing distribution business. For five years, Kalick worked with top-tier brands, learning what makes a great kitchen tool. This hands-on experience gave him deep insights into what chefs want and need.
As Kalick explains, “We’re not just some Instagram startup that started making cookware six years ago with no expertise or passion in the category.” Instead, Made In leveraged decades of experience to create a brand that resonates with chefs and culinary professionals, positioning itself as a company that understands the nuances of performance and design.
Why Build Your Own Brand?
Kalick’s decision to step out of distribution and create a brand of his own came from a desire to build something more personal and meaningful. “It’s more fun to have your own brand,” Kalick says. “You can build your own personality around your brand and your products stand for a little bit more.”
He also saw an opportunity in the market. While distributing equipment for other brands, Kalick noticed a gap: few brands commanded loyalty among chefs. Many of the items they sold were commodities, functional but uninspiring. Kalick set out to change that with Made In by creating a brand that chefs could take pride in. Today, Made In’s products are designed not just to meet chefs' needs but to foster a sense of ownership and loyalty.
Navigating Challenges and Innovation in Cookware Design
Building a brand is no easy feat, and Kalick faced his share of unexpected challenges when he started with clad stainless steel cookware. “The dynamics of a quality pan haven’t changed much in the last 50 years,” Kalick admits. However, getting there required a deep dive into supply chains, materials sourcing, and design.
Before launching, it took Made In eight months to figure out a supply chain that made sense for creating a premium clad frying pan. Kalick and his team studied the entire market—from low-end commodity pans to high-end products like All-Clad and Mauviel—dissecting what worked, what didn’t, and where there was room for improvement.
One key learning? Consistent raw materials throughout the pan’s body are critical to cooking performance. Thicker bases and thinner walls, a common feature in many pans, result in inconsistent cooking. Made In's design, by contrast, ensures even thickness from base to rim, creating superior heat distribution and durability.
Balancing Performance and Price
One of the most strategic moves Made In made early on was to undercut premium incumbents like All-Clad on price. Kalick wanted to offer a 5-ply pan at $75 compared to All-Clad’s $150, providing chefs and home cooks with a more accessible option that didn’t sacrifice quality.
"We wanted to perform as well as that All-Clad d5 pan," Kalick explains, "but we knew we wanted to be able to undercut them in price."
This price point was particularly important in Made In's early days when the brand had no recognition or reputation. But as Made In grew and established itself through performance and quality, price became a secondary consideration. Today, Made In leads with its product’s performance, heritage, and design, with price as an afterthought.
A Holistic Approach to Kitchenware
Made In’s vision goes beyond making a great pan. Kalick’s broader goal is to simplify the process for consumers trying to outfit their kitchens with high-performance tools. The kitchenware market is fragmented, with different brands dominating different product categories—one brand might specialize in stainless steel cookware, another in knives, yet another in plateware. This makes it difficult for consumers to build brand loyalty.
“Our thesis early on was, let’s build all these categories the right way,” Kalick says. Made In started with cookware but has since expanded into knives, plateware, and more, all with the same commitment to quality and performance. The focus remains on creating tools that can stand up to the demands of a professional kitchen while still being accessible to the home cook.
Rooted in Hospitality, Built for the Home
One of the core philosophies at Made In is that their products are tested and developed in professional kitchens, ensuring they can handle the rigors of a fast-paced, high-volume environment. Whether it's a stainless clad pan or a piece of plateware, Made In designs its products for top-tier performance. And while these tools are built for the demands of hospitality, they’re also designed to be beautiful and functional in a home setting.
Kalick sums it up best: “Even if we’re selling a stainless clad pan to a mother of three in Dallas, that product has still been tested and developed because of its ability to perform in a fine dining restaurant.”
Involving Chefs in the Creation Process
At the core of any successful culinary tool brand is a deep understanding of the professionals who use their products daily. Made In exemplifies this with Kalick’s approach of actively involving chefs in the product development process. He doesn’t just reach out to casual contacts, but key players in the culinary world who offer candid feedback, helping to shape new product categories.
By engaging with chefs from the very beginning of an idea, Made In ensures that its tools aren’t just good—they’re indispensable. Jake asks chefs four simple questions:
- What do you like about the current products you use?
- What annoys you?
- What would you change?
- And what raw materials do you prefer?
This level of granularity speaks to a commitment to creating tools that solve real pain points for chefs, ensuring the final product is not only practical but a joy to use. This iterative, feedback-driven process also includes leveraging insights from Made In’s extensive archive, accumulated from years of supplying restaurants.
“We triangulate qualitative and quantitative feedback,” Jake notes, “and then we go into our Family Business Harbor Archives to see what chefs were buying before, why they liked it, and what we learned from touring factories.” This constant loop of feedback and refinement is what allows Made In to consistently deliver exceptional products.
Authentic Relationships That Fuel Innovation
After gathering initial feedback, the next step is prototyping, which is a highly collaborative process. Chefs are deeply involved, testing prototypes and providing real-time insights on what works and what doesn’t. As Jake explains, “We draw it up, show it to people, get feedback, and start doing prototypes.” This direct engagement with chefs ensures that by the time a product reaches the market, it has been shaped by the professionals who will use it.
Reflecting on the importance of these relationships, Jake notes, “As much as they want to give, we’ll take.” This commitment to collaboration shows that chefs aren’t just consultants—they’re co-creators of the tools they rely on.
Josh Sharkey adds that Meez takes a similar approach, building tools with chefs in mind first, allowing natural growth into consumer markets. By focusing on solving real-world problems for chefs and building trust, both companies ensure their products are authentic and genuinely
Translating Chef-Grade Tools for Home Cooks
While Made In products are built for professionals, they’re increasingly becoming popular with home cooks. Jake shares an example of how chefs help bridge the gap: “A fish basket is such a good example. We’re releasing utensils soon, and a fish basket is the best thing to buy for someone passionate about cooking at home because they don’t have one. Once they start using it, they use it for everything. It’s like the ultimate hack.”
This approach—finding professional-grade tools that can elevate home kitchens—has become a cornerstone of Made In’s strategy. By translating tools that chefs rely on into something home cooks can use, they’re not only offering higher-quality products but helping home cooks discover techniques they may not have otherwise tried.
The philosophy here is clear: Provide tools that make cooking easier, whether you’re working in a bustling restaurant kitchen or preparing a family meal at home. For many, it’s a revelation. Jake recounts, “Sometimes you provide them with a product, and they say, ‘I don’t know how I’ve ever cooked without this.’”
The Future of Made In: Vertical Integration and Brand Loyalty
As Made In continues to grow, its commitment to vertical integration sets it apart from many competitors. While some kitchenware brands expand through acquisitions, Made In develops its products in-house, ensuring consistency in quality and design. This approach builds trust and loyalty, allowing Made In to cross-sell across categories—from cookware to knives to plateware.
In a crowded and fragmented market, Made In’s vision is clear: to be the go-to brand for chefs and home cooks alike by offering a full range of high-performance kitchen tools, all rooted in the principles of quality, performance, and hospitality.
In the words of Kalick, “We take pride in building products that chefs are attached to, that they appreciate representing, and that they enjoy engaging with.” And that’s what makes Made In a disruptive force in the kitchenware industry.
Listen to the full conversation of The meez Podcast featuring guest Jake Kalick
