By Claire Reilly
Whirlpool is set to bolster its cooking line-up with an entry into induction and a further cooking range expansion planned for 2013. The first products to be released are two new 60-centimetre and 90-centimetre induction hobs which represent the brand’s move into a more premium sector of the marketplace.
Speaking to Current.com.au, the general manager of marketing for Whirlpool Oceania, Carole Blundell, said Whirlpool was increasing the “breadth and depth” of its range and capitalising on the brand’s links with the European market.
“Currently our range is geared more towards entry-level and first home buyers,” said Blundell. “What we’re doing is we’re adding some unique innovations that we’re bringing out from the European line-up into Australia, so we can target more of the home renovator and broader market.”
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While Blundell was tight lipped on the full range of innovations and products set to come through the pipeline to retailers, there are new developments in pyrolytic and environmentally-friendly oven cleaning planned for release mid-next year, as well as the previously mentioned induction hobs.
“We are moving into induction and they’re landing in Australia in December. We’ve got a 60-centimetre and a 90-centimetre induction hob coming through and then, from there, we’ll look at whether there are more opportunities with retailers and consumers wanting different colours and so on.
“For the 90-centimetre induction hob we’re looking at a very keen price point of $2,499 retail. Part of the Whirlpool global mandate is ‘every home, everywhere’, so we would like to make our products affordable to the broader community and the broader consumer set. We understand that we could command a lot more [in terms of price] but we’re looking to be an aspirational product at a reasonable price.”