Traeger Grills Latest Acquisition Bolsters Connected Cooking

Traeger Grills, the brand behind the original wood-pellet grill and the driving force behind a digitally enhanced outdoor cooking experience, announces the acquisition of MEATER, a global company in wireless meat thermometers for all cooking and preparation methods.

What started with an auger feeding wood-pellets into a fire pot in the late ‘80s has now morphed into an integrated connected cooking platform thanks to Traeger's WiFIRE technology. WiFIRE provides the ability to control the grill through a mobile app, allowing consumers to monitor, change and receive real-time updates on the grill from a smart phone or Apple Watch. The MEATER acquisition represents the next logical step in Traeger's digital evolution and ongoing effort to create the ultimate connected grilling experience through the ability to precisely monitor food temps from virtually anywhere.

"MEATER shares our commitment to product innovation and enhancing the cooking experience – indoor and outdoor – and that made them an ideal fit for Traeger as we continue to evolve the connected cooking experience," said Traeger Grills CEO, Jeremy Andrus. "This acquisition will play a role in our ongoing product development and is yet another way we can bring unique benefits and value to our dedicated 'Traegerhood' community of passionate cooks."

Created by Apption Labs, an innovative technology start-up dedicated to developing smarter consumer products connected to the Internet and controlled by mobile devices, MEATER aims to take the guess work out of cooking. The thermometer and MEATER app are expected to enable consumers to cook steak, chicken, turkey, fish, or other meats perfectly every time for every occasion. As a category leader in the food thermometer space, MEATER positions Traeger to accelerate entry into the adjacent accessories market with a highly complementary technology-enabled product.

MEATER will operate as a standalone company within Traeger Grills and Joseph Cruz will continue as MEATER's chief executive officer, reporting to Andrus.