Culinary enjoyment in the kitchen
Inspired by working with Michelin-star restaurants, Electrolux develops kitchen appliances that enable consumers to feel like top chefs.
Electrolux kitchen products account for almost two-thirds of the Group’s sales and are well-represented among the most energy-efficient alternatives. The Group holds strong positions in all major categories of kitchen appliances and commands significant global market shares. The most rapid increase in sales is occurring in such growth regions as Latin America and Southeast Asia, where the Electrolux offering is primarily targeted to the fast-growing city-based middle class. For many years, Electrolux has been a recognized leader in cookers, hobs and ovens and has developed numerous new functions that simplify cooking for both households and professionals. Electrolux has strengthened its leading position in built-in appliances in recent years through extensive product launches and partnerships with kitchen manufacturers.
The Group provides restaurants and industrial kitchens with complete solutions for cookers, ovens, fridges, freezers and dishwashers. Products are largely sold as modules, allowing buyers to choose suitable functions for their demands. Electrolux conducts operations worldwide and has a global service network. The strongest position is held in Europe, where about half of all Michelin-starred restaurants use kitchen appliances from Electrolux.
Approximately half of the Group’s kitchen products are sold under the Electrolux brand. Other important consumer brands include AEG and Zanussi in Europe and Frigidaire in North America.
Professional food-service equipment is sold mainly under the Electrolux brand, but also under the Zanussi brand, in addition to the exclusive cooker brand Molteni.
Trends
The rapid changes in lifestyle in many countries have led to demand for products that make life easier and that make cooking healthier and food storage safer. Interest in more advanced leisure and gourmet cooking is rising mainly in mature economies. More and more people want to emulate professionals and are looking for products and functions used by the very best chefs. Food must be prepared quickly, intuitively and with excellent results. Brands are important and the appearance of products should reflect the owner’s personality and values and harmonize with other products in the kitchen and the rest of the home.
Buyers of professional food-service equipment have widely differing yet strict requirements, for example, regarding performance and technology, implying that manufacturers must be able to deliver flexible solutions. The significance of design is rising in pace with an increasing number of restaurant kitchens being open to view by guests. Both consumers and professionals want products with low water and energy consumption, which are manufactured from sustainable materials and can be easily recycled.
New kitchen appliances
Electrolux Inspiration Range and Zanussi Quadro comprise two comprehensive product series that were launched in Europe in 2012. Electrolux Inspiration Range includes innovative premium products developed by applying the Group’s expertise in the manufacture of professional food-service equipment. The range encompasses both free-standing units and built-in appliances. The launch of the new Zanussi Quadro product range of built-in appliances is targeted to the large mass-market segment in Europe. The year also marked the global launch of professional products for the home under the ultra deluxe brand Electrolux Grand Cuisine. Additional successful product launches during the year include Zunyin, Ouxin and OuYu refrigerators in China, the free-standing cooker series Vulcan Cooker in Australia and the dishwasher Orbit Clean in North America. Electrolux launched several new kitchen appliances in different markets during the year, see A year of product launches.
Innovative professional solutions
Electrolux Ecostore is a completely new range of refrigerators and freezers for professional users launched in 2012, and represents the leading edge in energy efficiency and innovative storage solutions. During the year, Ecostore received the highest ranking from CEDED, the first energy-efficiency classification system for professional products.
With the XP cooker range, Electrolux satisfies professional users’ high demands for design, performance, technology, energy efficiency and ergonomic solutions. The more than 200 different modules on offer provide the XP range with the flexibility to be adapted to various cooking processes, irrespective of where in the world these may be. The cooker range is the most sold product category in Electrolux Professional food-service equipment and is found in kitchens worldwide.
XP – flexible solutions for professional kitchens
The XP range is the most sold product category in Electrolux professional food-service equipment. The cooking range can be adapted to various cooking processes, containing more than 200 different modules.
Efficient refrigerators in China
Based on the theme "Limited space, more possibilities", the innovative OuYu, multi-door refrigerator in China was developed to meet the demand for well-designed and energy-efficient products. In 2012, it won Sina Digital Billboard's Best Home Appliance Award as voted by customers, journalists and industry opinion leaders.
Growth opportunities
Alongside the growth generated by the greater purchasing power of households in growth markets, innovations are driving substantial growth in certain segments of the kitchen appliances market. Based on such factors as the Group’s expertise of manufacturing professional food-service equipment, Electrolux has developed successful solutions that make cooking easier for consumers, such as combination steam ovens, induction hobs with preset cooking zones and refrigerators with advanced refrigeration technology.
Steam ovens for home use enjoyed immense success when launched in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Steam ovens have long been used in the restaurant world for the simple reason that the food cooked in them tastes much better.
In a number of regions, a majority of households still have no dishwasher, despite the volumes of water that can be saved by having a machine do the washing rather than washing dishes by hand. The development of new, water and energy-efficient dishwashers for both households and professional users has progressed rapidly at Electrolux.
The number of small-scale establishments that serve hot food is increasing at a high pace throughout the world and Electrolux envisages new opportunities in this segment. In recent years, Electrolux has established close relations with several international fast-food chains to capitalize on the growth potential in, for example, the US and growth markets.
Inspired by professionals — designed for consumers.
