15 minute read
FEATURE: MOTHER'S DAY
Mother’s Day sales predicted to continue their upward trend in selected categories
- BY KYMBERLY MARTIN
The diverse collection of benchtop appliances contracted 3% in units in 2022, with the greatest source of decline coming from food preparation goods, down 13%. This included mixers, food processors and blenders, according to the latest data from GfK . The market achieved 6% value growth on the back of another strong year for air fryers, up 20% and rice cookers where sales surged 50%.
And while consumers were air frying and preparing lots of rice, they were also looking good doing these cooking chores, with personal care sales recording a bounce-back from its 2% market contraction in 2021. There was a return to value growth for hair dryers, up 9%, followed by straighteners, up 8%, but hot air stylers eclipsed both with a huge 54% uplift. However, some segments such as ladies laser/IPL products and heated straightening brushes recorded declines of 28% and 20% respectively. Overall personal care rose 14% in units and 17% in value.
The latest Euromonitor data also showed an increase in demand for personal care appliances, such as hair clippers and hair curlers, with Remington and Conair launching new ranges. As these products are portable and target busy consumers looking for a quick refresh, sales are predicted to increase as Australians start spending more time outside the home.
DKSH
Darren Sharvell, Brand Manager
“Mother’s Day 2022 was very good with a spike in demand for bamix bundled models, comprising Deluxe, Swissline and Superbox that have several accessories and blades included in the pack for the ultimate kitchen benchtop appliance,” Darren Sharvell said.
During the pandemic the increase in kitchen renovations and kitchen appliance upgrades contributed to growth for bamix accessories too, he said, as families focused on home cooking to improve their culinary skills. “Bamix is a versatile kitchen benchtop appliance that complemented these household makeovers.”
There will be a new line-up of high wattage bamix blender models, the One, Prime and Maxx, which will be exclusive to the electrical retail channel, due for release prior to Mother’s Day. “The key to the success of these will be to demonstrate the differences between them and our competitors’ models,” Sharvell said.
Bamix Swissline Immersion Blender
RRP: $559
“We recently ran a 26-week cinema advertising campaign from July 28 to January 26, with plans to promote the bamix brand again through the Mother’s Day period, supported with an in-store promotion.”
All bamix appliances, with the exception of the Gastro commercial range, carry a lifetime warranty on the motors which are AC and manufactured in Switzerland from local materials.
Bamix Swissline Immersion Blender
- Simple to use with two-button operation
- 200W heavy-duty AC motor
- Soft-grip safety switch
- Three different blades
- Benchtop stand
•••
DE’LONGHI
George O’Neill, Marketing Director
Mother’s Day is always an important retail event for De’Longhi across all of its brands and the company will continue driving sales in 2023 promoting its products via in-store activations and demonstrations.
“Our goal is to educate consumers on the benefits of our new products and the technological innovations on offer,” George O’Neill said.
“Consumers are seeking to recreate luxury cooking experiences for themselves at home, so we forecast an increase in popularity across our premium products that will help our customers create these enjoyment occasions. Benchtop and handheld appliances support our customers in encouraging creativity in the kitchen and rediscovering their love of cooking with items like the new Kenwood MultiPro Go.”
Kenwood MultiPro Go Super Compact Food Processor
RRP: $149
He predicts that products with energy-saving capabilities will be of particular interest. Using items like the De’Longhi IdeaFry Digital Air Fryer and the De’Longhi MultiGrill 1100, as an alternative to firing up the oven or BBQ, are a great way to reduce energy consumption without missing out on the flavour. “In a similar vein, convenience is also an important factor for consumers. People are purchasing kitchen appliances that assist in simplifying the food preparation process and those that reduce costs in the long-term.”
There is also an increase in automatic coffee machine ownership alongside a growing consideration to purchase an automatic machine in the next 12 months.
“Mother’s Day is an opportunity to inspire and excite consumers and highlight benefits across a range of our appliances.”
For top-of-mind awareness and to support Mother’s Day sales, De’Longhi has implemented a multifaceted program of above-the-line activity. “Additionally, we are always looking for ways to provide consumers with an opportunity to interact with our products outside the standard retail environment.
“We recognise the importance of post-purchase service and are dedicated to providing continuous support throughout all stages of the consumer purchase journey. We constantly review and optimise the way we approach customer care, from warranty registrations to technological assistance. Creating a seamless experience for our customers is a top priority,” he said.
Kenwood MultiPro Go Super Compact Food Processor
FDP22130GY
- Limitless slicing/grating direct to plate and pan, with the 360° Express Serve
- Compact design fits in a kitchen drawer
- Stack ‘n’ Store for all food prep in one place
- Versatile power for salsa, snacks and pizza dough
- 20% more compact than the FDP30 series
•••
MAGIMIX
Wivina Chaneliere, Managing Director
2022 was a tough year for the SDA category as a whole and while the Mother’s Day sales period is a key retail event, when compared to an incredible 2021, a market correction is likely, according to Magimix. “We predict that the market will continue on this trend in 2023 but are optimistic that there will be an increase in sales during these months,” Wivina Chaneliere said.
