Our Story
Once upon a time, in a kitchen…quite far away...in South Africa. There was a passionate cook and baker named Annemie Fourie, who had a deep love for whipping up delectable dishes and treats, but there was one thing that always seemed to dampen her culinary enthusiasm: hot handles. It baffled her that in this day and age, there was still no truly effective solution to this age-old problem.
Annemie firmly believed that hands should be free to mix up meatballs and sip wine, not be trapped in clumsy oven gloves. She found that dishcloths set alight and silicone covers offered no grip, no insulation, and always managed to get in the way at the most inopportune moments. It was like they were secretly conspiring against her culinary creations!
But Annemie was not one to back down from a challenge. Oh no, she had a burning desire (almost as burning as her finger tips) to solve this problem once and for all. She dreamed of a world where cooks could freely express their creativity without the fear of singed fingers or awkward pot-grabbing maneuvers.
The 'Aha' Moment
Then, one fateful day, as Annemie was walking into her kitchen, she reached up to fasten her hair with a trusty clip. Suddenly, an "Aha!" moment struck her like a bolt of inspiration. What if she could invent something that could clip on when needed and clip off when not, but also lock securely, be insulating, universal, easy to use, easy to clean, safe, affordable, and durable? In other words, something simple yet brilliant!
Armed with this idea and a determination to revolutionize the kitchen accessory world, Annemie set out on a mission. She collaborated with a team of incredibly clever designers, and together they embarked on a journey of rigorous testing and countless prototypes. They left no stone unturned, no handle ungripped, and no kitchen untested.
Just like a pebble that gets its perfect shape from years and years of refinement, PebbleGrip took shape with years of expertise, research, and testing. Annemie spent countless hours perfecting every aspect of the product, from its ergonomic design to its heat-resistant properties. She knew that to create a truly universal solution, she needed to accommodate a wide range of cookware handles from around the world.
cookware research? Annemie had it handled!
At the time, Annemie's mom was travelling overseas for work, being based in South Africa, and without access to the global range of cookware handles, Annemie knew that her knowledge of what shapes and designs of handles she needed to accommodate was limited. But her mom came to the rescue! She would physically trace different cookware handles from around the world and bring them home for Annemie to add to her ever-growing collection of handle designs. It was a true family effort, proving that it really does take a village to bring a revolutionary product to life.
PebbleGrip is Born!
Finally, after much trial and error, many years of reiterations, she completed her mission. To her surprise, the end result was shaped like a pebble – smooth, ergonomic, and perfect for gripping. Thus, PebbleGrip was born!
The perfect name for this innovative kitchen tool wasn't just a happy coincidence. In fact, the pebble holds a special place in culinary history. Archaeologists believe that pebbles were among the very first kitchen tools used by our ancestors, serving as primitive knives, grinders, and hammers. These naturally smooth stones, shaped by water and time, fit perfectly in the human hand – just like our modern PebbleGrip.
Bringing PebbleGrip to life has been an incredibly rewarding experience for Annemie. Not only has it won multiple awards for its innovative design, but it has also positively impacted lives by keeping hands safe and enabling playful purpose, both inside and outside the kitchen. Knowing that her invention is making a difference fuels Annemie's passion for innovation and drives her to continue dreaming up new ways to make the culinary world a safer, more enjoyable place.
stirring up memories: a trip down memory lane
Annemie's first infomercial of PebbleGrip's earlier version, "Handle Hands"
Annemie debuted the earlier version, "Handle Hands," on the Big Pitch
in 2006, Annemie was featured in Oprah's O Mag: the aha! moments of great inventions by women
in 2013, Annemie accepted three awards from INPEX
Just like a pebble, which takes years to form its smooth shape, so has PebbleGrip taken many years to form the perfect, cool hot handle solution we know and love today. And just as a pebble travels great distances, shaped by various environments, so too has Annemie's journey been one of global exploration and adaptation.
Annemie's story is as diverse as the uses of PebbleGrip itself. Born in Zimbabwe, raised in South Africa, and now a Dutch citizen, Annemie has embraced three nationalities in her lifetime. Her adventurous spirit has taken her from the sun-soaked beaches of Maui, USA, to the bustling streets of Toronto, Canada, and finally to the charming canals of Amsterdam, Netherlands. This rich tapestry of experiences has undoubtedly influenced the development of PebbleGrip, infusing it with a global perspective and versatility.
Today, Handle Hands BV, the company behind PebbleGrip, has its office in The Netherlands, enabling distribution on a global scale. This international setup reflects both Annemie's personal journey and PebbleGrip's universal appeal, reaching kitchens worldwide with its innovative design.
So, the next time you find yourself reaching for a PebbleGrip, remember the story of Annemie Fourie and her globe-trotting quest to liberate hands from the tyranny of hot handles. It's a testament to how a simple idea, nurtured across continents and cultures, can evolve into a product that speaks to cooks everywhere. And if you happen to see Annemie in the kitchen, whipping up a storm with her trusty PebbleGrip, be sure to give her a high-five – just make sure she's not holding a hot pot at the time!