The Portland-based high-end blade maker Steelport Knife Co. is expanding into the international retail market. The company’s knives will soon be sold in Munemasa Cutlery, a Japanese retailer in Tokyo, and several stores across Canada.
Co-founders Ron Khormaei and Eytan Zias launched Steelport last year with only its 8-inch knife available for purchase, but have now expanded their product line to also include a 4-inch paring knife, 6-inch chef knife, 10-inch slicing knife and 10-inch bread knife.
“Considering Japan’s deep pride and broadly applauded knife making tradition, a knife retailer in Japan carrying an American-made culinary knife for the first time is monumental recognition of Steelport’s exceptional quality, and a vote of confidence for American craftsmanship in knife making,” Khormaei said.
Globally, the luxury knife industry is growing fast, estimated to be worth some $10 billion over the coming years. Priced between $250 and $450 without a protective sheath, Steelport’s knives look to compete with the Japanese-made giants on the cutlery market.
Khormaei said, though, Steelport’s knives are aimed at anyone who wants to put an extra amount of love and care into what they cook, not just professional chefs. If someone plans to spend extra on quality ingredients, their equipment should reflect that, Khormaei said.
“If you're putting a lot of love and care into choosing organic, grass-fed food, and you spend hours getting the perfect product, then going with an inferior cutting knife, inferior cookware, it kind of misses the whole point,” Khormaei said.
Earlier this summer, Steelport also began selling its knives at luxury kitchen goods store Sur La Table locations nationally. According to Steelport, Sur La Table is now the only national retailer to carry an American cutlery brand, as Japanese knives dominate the market.
