Weber CEO steps down

[LightningBoldtz]

If anything, charcoal grilling is more popular now than in the 80's. At least in my area. I don't think pellet grills are taking over. They are just another category in the ever expanding grilling market.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club

Interesting, you are seeing things differently than I am, perhaps different region but I am seeing the complete opposite.

[bamakettles]

Two guys I work with have Traegers and everyone else I know including neighbors use charcoal on Webers and kamados or propane.  My brother has a natural gas Genesis that he loves.  He says charcoal is too messy lol.  I do see that charcoal flys off the shelf here and the better brands like B&B go fast.

[mattstaub]

If anything, charcoal grilling is more popular now than in the 80's. At least in my area. I don't think pellet grills are taking over. They are just another category in the ever expanding grilling market.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club

The majority here in MA that I see use gassers.  Some have kettles too.  I rarely see pellet poopers.


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[Dave in KC]

One other factor not mentioned- in 2020 and 2021 everyone and their brother
bought new grills and griddles during the lock down.  EVERYONE.  A ten year old
Genesis flipper that I would sell for $225 in 2019 was suddenly selling for $350 - $375.
If I recall the stats correctly at the IPO, Weber stated sales were up 40% from '19 to '21.
Sales didn't just jump for Weber, they went up for everyone hawking any type of grill.
Short of another lock down we will never see those types of numbers again.  It will
take a while, 2-4 years likely for '20-'21 box store cheapos to rust and head to the
landfills.  The better brands will hang around on peoples decks and patios for quite
a while longer than that.  All grill makers should expect a few down years to come.
Then, be prepared for whatever the latest and greatest thing to come along is.

[michaelmilitello]

2020 and 2021 were definitely a bubble for the outdoor cooking industry.   That gave companies like Weber and Traiger the momentum to go public and capitalize on investment $.   These companies will adjust and regroup to maintain their profitability.   I would not be surprised is we do see a merger(s), which are not uncommon in economic downturns.  Masterbuilt and Kamado Joe are an interesting combo.   I think Duraflame bought B&b.   


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[Dave in KC]

Weber is finally acknowledging the poor sales I referenced earlier ...

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/traeger-weber-grill-replenishment-rate-172811716.html

[Lightning]

I'm a bit unclear:  Was Weber's CEO stepping down voluntary?

I was talking with a friend about the outdoor goods sales slump and neither of us can figure out why this was so surprising to the people in the executive offices.  Everyone with a back yard invested in it back in 2020/21 when we were all locked up at home and a lot of purchases got moved up.  Most people don't replace their patio sets or barbecues on an annual basis so that bulking up during the worst of the pandemic was huge sales volumes "now" during that time at the expense of future sales "later", and later has arrived as it eventually inevitably would.

[stillgriller]

I don't think charcoal grilling is going away any time soon, regardless of what happens to Weber. Many charcoal grillers buy cheap throw away grills rather than cleaning them anyways, produced by many other companies for decades. Im not saying I want to cook on them, but if it's what I had, I would. I don't see the same longevity for pellet grill use, with their high initial cost, high rates of failure and limited versatility, I see them as a fad. Seems to me everything that comes off of them is more smoked than grilled.