In 2015, the Mikov company in Mikulášovice manufactured and sold a total of 90,227 “little fish” knives, the highest number in the last 10 years.
“As I watched sales of the ‘little fish’ knives grow throughout the year, it seemed almost unbelievable to me,” said Miloš Pařík, the company’s CEO. “Compared to previous years, that’s a 40 percent increase.”
Exports also reached a record high in 2015, as approximately one-third of the total production was shipped abroad, mainly to the U.S. There, the ‘Rybička’ is considered a rarity, since it is unusual overseas for knife handles to be shaped like animals. However, the increase in domestic demand in 2015 was unprecedented.
“When we were pondering the reasons for this increase, we thought that one of them might well have been our successful legal battle against a counterfeiter of the ‘rybička’ knife, which made many customers realize that the ‘rybička’ is a quintessential product that has simply been a part of Czech culture for over a hundred years,” said Jan Marek, Mikova’s sales director.
However, according to Marek, the main reason for the increase in “Rybička” sales likely lies in the fact that more and more customers are realizing that even though the “Rybička” is a simple knife, in addition to its original design and nostalgic appeal, they are also buying an inexpensive and reliable tool for everyday use.
“It’s also interesting to hear the stories associated with the ‘Rybička.’ One of our customers’ families wrapped a ‘Rybička’ as a joke alongside a luxury gift for their grandfather at Christmas. Grandpa wasn’t really interested in the expensive gift, but he was as delighted with the little knife as a small child. When we heard this story, we felt proud that our products evoke such emotions and bring joy,” Marek concluded.
Mikov carries on a knife-making tradition that has endured for more than 220 years in Mikulášovice, Northern Bohemia. In addition to the “little fish,” the company also produces other knives that have become legendary—the Predator switchblade, the UTON military knife, and the classic Fixir hunting knife.
Over the past year, the company has also launched new products—the “List” knife and the “Pocket” collection of folding knives, designed by the Olgoj Chorchoj studio. The “Pocket” collection won the Editors’ Choice Award at last year’s Designblok exhibition in Prague and is currently nominated for the Czech Grand Design Award, which will be decided at a gala on March 19.
Mikov is preparing a whole range of new products for 2016 as well, particularly in the outdoor and leisure knife segment.