18 / 154
THE MARKET
Over the last 75 years, the Australian way of life
has continually changed and with it the role of the
kitchen. Once the domain of the traditional
housewife, the kitchen is now considered the heart
of the home.
Kitchen tools have evolved from basic utensils
to perfectly engineered and beautifully designed
electrical appliances, that save time and produce
professional results.
Trends in society have changed the way we
prepare food at home. Multiculturalism has
broadened the nation’s palate, resulting in the
introductionof appliances likeBreville’s electricwok
and rice cooker.
Food preparation has become entertainment.
Top chefs have gained celebrity status and there is
an ever-increasing number of magazines and
television programs centred around preparing food
at home.
Consumers are emulating their favourite chefs
and demanding superior kitchen appliances with
the functionality to deliver consistent, professional
results. Breville has combined this functionalitywith
world-class design that compliments kitchen decor.
Breville has responded to Australian trends,
developing stylish, quality appliances that meet
the demands of our changing lifestyle.
Breville’s continued commitment to innovation
underpins its leadership position within the small
appliance industry.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Astandout achievement in Breville’s history is the
scissor action sandwich toaster. When it was
launched in 1974, it reached 10% of Australian
households in its first year of sale, making it one of
the most successful new product launches ever in
Australia. In fact, the term“Breville” is nowpart of
the Aussie vernacular, often used when referring
to the style of toasted sandwich it makes. It is even
recognised in Australia’s Macquarie Online
Dictionary!
In late 1977, Breville revolutionised the kitchen
with the launch of the Kitchen Wizz, Australia’s
first direct drive food processor and to this day,
Breville’sKitchenWizz remains amongstAustralia’s
best selling food-processors.
For Breville, success has not been limited to
Australia, withmanyBreville developed appliances
enjoying success worldwide. For example, Breville
developed the world’s first Juice Fountain
TM
, a
juicer with a wide feed tube that removed the need
to cut fruit and vegetables before juicing.
It is Breville’s commitment to
designing innovative appliances that
solve every day needs that has seen
Breville recognisedwithnumerous design
awards worldwide. The 800 Class Citrus
Press, Juice Fountain and Ikon Espresso
Machine have all received the
prestigious Australian Design Award.
Recent international awards include Best
in Category, Kitchen Electrics at the
HousewaresDesignAwards inNewYork,
the Chicago Athenaeum Good Design
Award
TM
and the German iF Design
Award. In addition to receiving design
accolades, the Ikon Kinetix Blender, 800
Class Citrus Press and Espresso Machine are on
display at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum, to
demonstrateAustralian design skill and engineering
ingenuity.
HISTORY
Any history of the Breville Company must
inevitably be linked with the history of the man
who founded and ran it for almost fifty years, W.J.
(Bill)O’Brien.
In 1932, O’Brien and good friend and fellow
engineer, Harry Norville, decided to pool their
resources and start their own business.
Itwas onMelbourneCupDay1932 that “Breville
Radio” was registeredwith a paid up capital of five
hundred pounds. Breville is a derivative of their
surnames, O’Brien-Norville. Breville Radio
continued to grow and just three years after the
company was established, it moved to larger
premises at Elizabeth Street, Sydney (pictured
above).
24
024-025_breville.p65
10/20/2007, 10:20 PM
24