Benton Harbor-based Whirlpool Corporation has taken a quantum leap today designed to strengthen its position as a leader in building a seamlessly integrated connected kitchen through their acquisition of Yummly, Inc. of California.
The appliance giant has announced today that it has reached an agreement to acquire Yummly, which was founded in 2009 by David Feller and Vadim Geshel. Yummly, for those unfamiliar with the concept, is a food-centric technology company that provides personalized recipes and cooking resources to people across the globe.
Yummly boasts more than 20 million registered users and is one of the world’s largest digital recipe platforms. The acquisition strengthens Whirlpool’s ability to bring purposeful, consumer-relevant innovations to market in the emerging IoT space.
Brett Dibkey is Vice Presidnet of Integrated Business Units for Whirlpool Corporation. He says, “We are committed to introducing new products to market that remove complexity from the day-to-day lives of consumers. Increasingly, these products will be defined by both physical and digital experiences.” He adds, “Yummly brings an outstanding platform on which to begin building our digital product offering.” Joe Liotine, president of Whirlpool North America adds, “We look forward to the many possibilities to create value for our consumers with this acquisition.”
With today’s announcement, Whirlpool Corporation continues to strengthen its position as a leader in building a seamlessly integrated connected kitchen. Every day, millions of consumers around the world use Whirlpool Corporation appliances to prepare meals for their families. The Yummly acquisition will allow these consumers to dramatically reduce the stress from meal planning by helping answer the age-old question, “what’s for dinner tonight?”
As a wholly-owned subsidiary, Yummly will continue to operate out of its headquarters in Redwood City, California.
Brian Witline is Chief Executive Officer at Yummly. He says, “We are extremely excited about the opportunities and innovations we can create with Whirlpool Corporation.” He notes, “Whirlpool’s purposeful and consumer-centric approach to innovation aligns perfectly with what we do, who we are, and what we seek to create for consumers as the kitchen becomes ever-more digitally connected.”
The transaction is subject to certain closing conditions and is expected to be finalized yet this month. Terms of the acquisition are confidential and will not have a material impact on Whirlpool Corporation’s 2017 financial statements.
Whirlpool Corporation is the number one major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 93,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2016.
Yummly, founded by David Feller and Vadim Geshel in 2009, is a leading digital platform (mobile and web) for personalized recipes and cooking resources. Since Yummly’s inception, it has been active in the digital kitchen and connecting users to the recipes they love. From recipe recommendations to handy tools and helpful videos, Yummly has everything needed to improve life in the kitchen every step of the way. The company, which is headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley, uses patented technology and proprietary data to understand food and taste, making it the best source for recipes tailored to specific taste preferences. For more information, click the link below:
