Sofie Klitte — Kvik Helsingborg
Sofie Klitte’s journey with Kvik reads like a workplace fairy tale — with extra hustle and flair. After finishing school and being turned down by the Royal Academy of Architecture, she took a year to work as a kitchen designer — and ended up staying for nearly two decades. From that foothold, she went on to serve under three different franchisees, then became Store Manager, and in 2018 stepped up as the franchisee herself in Helsingborg.
When the then‑owner mentioned retiring just two months before Sofie was due with her first child, she said yes — but only once she’d settled into motherhood and routines with her husband and newborn son. Sofie also insisted her existing team join the transition, knowing she'd need support as schedules shifted around a newborn. Remarkably, at five months old, her son accompanied her to work—and it worked out beautifully.
Building a team culture
What Sofie describes as “the magical” bit wasn’t a grand plan — it was the tight-knit team she already had in place. They knew each other well, had worked together for years, and embraced the franchise transition as a joint venture. When Corona hit, it wasn’t easy, customers trickled to nearly nothing, but then everything turned and business picked up rapidly, turning from zero to significant volumes.
Thanks to consistent effort and those strong team dynamics, Sofie’s store was named Store of the Year in Sweden for 2023 — a testament to the culture and standards they have built together.
Learning & support from day one
Sofie leaned into Kvik’s support structure from early on. Before even taking over the franchise, she attended Kvik’s NEFOS year‑long leadership program through Kvik Academy, covering everything from finance to customer service — but also kept attending further leadership training as her role expanded.
She praises Kvik’s ongoing retail consultants and a network of fellow franchisees who regularly share best practices — so long as you’re proactive about asking for advice. She also outsources her accounting to Kvik’s central service, freeing her to focus on what she’s best at: design and sales.
Why she stays with Kvik
Sofie cites her longstanding love of Danish design—and her conviction that Danish design is simply on a different level than Swedish Scandinavian design. “It’s like Premier League versus amateur league,” she jokes. Over 18 years, she’s watched Kvik transform — from hand‑drawn kitchen plans to fully digital workflows — growing fast and offering franchisees real opportunities for personal development and success.
Advice for future franchisees
Sofie’s message: don’t expect a passive business. It’s hard work from day one—but also “really, really fun.” Be present in the store, stay engaged in sales and warehouse operations, and invest energy in team‑building, hire wisely, and serve customers. Key traits? Fast thinking, persistence, high energy, and the ability to build local networks.
Sofie Klitte’s story is a powerful example of growth through consistency, team commitment, and a love of functional beauty. From kitchen designer to award‑winning franchisee — while building a family and team that work as one — it shows how personal passion and structured support can create something exceptional.
