A success story
Born of a passion for great barbecue food...
When he arrived at Weber Brothers Metal Works in Chicago, George Stephen was a very young man. The company produced high-quality buoys. George's true passion was for something completely different. He loved experimenting at home with his barbecue. George spent many happy hours inventing new recipes to try out on his family and friends. However, he was never entirely satisfied with the open barbecues, the only kind available at that time.
An inspired idea
One day at the factory, a thought struck George. He took a buoy and cut it in half. Then he put legs underneath it and used the top as a lid. He then made a vent at the top and in the base. He now had the barbecue of his dreams. An enclosed barbecue enabled him to control the temperature, check the ashes and the flames and create the taste he had long been looking for. An American icon was born, and the rest, as they say, is history.
He who laughs last...
As early as 1956 the classic Weber kettle barbecue was created with the form that is popular all over the world today. It has changed only very slightly since 1956 and the barbecue works as well today as it did back then. The 1950s were hard times and, if the Weber barbecue was to attract attention, something special was needed. George sent sales representatives out on the road all across the United States. Most consumers just smiled when they saw George's strange invention for the first time, but once they tasted the food, they were hooked.
Consumers demanded the best
The ingenious thing about the Weber barbecue is that it is not just a barbecue. The shape of the lid and base mean that it works like a convection oven. Because the barbecue is outside where the air is more humid, food becomes juicier and tastier.
Even in the 1950s, people were prepared to pay extra for the experience. At that time , a Weber barbecue cost 40 dollars, quite a lot more expensive than the 7-dollar average price of a competitor barbecue. Yet across the USA, consumers thought that the Weber barbecue was a worthwhile investment, not least because George and his employees had also invented the basic methods of barbecuing and 101 original barbecue recipes, so people could conjure up the same delicious meals in their backyards as George in his.