Perth family behind Thermomix sales in Australia to sell business to global maker Vorwerk

The Perth woman who brought cult kitchen appliance Thermomix to Australia more than two decades ago has stunned devotees of the must-have gadget by announcing she is selling the business.

Grace Mazur discovered Thermomix on a trip to Poland in 2001 and brought one home to Australia in the hopes of establishing a local sales network for the machine that can slice, dice, cook, freeze and do everything in between.

The Mix Australia was born as the country’s franchise for the German-made Thermomix soon after.

Launched from Mrs Mazur’s living room, it quickly grew with the help of a team of consultants running in-home demonstrations.

Just over a decade later Mrs Mazur shifted her operations in plush new headquarters in Balcatta and later increased sales to nearly $141.5 million a year as the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 rekindled a love of cooking at home.

More than 700,000 appliance — which cost upwards of $2500 — have been sold in Australia and New Zealand over the past 23 years..

But Mrs Mazur revealed on Thursday the business would be sold to parent company Vorwerk for an undisclosed sum.

“While we had long-term plans for the business with no intentions to sell, Vorwerk has decided to invest in the Asia Pacific region as part of their future development plan and are acquiring the business,” she said.

“Vorwerk is the number one direct sales company in Europe and the global leader in the direct sale of high-quality household appliances, including Thermomix and Kobold.

“With their expanded resources and global expertise, we understand the benefit Vorwerk will bring to our customers and consultants, who have always been at the centre of the business.

“We’ve always thought of our customers and over 2000 consultants as part of our family. We’re incredibly grateful for you joining us on this journey.”

The Mix Australia — now the world’s largest independent distributor of Thermomix machines — had become a family affair, with daughter Bianca taking on the role of chief executive and Grace’s husband Witek and son-in-law Matt also working with the business.

Mrs Mazur and her daughter will exit on the sale but it is believed the rest of the team will stay in place. Warranties will not be affected.

In its latest accounts, filed with the financial regulator in November last year, The Mix Australia reported the cost of living crisis had caught up with households following the boom in sales during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Revenue plunged more than 35 per cent to $108.8m in 2023 — down from $155.6m the year before. Profit collapsed from $16.3m to just $4.9m. Sales of the machines themselves dropped from $127.1m to $83.5m. Other revenue was made up from the sale of cookbooks, accessories, spare parts and cooking classes.

Vorwerk said the Mazurs’ business had established a strong business presence and “significant future growth potential” through more than 2000 consultants.

Thomas Stoffmehl, speaker of the executive board at family enterprise Vorwerk Group, described Grace and Bianca Mazur’s contribution as “exceptional”.

“Direct sales is in our hearts, and consultants are always at the core of what we do,” Mr Stoffmehl said.

“We look forward to integrating The Mix team and are committed to supporting the Australian and New Zealand sales organisation throughout this process.

“The acquisition ensures continuity for both customers and consultants, with no immediate changes to services or operations. Vorwerk will integrate The Mix into its global network while enhancing local support, laying a strong foundation for future growth.”

Thermomix made unwanted headlines several years ago over faulty machines that culminated in a $4.6m fine from the Federal Court in early 2018.

The company admitted breaching consumer laws, including by failing to comply with mandatory reporting requirements over numerous injuries caused to users of the TM31 model, and making false representations and engaging in misleading conduct regarding the safety of the TM31.

The Mazurs pocketed a $10m dividend for the same year. It is believed they have collected total dividends in excess of $100m.