Riedel and Miele Announce First-Ever Strategic Global Partnership at Ambiente Show

FRANKFURT, Germany, Feb. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Riedel Crystal, the 250 year old European brand credited with revolutionizing glassware for the enjoyment of wine, officially announces today a strategic global partnership whereby "Riedel exclusively recommends Miele dishwashers." Following scrupulous laboratory testing, Riedel will now endorse Miele as the optimal dishwashers to ensure lasting brilliance of the brand's crystal stemware. Miele, the 112-year-old German manufacturer of premium domestic appliances and commercial equipment will likewise support Riedel as its preferred glassware brand through all brand communications and promotions.

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Maximilian J. Riedel, 11th-generation head of Riedel USA, explains that "Riedel's luxury glassware requires regular, safe and effective cleaning to ensure long-term quality." Independent laboratory testing has shown that Riedel glasses have an estimated lifespan of 1,500 washing cycles when washed properly in a Miele dishwasher, the equivalent of the average number of washes during a 20 year timeframe. Gentle and thorough cleaning has always been a priority of Miele, whose dishwashers are featured with the patented Perfect GlassCare function, which ensures automatically that water hardness is ideal for the task of gently cleaning glasses. "Miele's expert dishwashers offer superior results and have been proven to exceed standards required when caring for fine Riedel crystal," he adds.

A complete guide to Riedel glassware care, giving detailed explanations on loading Riedel glasses properly, selecting the best wash cycle, and choosing cleaning accessories will be offered on a consumer-focused microsite, accessible via both www.riedelglasscare.com and www.mieleglasscare.com, scheduled to launch in the summer.

Both brands acknowledge a synergy in key markets, and opportunities to reinforce the leadership of each brand in its respective field through a co-branded international marketing, public relations, social media and sales partnership. Dr. Markus Miele, Managing Director and Co-Proprietor at Miele & Cie. KG, echoes Riedel's confidence in the partnership, noting that "Miele has been dedicated to over 112 years of creating the world's finest appliances. Our dishwashers have established themselves as the industry benchmark, so we are happy to partner with a company that strives for that same excellence in its glassware. It is a privilege to know that Miele dishwashers facilitate the long lasting brilliance of Riedel glassware."

Following the announcement at Ambiente in February, the alliance will be implemented through both brands' corporate headquarters, national and regional websites, showrooms, consumer tastings and promotions.

For more information, please visit www.riedel.com or www.miele.com.

Miele Company profile: Miele is world leader in the production of premium domestic appliances including cooking, baking and steam-cooking appliances, refrigeration products, coffee makers, dishwashers and laundry and floorcare products. This line-up is augmented by dishwashers, washer-extractors and tumble dryers for commercial use as well as washer-disinfectors and sterilizers for use in medical and laboratory applications (Miele Professional). The company, founded in 1899, has 8 production plants in Germany and one plant each in Austria, the Czech Republic, China and Romania. 2009/10 turnover amounted to approx. EUR 2.83 bn with sales outside Germany accounting for 70%. Miele has its own wholly owned sales subsidiaries or operates through distributors in almost 100 countries. The Miele Company, now in the fourth generation of family ownership, employs a workforce of over 16,000 with two-thirds in Germany. The company has its headquarters in Gutersloh, Westphalia.

Riedel Company Profile: Riedel, 250 year-old global leader in varietal-specific crystal glassware, is the first in history to recognize that the taste of wine is affected by the shape of the glass from which it is consumed.  Riedel has been recognized as the unrivaled "wine friendly" glassware brand to complement specific wines and spirits. Famous for its ground-breaking introduction of the world's first "wine friendly" glass, the Burgundy Grand Cru in 1958 and mouth-blown Sommeliers collection unveiled in 1973, Riedel has become the brand of choice for wine connoisseurs, hospitality professionals, and educated consumers worldwide. Recognized for transforming the wine culture over the past 50 years, Riedel's design-focused decanters, various stemware lines, and stemless "O" collections have been selected for display at the Museum of Modern Art, Corning Museum of Glass, San Francisco MOMA and more. Riedel is distributed widely throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia, and can be found at the most exclusive fine dining establishments throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.riedel.com.

SOURCE Riedel; Miele