Whirlpool Corporation Debuts New Zera™ Food Recycler on Indiegogo

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Whirlpool Corporation announces the release of the Zera™ Food Recycler, a state-of-the-art kitchen appliance that turns today's food waste into tomorrow's fertilizer. The Zera™ system – from WLabs of Whirlpool Corporation, the company's innovation incubator – will debut at CES® 2017 and is available for pre-orders on Indiegogo.

This innovative product is the first indoor recycler in the United States that converts a week's worth of food waste into ready-to-use homemade fertilizer within 24 hours.^[1] The beautifully-designed device conveniently fits into the kitchen, and with a simple push of a button converts household food waste into homemade fertilizer through an easy and convenient process.

"Zera™ Food Recycler brings a purposeful innovation to consumer kitchens, and delivers on an increasing demand for more environmentally-driven solutions for the home," said Jennifer Bonuso, Senior Director, CPG & WLabs. "We know Americans are looking for easier, more efficient ways to recycle food scraps, and the Zera™ system makes that possible. We're excited to bring this offering to consumers and Indiegogo is a great platform to do so, allowing us to connect with consumers in a new and compelling way."

Zera™ Food Recycler can break down one week's worth of the average U.S. family's food waste within 24 hours^[1] by using a combination of oxygen, moisture, heat and mixing to expedite the decomposition process.^[2]  Unlike traditional composting methods, families are able to use the Zera™ system year-round regardless of the weather and can remotely operate the appliance through the easy-to-use Whirlpool® mobile app.^[3]

According to a study on food waste commissioned by Whirlpool Corporation, an average family in the United States produces over 400 pounds of food waste every year, which accounts for an estimated 20 percent of America's landfills. With Zera™ Food Recycler, families are now able to reduce the food waste that goes to landfills, while also creating sustainable fertilizer for their outdoor lawns and gardens.

"Whirlpool Corporation is one of the rare iconic companies that has remained incredibly innovative year after year," said Slava Rubin, founder and Chief Business Officer of Indiegogo. "It's an honor to help them unveil another amazing product. The value for companies like Whirlpool Corporation using Indiegogo isn't simply being able to raise funds through the platform, but being able to connect directly with its customers and receive immediate feedback on new products."

Earlier this year, Whirlpool Corporation debuted its Vessi™ Beer Fermentor and Dispenser system through Indiegogo. The campaign for the Vessi™ system, which allows users to ferment, carbonate and dispense home-brewed beer in as little as seven days^[4], brought in more than $220,000 in pre-sales.

Whirlpool Corporation is once again utilizing Indiegogo's Enterprise Crowdfunding service, which enables established companies to accelerate innovation by engaging directly with Indiegogo's global community of funders who become early advocates and market validators for soon-to-launch products, suggesting improvements and ensuring their success.

The first 50 backers who order the Zera™ system through Indiegogo will receive the product at an initial Super Early Bird discounted rate of $699. Starting early summer 2017, the Zera™ system will be available in limited test markets through participating retail partners including TreeHouse (located in Austin, Texas or https://tree.house/), Abt (located in Glenview, Ill. or Abt.com) and Williams-Sonoma (located in San Francisco, Calif. or williams-sonoma.com). The Zera™ system will also be available for purchase online at select retailer sites and on Zera.com, and will retail for $1,199 MSRP.^[5]

[1] Based on estimated 3.5 kg weekly household food waste for average U.S. family
[2] Zera Additive Required. Sold separately.
[3] Requires WiFi and account creation. App features and functionality subject to change. Subject to Terms of Service available at: www.whirlpool.com/connect. Data rates may apply.
[4] Brew times will vary. Based on a light blonde ale beer at 3.3% ABV and use of clarification agent.
[5] Retailers alone determine pricing.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) is the number one major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 97,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2015. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, Jenn-Air, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com, or find us on Twitter at @WhirlpoolCorp.

About Indiegogo

Indiegogo is the place for entrepreneurial projects to move quickly from concept to market, amplified by a community of backers who believe the world benefits when every idea gets an equal shot at success. Indiegogo empowers people around the world to fund what matters to them. As the world's first crowdfunding platform, campaigns have launched from almost every country around the world with millions of dollars being distributed every week due to contributions made by the Indiegogo community. At its core, Indiegogo is the equal opportunity platform dedicated to democratizing the way people raise funds for any project –creative, entrepreneurial or cause-related. The company was launched in 2008 and is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Los Angeles and New York. For more information, visit Indiegogo.com and follow us at Twitter.com/indiegogo and Facebook.com/indiegogo.

SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation

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