Middleby acquires smart countertop oven maker startup Brava Home

Middleby, an industrial equipment company, today announced it has acquired Brava Home, an IoT and domestic automation company that integrates technology and design to enable joyful experiences in the home. On its official page on Twitter, Brava said: “Today we proudly announce that Brava Home has been acquired by Middleby, owners of 60 brands including Viking. By merging with Middleby, we will have the resources to scale and bring our technology to the rest of the world.”

The Middleby Corporation is a global leader in the foodservice equipment industry. The company develops, manufactures, markets and services a broad line of equipment used in the commercial foodservice, food processing, and residential kitchen equipment industries.

Founded in 2015 by John Pleasants, Thomas Cheng, and Dan Yue, Brava offers proprietary cooking-by-light technology which provides users a fast, flexible, space saving and eco-friendly appliance for their kitchen counter. The patented light technology cooks food up to four times faster, requires no preheat and allows the preparation of multiple products in the same oven cavity, providing significant time savings and convenience. Additionally, the Brava technology allows for an intuitive, recipe driven and chef supported control that simplifies the cooking experience and ensures the perfect end product for even the least experienced users.

Every startup has a story. Brava journey started at the dinner table, where many good conversations begin. Dan wished his mom could enjoy their family holiday dinner without jumping to the kitchen every five minutes to check on the meal. Together, they realized if an oven could help guide her cooking and deliver consistently great results, she would be less stressed and family time would be more enjoyable for everyone. Thomas later joined Dan and led the extensive scientific research into heating technologies and cutting-edge control systems. After much trial and error, and time in his garage, Pure Light Cooking™ was born.

“We are excited about the growth potential of Brava as consumers discover the benefits of light-cooking technology. The cloud-based, smart-control on the Brava oven resonates with customers of all ages due to its simplicity and ability to turn any user into a chef,” said Middleby CEO Tim FitzGerald. “As Middleby continues to focus on the most progressive technologies, we are addressing a growing market of consumers who are versed in technology and a digital experience. We believe Brava will bring many opportunities to both our residential and commercial businesses, as we extend the technology and capabilities to other Middleby brands.”

“We are excited to join forces with forward-thinking and industry-leading Middleby. Our partnership provides tremendous opportunity for us to evolve our cooking solutions, delight our customers and accelerate our reach. We further look forward to collaborating and innovating with the strong portfolio of existing Middleby brands.” said John Pleasants, CEO of Brava.