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AGA Rangemaster Group revealed a sales increase in the first half of 2014, as it launched its latest model at its new shop in London’s Spital Square on July 3.
Providing a trading update ahead of its interim results for the six months ending June 30 (to be announced on August 22) the range cooker supplier said: “Group sales and orders have continued to improve, although markets remain variable. A strengthening UK housing market is clearly a positive factor and this has fed through slowly into increases in spending on cookers. Order intake year-to-date is up around 6% and sales are up close to 4%.” Chief executive William McGrath said: “We’re making good progress with our strategic and operational plans for our improving cooker markets”.
AGA used the opening of its latest branch, at 38 Spital Square in Bishopsgate, to launch its new AGA City60 model. William McGrath commented: “The AGA City60 is a break-out product reaching a wider customer base and we’re focused on taking the opportunities that provides.”
The company describes the City60 as ‘everything you would expect from an AGA, but wrapped up in a smaller, more city-friendly package’. At just 60cm wide – the same size as a slot-in cooker or a standard kitchen unit – it’s aimed at compact spaces and comes in two design styles (contemporary and traditional) and 14 colours, including new shades Lemon and Rose.
Like other AGA cookers, it’s made from cast iron and uses radiant heat cooking technology. The AGA City60 is electric and has programmable roasting and simmering ovens and a boiling/simmering plate. It is factory-finished with wheels to ease installation – and room venting. It is priced at £4,995 with credit available, “thus offering a more accessible pricing structure to attract a new customer base,” the company said. National roll out will follow in September.
William McGrath said: “With the AGA City60 we’ve narrowed our range to widen it and with our new store we’ve added an element of ‘I didn’t expect to see you here’ for Londoners more used to seeing AGA in the shires.” The store is designed to appeal to locals from neighbouring areas such as Shoreditch and Hoxton and those who commute into Liverpool Street.
While the branch majors on the AGA City60, it also displays the 3-oven AGA Total Control, and 5-oven AGA Dual Control with Integrated Module, providing 7 ovens in total, as well as a DxD AGA refrigerator and cookware from AGA CookShop. All AGA products will be showcased within bespoke hand-painted Mike Taylor kitchens, while the shop has a Fired Earth slate floor and walls painted in Fired Earth colours.
AGA Rangemaster Group noted that 38 Spital Square is “a historic site and has been home to an Augustinian priory, wealthy Huguenot weavers’ residences and, more recently, commercial premises for merchants with ties to nearby Spitalfields Market.”
