Electrolux targets small kitchen appliances market

By Yoon Sung-won

Electrolux pledged to boost its premium small kitchen electric appliance business in Korea.

The Swedish electronics maker has had a presence in the country mostly with vacuum cleaners. Electrolux Korea CEO David Moon said the company seeks to expand the small kitchen electric appliance business by launching premium and masstige-class products.

“Our presence in the small domestic appliances market here remains marginal for now. But we have started to roll out premium small kitchen alliances since July of last year and we plan to put a strong drive in this segment,” Moon said during a press conference in Seoul, Wednesday.

The CEO also revealed his bold goal in the small kitchen appliances sector.

“In the next three to five years, we aim at expanding our small kitchen appliances sales to at least 20 percent of our total annual revenue,” he said. “Also, we seek to hold a double-digit share in the Korean small kitchen appliances market.”

On Wednesday, the company unveiled its new premium small kitchen appliances lineup dubbed the “Masterpiece Collection.”

The new collection included three alliances

―

a blender, a hand blender and a food processor

and adopted its unique technology called “PowerTilt.” This technology, which has been used for the company’s professional-class kitchen appliances, gives a slight tilt to the appliances to make them more effective in blending and slicing food ingredients.

Citing rapid growth of the Asia-Pacific region’s small kitchen appliances market, Electrolux Global Small Domestic Appliances Division Vice President James Brouillard said the small kitchen appliance segment is the crown jewel of the company’s all home appliances businesses.

“The food preparation appliances segment

which includes blenders, food processor and kitchen machines

has shown 28 percent growth last year compared to a year ago in this region,” Brouillard said. “The market for premium products, which cost more than 170,000 won, has recorded about 200 percent growth in the same period. We expect that the small kitchen appliances market here will continue to show significant growth in the future.”

Brouillard also said many Koreans have accepted the global trend of adopting a healthier lifestyle with healthy food ingredients. This has made them more interested in cooking and kitchen appliances that can give them more enjoyment in culinary activities, he said.

Established in 1919, the Stockholm-based company has provided home appliances including refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and air conditioners. It has shipped more than 40 million products and posted about 14.5 trillion won in sales worldwide last year.

The company also said it has worked to make all its home appliance products connected to each other through networks.

“As a member of the AllSeen Alliance, the world’s largest connectivity community among electronics makers, we have worked to develop technologies and solutions aiming at connecting all our alliances at home,” Brouillard said.