The Over Easy™ Camp Kitchen System turns any campsite into a gourmet kitchen. The integrated case design and massive bamboo work surface set up in seconds so you’re ready to start cooking as soon as you get to the campsite.
The Over Easy Camp Kitchen was launched by SylvanSport in 2019. I led the design and development in collaboration with a team of designers, engineers, supply chain managers, and factories overseas.
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Research
The project began by studying the camping experience with special focus on food, cooking, and eating. We found that more than half of the items people have to bring camping are related to food preparation and consumption, and that storage of these items at the campsite was a major need. We also researched existing products in the portable outdoor kitchen space, determining that there was an opportunity for a larger, more premium offering.
Concept Exploration
Several different concepts were generated and evaluated before choosing one to move forward with.
Development
We decided to move forward with a concept in which a collapsible frame would expand to provide a bamboo work surface. One of the unique features of this concept involved an integrated carrying case which doubled as a back-splash organizer. This concept enabled a large amount of work and storage space in a compact, portable package.
Sourcing
Concurrently with the evolution of our design, we worked with contracted supply chain managers to source factories which could help us manufacture it. We looked into the capacities of each factory to determine which one could best provide what we needed, and to determine which aspects of our design we would need to compromise on. As we communicated with these factories, we started receiving samples which looked more and more like our vision.
Production
With a factory selected, we continuously collaborated to ensure we could deliver an exceptional product. We made decisions on engineering and construction methods, fabrics and colors, and details down to every last zipper pull. We started working on commercializing the product, looking at product branding and building relationships with retail outlets. We used pre-production samples to take product photography and designed packaging and instruction manuals. The Over Easy Camp Kitchen was revealed at the inaugural RVX show and launched in late 2019. It is currently available online and in select specialty retailers with more on the way!
