Barbecue Industry Association Grillverband e.V.
Economic crisis in the barbecue sector? What crisis?
Everyone’s talking about the economic crisis, but not in the barbecue sector, we only talk about the weather because the weather is the barometer for success in the barbecue sector every season and that also goes for 2009.
Despite everyone talking about the economic crisis, the 2009 season started very satisfactorily for all concerned, supported by the certainty that when consumers have to tighten their belts they do not forego their barbecueparty and tend instead to save money on eating out and going to restaurants,according to Kurt Schlieper, Managing Director BIAG (Barbecue Industry Association Grillverband e.V, Hanau).
We have to wait and see how this season develops given thecontinuing good weather. Hopefully the season will not go the same way as 2007, a very good start with the best weather and then suddenly the summer was gone.
The trend towards higher quality appliances and accessories with innovative technology for even better, safer and healthier barbecuing is continuingdespite the many special offers for beginners’ barbecues - still available in similarly high quantities - a sign that barbecuing still has growth potential.
The marked change in the culture of barbecuing is also continuing. However, sausages and steaks are still the most-barbecued itemswhile barbecuers are increasingly also trying their hand at vegetables.The trend towards thegourmet barbecuer is however continuing and forthis you need higher quality and higher-performance appliances.In the meantime the trade is increasingly responding to this.
It is simply no longer enough to barbecue using the cheap disposable or round barbecue which you can get for example from the filling station or home improvement store.
The barbecuer, still the man’s domain, would like to show his guests that he is now already one of the masters of the higher barbecue artform and is not only able to prepare sausages or steaks, but also conjure up a multi-course menu on the barbecue. So much barbecuing art does of course require the corresponding processes andequipment along with the best energy source, e.g. the somewhat more expensive barbecue charcoal method.
The trend in charcoal barbecues is clearly towards high quality, in some cases round and square self-contained systems, with direct or indirect heat facility.
In the area of gas barbecuesincreasing importance is being attached to appliance convenience, safety and size. The convenient gas barbecue is designed more for the patio and for many barbecuers is also a status symbol.
The new type of barbecuer,“the push-button barbecuer with the second appliance”,has now become an established feature,they just quickly put something onthe gas barbecue, press a button and off they go.
When it comes to gourmet barbecuingthey use the better appliances.
You could cautiously assert that the third barbecue appliance is on its way, depending on how the barbecuer has started off, be it with the beginners’ barbecue from the filling station, the special-offer electric table barbecue or gas-powered appliance -they are now also switching to the charcoal barbecue or vice versa.
Press Contact
BIAG e.V.
Postfach 2242, 63412 Hanau
Contact: Kurt Schlieper
Telephone: +49 6181 6750 850,Fax: ++49 6181 6750 851,
Voucher copy kindly requested
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