The pressure cooker from overseas

After the war, Migros imported countless consumer goods from America, such as the West-Bend pressure cooker. It was much less expensive than the local products and made Swiss prices fall by around 50%.

In the summer of 1948, Migros advertises the ”American express pressure cooker“ West-Bend.’ It stands out, according to the Brückenbauer, because of its ”simple, elegant design”, its ”easy usage“ and the ”savings in gas or electricity“. The price is also very convincing, since at 52 francs, the West-Bend is much cheaper than the Swiss competition. The pressure cooker Flexil from the Sigg company costs 180 francs, almost a quarter of the average monthly wage. The demand for the West-Bend exceeds all expectations: Although it is only sold to cooperative members, it is quickly sold out.
With this import operation, Migros changes the market: Soon, the Lebensmittelverein Zürich offers a different cheap American pressure cooker for sale, and the Kuhn company in Rikon launches the best selling ”Duromatic” for 90 francs, in the same year. Migros follows the trend and in 1954 announces for the first time the sale of its own brand Mivit Swiss-made pressure cooker.