USA Thermomix

[gertbysea]

Well said MEP. I feel Vorwerk with their  secretive unnecessarily complicated infrastructure will fail at successfully "launching" the Thermomix in the USA. They are ill prepared and seem to have no one in charge to make decisions. It has been tried in the past and failed. I think they have no idea how different the American Market is and how Americans expect to receive good service with no questions asked. If they are not initially going to use American tried and true recipes but rather adapt their own recipes they will also fail to capture the imagination of the American cook. European style recipes and even the Australian ones will just not work. Maybe for the second third or fourth cook books but not for the basic first up cook books.

Those good or adventurous cooks will be able to adapt but those new to cooking or those busy needing quick solutions will not be bothered unless they there is an advantage over the quick fixes so readily and cheaply available in the supermarkets.  How many Americans cook anything from scratch these days?  People who eat from paper plates and  styrofoam containers ain't gunna be interested in a $2000 machine. Every school has a well stocked and cheap cafeteria for students. There is no where near the interest in packing a good school lunch as there is here and possibly no financial advantage either.  There is a huge "Yummy Mummy" movement here with incredible cooks who are competitive .......almost combative. I think not so much in the States.

Anyway I am looking forward to the launch and to see how Americans take to the Thermomix. Most well known celebrity chefs in the US have this machine. Even Michelle Obama made sure  there was at least one in the Whitehouse. I fear it will remain a "chefie" thing unless the launch is aimed at ordinary housewives wanting to improve their diets and do some real cooking.

[MEP]

Gert, some of my neighbors are fantastic cooks and do prepare food from scratch. I found this so refreshing. We also know MANY families who predominantly use paper plates instead of porcelain  and who buy  up to 90% of their food ready made (my in-laws included!). There is so much available that's ready made/ fully processed here it's unbelievable.

I debated for many months on the purchase of the tm5 and the recipe chip finally swayed me to yes. but alas the chip that comes with the tm5 in the US is imperial not metric. I tried to get a swap to metric version but no deal. Hence, the Basic Cookbook and recipe chip is completely useless to me. I've had to ask my sister to buy in Australia and post to me. Just one example of the complete lack of customer focus and flexibility/responsiveness in the Vorwerk distribution model.

[gertbysea]

The amount of prepared food available is almost unbelievable for sure. The waste is truly believable including paper plates, plastic  cups and cutlery  used everyday and thrown out. Why do they have dishwashers? The rubbish bins are gigantic and overflow even with weekly collection. Makes me sad and angry.

I thought you could adjust the US machine to either Imperial or metric. Another learning curve  for you.

The lack of service,instant response and negativity will be a real problem.  I would like to think it would all be fine but they way they are going about it is ridiculous. Being able to buy it virtually on line will no consultant or face to face interaction will be their downfall. People will just use into make pre mixed shakes if they do not know how to really use the machine.

I cannot believe people eat from paper plates in their homes
today. Disgusting. Even here at my retirement lifestyle village they get cheap paper plates for the monthly BBQ even though we have China plates and a dishwasher. I put out the plates for people to use and they choose the paper. I don't bother going any more as it pisses me off. At least I instigated using the readily available cutlery. Can you believe some of these old farts actually washed and reused the plastic crap. Go figure???

[MEP]

Gert, the TM5 itself can be set to imperial or metric but the recipe chip and cookbook is in imperial only. How difficult would it have been to include both measurements in the book really? The stupidity of it baffles me.

I couldn't agree with you more re the waste. Our bin goes out 10 to 20% full most weeks, yet some of our neighbors have up to five large garbage bags outside of the already bulging bin. My in-laws not only use paper plates but also wash plastic picnic plates to re-use. They even collect extra sets of plastic cutlery from restaurants/fast food places for use at home. We couldn't believe our eyes when we witnessed this for the first time. They wash these (cutlery only) in the dishwasher too.

[achookwoman]

I am finding this discussion fascinating.  Thanks girls.

[gertbysea]

I have actually taken my own plate and cutlery to places known for serving food on plastic or paper plates. If the hosts feel insulted then so do I to be treated so shabbily. Where you have no washing facilities then the alternative is perhaps acceptable.

I think your in laws have a problem!! Do they take the salt and pepper too?

  I believe the councils should charge households by weight of garbage per occupant. . Not the bottle bin though!!  Even in my day I was ashamed at how much food waste there was in my parents household not to mention other useable stuff just thrown out.

You will be starting a new push in your neighbourhood MEP. Keep it up.

And oh yes that was really stupid not to include metric in the cookbook and chip. They do it on scales. I think they will make a lot of conversion mistakes in print material. They should have employed Tenina!!!!

[MEP]

LOL Gert, yes they do take the salt and pepper satchets too. My MIL is so " frugal" she shops at about 7 different supermarkets because of the prices on individual items. Eg. She will spend $3 on petrol just to save 10c on soft drinks (sodas) from a particular place. I have seen her ask for a doggy bag on a 3/4 eaten $3 taco! Drives me crazy, but I sit there and bite my tongue - hope I don't start bleeding one day. 

My frugal MIL aside, I wonder how different the Basic Cookbooks are between the different countries. The US one is pretty standard, a lot of the recipes similar to the Australian Everyday Cookbook.

[cookie1]

Thanks MEP and Gert I am enjoying this and learning so much. My mind staggers at using paper plates etc in the home! What cost!  Our bin goes out one third or so full each week too. The recycling goes out full every two weeks.

[Cornish Cream]

LOL Gert, yes they do take the salt and pepper satchets too. My MIL is so " frugal" she shops at about 7 different supermarkets because of the prices on individual items. Eg. She will spend $3 on petrol just to save 10c on soft drinks (sodas) from a particular place. I have seen her ask for a doggy bag on a 3/4 eaten $3 taco! Drives me crazy, but I sit there and bite my tongue - hope I don't start bleeding one day. 

My frugal MIL aside, I wonder how different the Basic Cookbooks are between the different countries. The US one is pretty standard, a lot of the recipes similar to the Australian Everyday Cookbook.

The U.K. basic cookbook is slightly different to the Australian one MEP. We have both contents posted here on the Forum.

[MEP]

Thanks CC. Whilst I haven't cross-checked recipe by recipe, a lot of the basics eg bread, pancakes, custard, brownies, risotto etc are there. My gripe I suppose is the metric versions are available, why can't they provide those to customers like me who are used to metric.

Cookie, one of my neighbors uses paper plates exclusively ALL the time. The first  time I saw this I thought what a great idea as they were going away on holidays so she didn't have to worry about washing a couple of dishes before leaving. However, subsequently I realized it was a standard for them.

[MEP]

Interesting how Melissa USA was very responsive and active when she was in the business development mode, but then no response when honest, albeit critical, feedback is provided to demonstrate the complete lack of customer service and the rigid/inflexible Vorwerk business model is raised.

[MEP]

On a more positive note about the US. KitchenAid is made here and they are a fraction of the Aussie price. They also make kitchen appliances and their dishwasher is the quietest I have ever heard. In fact, you don't even know it's on but for the little light. We have open plan kitchen, meals and family room and there's no noise impact.

[cookie1]

DD was saying someone at her work has the KA thing that is similar to a thermomix. If either of my machines died I would look seriously at one of theirs.

We don't have a dishwasher ( except DH) but that one sounds perfect MEP.

[MEP]

Cookie, I was VERY interested in the KA thermal cooker too, but they're not available here in the US. KA itself is a very strong/dominant brand here with the kitchen mixer, fridges, stoves/hot plates and dishwasher. Perhaps KA executives know something about the American consumer that Vorwerk does not?

[judydawn]

Good point MEP.