With interest rates increasing, consumers will be looking for items that provide value or help them save money, she said, and consumers will continue to look for high quality, sustainable products. “Appliances like a cooking food processor can be great as this helps consumers cook from home without much effort.
Magimix Cook Expert
RRP: $2,499
“Also, consumers have less money to spend, and those that do have many options like travelling so there is an opportunity for Magimix to communicate value. Many see Magimix as a premium brand and we want to communicate that investing in quality products helps save money in the long run, whether that’s on takeaway or buying fewer appliances.”
Magimix is focusing on digital marketing for brand awareness, together with promotional activity intended to deliver value to consumers.
“We have started setting up systems to help us become more efficient in helping customers and improved our service department in 2022, successfully bringing costs of repairs down,” she said.
Magimix Cook Expert
- Replaces up to 15 kitchen appliances
- 16 automatic programs from stir fry, simmer and steam to creating dough and blending smoothies
- Induction heating technology
- Includes a food processor for chopping, slicing and grating
- Made in France with 30-year motor warranty
•••
GROUPE SEB
Noel Hsu, Senior Product Manager
Air fryers, multicookers and linen care took sales honours at Groupe SEB for a record Mother’s Day in 2022, that followed a number of years of double-digit growth in the small appliance category.
“The high level of versatility evident in all of our hero products throughout these ranges played a big factor in how successful our Mother’s Day sales period was,” Noel Hsu said.
He said multifunctional benchtop cooking appliances and linen care that offers more flexibility and convenience in the same footprint are expected to stimulate the sales event this year.
“A number of factors are driving purchasing behaviours as many households have now returned to hybrid working arrangements, so are looking for innovations that save time, space and effort. With the cost-of-living increasing, they are also wanting to save money. As one in four households already own a first-generation air fryer or garment steamer, they are at the stage to replace or upgrade. Consumers will also be undertaking more research before making their final purchase decision.”
Tefal Care For You Steam Purifier
RRP: $1,399.95
Groupe SEB will be back on TV as the exclusive small appliance brand for Good Chef Bad Chef on Channel 10 with a major focus on the Easy Fry Grill & Steam 3-in-1 Air Fryer to showcase why “Steam Frying Is the New Air Frying”. This is in addition to a market refresh to re-establish Tefal as the original innovators in air fryers.
Recipe inspiration, tips and tricks, as well as exclusive events with brand ambassador, Justine Schofield will continue with plans to accelerate its recipe promotion activity further in 2023, particularly to support the growing interest in steaming and indoor grilling, Hsu said.
Tefal Care For You Steam Purifier
YT4050Z1
- Portable garment care solution gently de-wrinkles, sanitises and dries clothes
- De-wrinkles up to three clothing items in 10 minutes
- Chemical-free steam sanitising in 40 minutes killing up to 99.99% of germs, bacteria and viruses
- Remote control with large, easy-to-read screen
- Full set of straighteners and hangers supplied
•••
PANASONIC
Charissa Sano, Group Manager – Home Appliance & Marketing
Mother’s Day is always a strong sales period for Panasonic, and this was true in 2022 with people opting to upgrade appliances from the kitchen to the powder room and everywhere in-between. “In 2023, and in the lead up to Mother’s Day, we expect to see small appliances and personal care products maintain their popularity among consumers,” Charissa Sano said.
“As cost-of-living pressures increase, Australians have become more conscious of finding ways to minimise costs. Despite this, it is anticipated that premium kitchen and home appliances will remain in high demand. People will still spend on innovative, premium personal care solutions and appliances for special occasions.”
Panasonic Steam Combination Microwave Oven
RRP: $919
Panasonic is also conscious of the new challenges being faced in this post-Covid world and have observed a shift in consumer behaviour to decrease their weekly bills. “Our marketing efforts are leveraging these opportunities, recently partnering with cook Marion Grasby to demonstrate how to make a full three-course dinner in a Panasonic microwave. We are reviewing consumer demands for 2023, be it tips and tricks for quick homecooked meals for nights in, or low-cost meals that the entire family can enjoy,” she said.
Panasonic is also conducting market research to discover key drivers around consumer purchase behaviour.
Panasonic’s social media platforms are building a community of consumers who can enjoy the latest tips, advice, giveaways and promotions for each product category and more specifically for the home appliance category there is the Ideas Kitchen website.
Panasonic Steam Combination Microwave Oven
NN-DS59N
- Four cooking methods — steam, oven, grill and microwave
- Powerful 1100W of steam
- Air fry style cooking
- Six combination cooking programs
- Inverter technology cooks meals up to 40% faster
•••
SMEG
Luca Duarte Product Manager – SDA
“We saw strong sales during the 2022 Mother’s Day period and believe 2023 will be a positive sales time too,” Luca Duarte said. “We expect the personal blender category to be in high demand during this time as these are a great gifting item, in line with the current health trend.”
