Premium cookware has always commanded premium prices, especially when it’s been manufactured by a market leading brand or one synonymous with the art of cookery. Made In Cookware is a start-up that’s carving out its own niche in the $17 billion cookware market, building a narrative around the fact that its wares are entirely American-made. What’s more, as the items are cheaper than those from competitors, Made In is making a concerted effort to sell to Gen Yers, who are perhaps buying cookware for the first time. Co-founder Bradford Malt believes isolating this demographic is crucial, saying: “Millenials care so much about what goes into their product, where it comes from, that it’s ethical. We wanted to nail that down even before we came up with a brand name.”

Americans are more willing to splash out on domestically-made goodsToa Heftiba, Creative Commons (2017)

Patriotism is a powerful driver for shoppers in the US. A 2016 Canvas8 survey found 98% of Americans will buy US-made products, with 62% doing so to support the economy, while 39% say their national pride influences their spending decisions. A further 31% buy American because they perceive the goods to be of a higher quality. As well as price and quality, ethics is a factor – Americans don’t want to buy from ‘sweatshop cities’, so the fact that’s it’s made in America suggests quality.

Made In has recognised people’s preference for buying goods produced on home soil, and its branding plays to these behaviours effectively. From its brand name to the provenance of its materials, Made In creates a narrative that satisfies Americans’ desires to invest in their own, while making its values and affiliations visible – something psychologist Jocelyn Brewer says is “a key part of letting people know what our values are.”

Safa Amirbayat is a behavioural analyst at Canvas8, which specialises in behavioural insights and consumer research.