Food preparation appliances chop, slice, dice, juice, blend, whisk, stir and squeeze. It’s a $182 million category that’s growing 7 per cent year-on-year, driven by consumers’ collective desire for healthier, homemade food, preferably in a liquid form.
The food preparation category has experienced strong growth in the last 12 months, with liquidisers (including juicers) the best performers.
In value terms, the overall food preparation category is worth $182.9 million, up $13.2 million (7 per cent) on the previous year, according to GfK data for February 2014 (MAT) seen by Appliance Retailer. An extra 32,000 food preparation appliance units were sold during this period, bringing the total up to 186,360.
Most of that growth came from liquidisers, which experienced 31 per cent jump from $32.5 million to $47.5 million, with an additional 168,629 units sold compared to 2013.
Twenty-four thousand (24,000) more kitchen machines were sold compared to the previous year, pushing the segment’s value up $1.2 million to $45.1 million. Food processers dropped slightly from $44.1 million to $42.2 million.
Fewer consumers decided to pick up the hand held appliances in the category, with both hand mixers and hand blenders experiencing a drop in value and units sold. The value of hand mixers dropped 18 per cent to $9.5 million. Hand blenders still account for a healthy chunk of the category’s overall value, at $25.6 million, down from $27.4 million.
Choppers, including the high-growth salad maker sub-category, have performed well, admittedly off a low base. Unit sales were up 10 per cent while the value jumped an impressive 50 per cent to $12.6 million.
The overall average sales price (ASP) in food preparation is just under $93. Segment ASPs are as follows: Choppers is $67; Food Processors is $129; Hand Blenders is $62; Hand Mixers is $41; Kitchens Machines is $286; and Liquidisers is $73.
Kenwood category manager Filiz Bensan said the types of drinks we make and the ingredients we use have changed significantly, resulting in big changes for appliances. Australians have strayed away from traditional milkshakes and banana smoothies, to frappes, juices and health drinks. Frozen or fresh berries, kale, spinach and chia seeds are whizzed around at great speeds all in the name of a healthier lifestyle. Enter Kenwood’s Blend-X Pro (RRP $399) with unique MulitZone Blade technology and six pre-programmed settings to handle a multitude of dietary requirements.
Breville’s high velocity super blender, The Boss, can create super-fine textures from a wide range of ingredients and also includes the world’s first one-touch green smoothie function.
Kambrook are catering for an increased demand for an individual, portable and convient blender with the Blitz2Go, which blends ingredients directly in a portable drink bottle.
Sunbeam’s Big Slice Food Processor allows the width of slices to be changed with the variable slicing disc and has a wide chute. Sunbeam’s range also includes the Cafe Series Food Processor, RRP $449, and the MultiProcessor Comapct Duo, RRP $199.
The Colour Control range of food prep appliances from Russell Hobbs inlcudes a food processor, blender and 3-in-1 stick mixer all with titanium coated blades and a light ring which changes colour to represent different speed settings.
Launched in March 2014 Bosch ‘s MUM5Pro kitchen machine “seamlessly replaces the blender, food processor and juicer” according to the official spiel. It is also available in twp pastel colours: Passion Yellow and Miracle Blue.
The TurboPro stick mixers from Electrolux feature a 25cm-long mixing bar to reach the deepest kitchenware and the anti-scratch/anti-splash bell-shaped foot prevents food from getting stuck under the blades.
Aquaport markets the ProAppliances VacPro 2, the JuicePro and the SousVidePro, all of which will be used in the current season of Master Chef.
The Kuving’s whole fruit silent juicer features a 3-inch-wide feed tube capable of fitting a whole apple, which cuts down on prep time. It also comes with fruit sorbet and smoothie attachments.
The Braun range of Multiquick hand blenders are all about comfort and control with an extra-large speed button and handle made of soft grip material. They boast smart technology, meaning the speed accelerates by increasing the pressure on the button.
The Tiffany hand mixer from GAF Control has a 200-watt motor and 5-speed fingertip control. It comes with dishwasher-safe beaters and dough hooks.