Tom Rune Stepien invented a product that ensures hygienic handling of bread and other foodstuffs that many will eat. He made sure to have patents and trademark registration in place before he ventured internationally.
Tom Rune Stepien is a creative man, and has invented several things. Often it is to meet a need he has had in everyday life. So also with CleanGrip. He got the idea after a discussion at work about how unhygienic it was when everyone had to touch the bread at a hotel buffet. He therefore developed a CleanGrip, which makes it possible to handle both cold and hot food in a hygienic way.
The product
CleanGrip is a Norwegian-developed and patented kitchen utensil that is characterized by being antibacterial and can be used to keep food safe, secure and clean, for example in connection with cutting bread, roast or fish. The product has been developed and tested mtp. ergonomics, good grip and insulation. The product can withstand high heat and can be washed in a dishwasher. The material is silicone rubber, which has antibacterial properties. It can be used both in professional kitchens and privately as a replacement for both frying forks, pot cloths, grill mitts and, not least, disposable gloves. In restaurants and commercial kitchens, the product is particularly suitable for replacing napkins and other coverings of, for example, bread on bread buffets, as it is safe, clean and reusable.
Stepien has good experience with product development. He has used local suppliers, and this has resulted in a short and efficient product development process. He developed the first prototype already the same day the idea came into being. The product was tested and evaluated in canteens, kitchens, by professional chefs and in private homes before the final design and solution was chosen.
He then worked on the development, choosing suppliers and production methods. He changed the product name from CleanBread to CleanGrip to show that the product has a wide range of applications.
– Rights are very important, especially if you are betting internationally. It provides greater protection against copying and is a prerequisite for entering into agreements.
Tom Rune Stepien
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Tom Rune Stepien
Markets
CleanGrip has entered into 2 strategic cooperation agreements for international sales. A license agreement for the US and Asia with a US niche supplier of kitchen products. The product has already been introduced via TV-shop with great success.
In addition, the company has entered into an agreement with one of Europe's leading manufacturers of silicone-based kitchen products, which will both produce and sell the products on the European market. This manufacturer has also taken responsibility for CE marking the product, so that it meets this quality requirement. CleanGrip will handle sales in Norway and Scandinavia itself.
Patents and trademarks
Stepien has taken care to protect the invention. The name is registered as a trademark, and the invention is patented both in Norway and abroad.
Patents are particularly important in the United States, according to Stepien. It is a prerequisite for obtaining agreements on, for example, licensing.
See the product in use in this film
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