KITCHEN LIFESTYLE THE
KITCHEN LIFESTYLE THE SUCCESS OF OUR BRAND AND ITS EXTREMELY DYNAMIC GROWTH IN EUROPE LIES IN ITS ABILITY TO PARTNER WITH THE CUSTOMER AND OFFER THEM THE PRODUCTS THEY ARE LOOKING FOR Yannick Fierling CEO, Haier Europe Haier and higher: Appliance giant set to make inroads into Europe Yannick Fierling, CEO of Haier Europe, says Haier is the number one brand worldwide for the ninth consecutive year. With Haier growing its worldwide market share in 2018 to 14.2%, up 4.42% on 2017, we started by asking Yannick Fierling about how sales of the brand are developing in Europe. Europe has, of course, benefited from this expansion since a lot of means have been invested on the brand between 2017 and 2018: distribution has increased, the communication programme has been reinforced and awareness went up to 30% in 2018. All these efforts translate into doubledigit growth in Europe. Today, overseas business represents almost 50% of Haier’s total revenue. What steps are you taking to increase your brand awareness and market share in Europe? We want to further implement our strategy which has proven to be successful over the last several years: remain close to our consumers, understand them, anticipate their needs and offer them real but pragmatic innovations useful in their daily life, synonymous with 48 real progress. We are focusing on the premium product segment and today Haier is associated with quality, design and innovation. I want to further promote theses values with the most relevant offer, and thus to stand out among premium distributors to become the most visible brand in each category. We are also pursuing our goal to offer customised solutions to our clients with a modern online toolkit as online sales are becoming a more important source of business. And we are also looking to expand our brand in 11 new European territories. What are the key elements contributing to growth at the moment? The success of our brand and its extremely dynamic growth in Europe lies in its ability to partner with the customer and offer them the products they are looking for; products that bring him a real added value in his daily life. This is the zero-distance concept as we call it at Haier. Thanks to our strong capacity for innovation and our unlimited funds in terms of R&D, Haier has succeeded in becoming an international leader. What are your “star” products at IFA this year? For Haier, IFA 2018 is the opportunity to reveal its strong European ambitions through the presentation of an extremely wide range of innovations, all with a premium flavor; be it design, finishing, materials, capacities, ease of use, quality of results. We offer the consumer everything they expect. Among the many “outstanding innovations for ordinary everyday tasks” we are showcasing is the Super Drum, a gamechanging innovation in the washing category delivering professional results at home for families; the F+, a fridge for food lovers that is the first cooling product of its kind where every compartment has been created with the optimisation of food preservation in mind; the Iconic Black Series and Iconic Glass Series, which were created in response to growing consumer demand for refrigerators equipped with advanced technologies that don’t compromise on design; the first wine cellar without a compressor to maintain the quality of the wine. Connectivity and interconnectivity is also a highlight of the Haier stand, with the U+ Smart Home platform, an intelligent ecosystem connecting household appliances, plus many other innovations to make consumers’ lives easier. How important is IFA for Haier and why? On top of being a symbol of Haier’s prosperous business, the increased size of our stand this year (twice as big as in 2017) is a key sign of the great importance we attach to IFA » HALL 3.1 / Stand 102 OVERSEAS BUSINESS REPRESENTS ALMOST 50% OF HAIER’S TOTAL REVENUE
BUYERS' GUIDE KITCHEN LIFESTYLE FRIDGES MARKET Convenience and multifunction also spark Cooling market dynamics. The long-term trend towards 2- or particularly 3+ Door appliances is continuing. Especially appliances with 3+ Doors are a growth engine with +9.4% vs. Jan to June 2017. This is very significant growth, knowing that such multi-door appliances already represent almost one third of the total market value. The Asia Pacific region is the main force behind this development, overall accounting for 57% of turnover with a clearly over proportional share of 3+ multi-door appliances (50%) and growth rates: +10% of 3+ Multi-Door appliances vs 5% of the total APAC market. In Europe, fridge/freezer combination appliances with No Frost technology continue their success and impact strongest on market growth (+5.4% value growth). Despite still being smaller in Europe, 3+ multi-door and sideby-side models reveal steepest growth rates of 12% and 6.4% respectively. CONTACT Norbert Herzog Global Strategic Insights Major Domestic Appliances norbert.Herzog@gfk.com THE FUTURE - The future of the refrigeration category is bright. In 2018, IFA International expects to see more bold, stylish, statement appliances in attractive colours and finishes, with added value features like in-door water dispensers, advanced interior lighting, improved food management systems to help preserve food for longer, all of which will have an impact on the market. We believe that smart capabilities across all kitchen appliances, not just fridgefreezers, will become mainstream over the next 12 months. STATE OF PLAY Fridges and freezers are an absolute necessity in the kitchen. While refrigerators may not follow trends like other appliances, sales figures remain strong and steady. Larger cooling appliances with more capacity and flexibility are increasingly desirable, driven by people buying more fresh food and allowing them to stock up and therefore shop less often. The rise in compact living spaces INNOVATIONS TO LOOK FOR AT IFA FOOD PRESERVATION In the cooling market, the trend is for appliances that offer excellent food preservation and minimise food waste, which reduces household shopping bills, and the regularity that the consumer needs to go shopping. Food freshness is a big focus for a number of manufacturers and this is delivered by cutting-edge technologies that facilitate excellent food preservation ensuring fruit and vegetables last longer via humidity and temperature steering. This means grocery shopping can be done less frequently, giving consumers more time for them and their family. And more importantly, food that lasts longer also leads to less waste which saves them money. INNOVATING @ IFA PRESERVING FOOD MEANS PRESERVING PLEASURE Designed to meet modern consumers’ demands for fresher food and extended shelf-life, Haier says the F+ fridge-freezer integrates a revolutionary set of cooling technologies, which it calls ‘the Fresher Techs’. Haier says it represents the first cooling product of its kind where every compartment has been created with the optimisation of food preservation in mind. The model features an ultra-flat metallic-finish glass door and a panoramic compartment design for easy access. » HALL 3.1 / Stand 102 SIZE MATTERS Capacity has been creeping up the consumer buying agenda and, as more and more supermarkets are backing sales promotions on fruit and veg items, people have a growing need for larger storage space. The trend for American-style side-by-side models has remained dominant in the refrigeration market. This is down to a number of factors – consumers generally like to entertain more, prepare more food in advance and keep food for a lot longer. As kitchens have become more than just food preparation areas, we are starting to see more larger cooling appliances that come in different sizes and fridge/freezer splits, offering more choice to consumers. and open-plan kitchens contributed to the strong demand for builtin appliances, as consumers look to utilise their space in the most functional, co-ordinated way possible. CUSTOMISABLE REFRIGERATION THE RISE OF CONNECTED APPLIANCES Connected appliances hold the potential to take resource and economic savings to the next level. Through harnessing smart and connected technology, appliances can choose the best way to operate and this, in turn, can allow for the integration of more re-usable energy into the running of homes. Current trends show that the demand for connectivity is growing exponentially all around the world. Consumers see increased energy efficiency as the main benefit of connected appliances. They want to save energy because, ultimately, it will save them money and they also feel good about doing so. With MyStyle, Liebherr offers consumers the opportunity to fully customise the compact fridge Kcu 701. Not only can the customer select the interior design, such as different storage racks, lighting solutions and door variants or material of the fridge, but also the exterior design. Liebherr says it has never been so easy for consumers to change the look of their kitchen. » HALL 2.1 / Stand 201 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Saturday 1 st & Sunday 2 nd September 2018 49