He said expanding the ‘mini’ collection is also a key opportunity for Smeg with the PBF01 personal blender joining the KLF05 mini kettle and HMF01 hand blender. “But increasing economic pressure on consumers remains a key challenge.”
Smeg Personal Blender
RRP: $199
To support this key sales period, Smeg will have gift-with-purchase offers for coffee and food preparation categories. These will be communicated via social media and EDMs together with point-of-sale in-store.
To keep consumers in touch with the brand among the avenues taken will be directed to product maintenance with video content such as coffee machine and kettle descaling and ‘how to make the perfect espresso’. Customers can also join the Smeg Australia Family, a private family Facebook group to share recipes, tips and ask product and cooking related questions.
Smeg Personal Blender
PBF01
- Manual pulse system
- Energy efficient 300W
- TritanRenew made from 50% recycled content
- Blade and bottle design with an optimal vortex for efficient blending
- Includes two 600ml bottles for making drinks to-go
•••
CDB GOLDAIR
Kellie Plant, Product Manager
The Mother’s Day sell-through period is always strong for the Nutribullet brand as these products resonate well as gift giving options, Kellie Plant said. “Mother’s Day 2022 delivered a fantastic result as it was our first year with product offerings across various categories and with a successful cooking program to support our blending line-up we expect to deliver similar, if not better results this year.”
With health and wellbeing still front-of-mind, blending and air frying is likely to be in high demand again, she said, adding that convenience and ease of use is at the core of every NutriBullet product. “People will be tightening the belt on spend this year, so we expect to see brands known for quality and longevity continue to perform well.”
NutriBullet 900 Series Mega Pack
RRP: $119.95
While the retail landscape is, in general, conscious of the cost-of-living environment customers are better planning their purchases and responding to promotional activity and discounting. “We have worked with retail partners to ensure we have strong promotional offers across all of our categories that show real value, and are relevant to our target customer or gift recipient in the lead-up to Mother’s Day.
“In conjunction with a strong promotional plan, our marketing campaign will run in the weeks leading up to Mother’s Day via website, social media and digital advertising with fun and engaging content that shows people creating simple and tasty foods that are attainable and easy to implement.
“We are continually improving our website as a single source of information for customers with FAQs, recipes and product tips in one, easy-tofind location,” she said.
NutriBullet 900 Series Mega Pack
- Simple and intuitive design
- Makes smoothies in under 60 seconds
- 10 piece value pack for the whole family
- Cups made from high-performance BPA-free plastic
- Includes milling blade for dry blends including spices, coffee beans and more
•••
GLEN DIMPLEX
Sheena Herath, Marketing Specialist – Seasonal & SDA
2022 was successful in terms of sales growth for Morphy Richards with a new SDA range being launched for Mother’s Day 2023. The new range of kettles, toasters and slow cookers complements the Belling Colour Boutique deluxe cooker range.
“Customers are still looking for home cooking and small domestic appliances that suit their preferred colour choices that also make their lives easier,” Sheena Herath said.
However, she said the supply chain continues to be a challenge worldwide, with others in the market also impacted.
RRP: $149.95
“We are planning well in advance, accounting for longer lead-times to help mitigate these challenges where possible. This becomes an opportunity if we can have stock arrive on time to keep up with customer demand.
“With our newly reinvigorated website, we hope the extra information and features will give consumers access to a wider breadth of information about Morphy Richards,” she said.
Consumers can research products well before they make a purchase decision online or in-store while point-of-sale displays will still be placed in stores for customers who prefer not to use digital products for their shopping research.
Morphy Richards Boutique Retro Design Kettle
MRRK17CR
- 1.7L capacity
- Thermometre to view water temperature
- Illuminated on/off dolly switch
- 360° base with easy view water window
- Available in chilli red, thunder blue and black
•••
PHILIPS DOMESTIC APPLIANCES
Geoff Hannaford, Country Manager
According to Philips, a cashback promotion for Mother’s Day 2022 continues to deliver growth, while maintaining value in the product and offering consumers a great incentive to purchase.
“In 2023, we are planning a dual approach of new product and supported by our successful cashback, focusing on our premium products. Meeting consumer demand for innovation and value,” Geoff Hannaford said.
He predicted air purifiers will have an uptake in demand as consumers increasingly see the benefits of breathing clean air. “It is interesting that despite Australia having one of the highest incidences of allergies and asthma, the overall penetration of air purifiers in Australia is only 5%.”
Philips Premier Air Fryer XXL
RRP: $629
Most businesses in Australia, and around the world, are moving into a period of uncertainty and global economic instability and are not immune to the cost-of-living and inflationary pressures.
“However, we are confident that we can overcome this by providing consumers with meaningful innovation, offering products that are relevant and make a difference to their lives and give them the flexibility to do things differently. These activities are being planned but at this stage details are too early to share.”
Philips Premier Air Fryer XXL
HD9870
- SmartSensing technology for perfect results in two easy steps
- New family size baking dish
- Exclusive NutriU app, with 500+ recipes and cooking tips
- Smart chef programs for popular dishes
- Fry, bake, grill, roast and reheat option
