WILFA ATTRACTS AMERICAN INTEREST

- We have had Target, Walmart, Best Buy, and Costco visit us, among others. Everyone has been super interested and really wants to work with us, says Morten Hoff, owner and managing director at Wilfa.

He says it is now important to choose the right partners, after a trade show where distributors, customers, and media have shown great interest.

- Everyone thinks we have an incredibly cool design. When they hear what our products are capable of, they become really enthusiastic. In fact, some have already wanted to send us contracts, while we, for our part, want a more controlled establishment, Hoff tells the trade magazine Elektronikkbransjen.

At CES, he showcases the Wilfa Performance EVO coffee maker.

- It is now made of metal instead of plastic, as before. The design resembles the previous model, but the biggest improvement is on the inside, as you can now control the coffee maker with an app. Here you can choose different programs, you can choose to make just a single cup, and this is not least the first filter coffee maker that can make cold brew coffee, Hoff tells the trade magazine Elektronikkbransjen.

With the app, the user can set time, temperature, and custom programs, and the coffee maker can also be used for tea. Hoff describes the option for cold coffee as particularly important. The Wilfa Performance EVO costs 3,500 Norwegian kroner.

Important product group

Wilfa has been developing coffee makers for 10-15 years, and Hoff says they are increasing their market share year by year.

– We are now around 15 percent in Norway, and that is quite a lot up from last year. So we are doing quite well, I think.

When asked what characterises a Wilfa coffee maker, Hoff highlights design and technical solutions.

– With a removable water tank, you can fill it with clean water directly from the tap, without using the glass carafe as many do. Moreover, our coffee makers have a pump system that completely empties it of water every time you brew coffee, so that next time you don't get old water left in the system, says Hoff.

He says Wilfa's coffee makers provide the right temperature from the first drop, which ensures good extraction, and that they have several smart solutions, such as manual drip-stop.

– How big is the coffee segment for Wilfa?

– Coffee accounts for about 10-15 percent of our turnover. So it is starting to become an important part, says Hoff.

New ProBaker NX-T

Wilfa is also launching a new version of Probaker, called NXT, with a brushless BLDC motor.

– Without brushes, the motor lasts forever, so we can therefore offer a 10-year warranty on it, says Hoff.

He adds that the motor produces less noise and smoother revolutions.

– We knead almost 50 percent faster with this machine than we did with the predecessor. This results in less temperature increase in the dough, which means you don't ruin it.

Hoff says that previously there were no motors small enough for this type of machine.

– We have worked for three years with a university in China that has helped us to create a BLDC motor that does not require an external controller, as this one fits inside the motor, says Hoff.

The new model is priced at 10,000 kroner, while the variant without a timer is 1,000 kroner lower. Wilfa will also continue to offer the old model, but with a steel hook instead of aluminium.