Thermomix opens new France stores countering Cuisine Connect: The madness of the multifunction cooking robots is not ready to stop. After the arrival of Lidl's "Cuisine Connect" on the market in early June, the German group Vorwerk is working to further install the Thermomix in France to counter its cheap competitor. And that goes mainly through distribution. In addition to reorganizing its production of Thermomix in favor of the French factory in Cloyes-sur-le-Loir (Eure-et-Loir), as reported by Les Echos, the Vorwerk group has decided to open several stores in France.

A first boutique opened in Paris in September 2017, boulevard des Capucines in the 2nd arrondissement. Three new shops should also open their doors in Toulouse and Marseille by the end of 2019, then in Lyon a little later, still according to Les Echos. Meanwhile, Vorwerk has opened an ephemeral shop at the Blagnac shopping center, near Toulouse, until July 15, 2019. This new distribution method could expand the Thermomix clientele, hitherto confined to meeting sales.

Thermomix opens new France stores countering Cuisine Connect

Proximity strategy to counter declining Thermomix sales

The Thermomix represents 39% of the turnover of the German manufacturer, according to Les Echos. After very good sales in 2015 and 2016, its growth stopped in 2017, especially in Europe where the cooking robot is struggling to compete with cheaper models such as Monsieur Cuisine Connect or the Aldi robot, which sell by 800 euros less. To stop this decline, the manufacturer is betting mainly on the quality of its services (revenue available on subscription).

Production will also be reorganized as the French plant in Cloyes-sur-le-Loir will be the only one in Europe. Vorwerk will close its two lines in Germany and transfer their business to France. "This rationalization allows us to produce closer to our markets," said Bertrand Lengaigne, commercial director of Vorwerk France at Les Echos. "And the Cloyes-sur-le-Loir site will remain the group's main Thermomix plant". Vorwerk is also betting on China, a growing market that already accounts for 15% of the group's sales, opening a factory in Shanghai.