Maytag's Amana(R) Brand Celebrates 35th Anniversary of Commercial Microwave

Maytag's Amana(R) Brand Celebrates 35th Anniversary of Commercial Microwave

		MAYTAG LOGO Maytag Corporation is a leading producer of home and commercial appliances. Its products are sold to customers throughout North America and in international markets. (PRNewsFoto)[TC] NEWTON, IA USA

High-Speed Cooking Innovation Proves Indispensable to Modern Chefs NEWTON, Iowa, April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In 1969, restaurants across America forever changed the way they prepared food for customers. Restaurant owners added a new appliance to their kitchens: the first Amana(R) Radarange(R) commercial microwave. Hailed 35 years ago as a technological breakthrough, the Amana microwave is now a staple appliance in foodservice kitchens around the world. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000505/MYGLOGO ) Amana(R) -- a leading brand owned by the Maytag Corporation (NYSE: MYG) -- continues its tradition of innovation by designing commercial microwave ovens to keep pace with the ever-changing foodservice industry and American consumers. "It's amazing to see the impact the commercial microwave has had on the foodservice industry," says Kami Poppen, manager of commercial product development for Maytag's Amana brand. "As more restaurants take advantage of ready-serve options, the microwave is a primary piece of equipment in today's cooking lines. Under the Amana brand, we're continually looking at ways we can help simplify chefs' lives while allowing them to quickly prepare their signature menu items." From 1969 to 2004: The Evolution of the Amana(R) Commercial Microwave Oven It's only fitting that Amana led the way for the commercial microwave industry. Amana also introduced the world's first household microwave oven -- the Amana(R) Radarange(R) in August 1967. Two years later, the first Amana Radarange(R) commercial microwave oven featured a 115-volt current and only two buttons: "start" and "light." It also included two control knobs, one for cooking times up to five minutes, and the other for longer cooking times up to 25 minutes. Now celebrating their 35th anniversary, Amana commercial microwaves feature up to 3,000 watts of power, 11 power levels, a 100-program memory, and four cooking stages to prepare food with the push of a button. Recent innovations further accelerate the cooking process. The Amana(R) Convection Express(TM) oven combines microwave energy with convection heat to bake foods twice as fast as traditional ovens -- allowing restaurants to quickly serve up oven-quality food. Heavy-duty models feature stainless steel inside and out for outstanding durability and easy cleaning. Portable, efficient, safe and economical, few restaurant owners can imagine life without the microwave oven. "The introduction of the Amana microwave revolutionized the way restaurants cooked," says Audra Rectenbaugh, food application specialist for the Amana brand. "Not only did it allow restaurants to cook food quickly, it also offered incredible flexibility. Imagine if restaurants had to wait for frozen items to defrost in the refrigerator before serving. They'd lose out on potential sales and customers. With the commercial microwave, they can quickly defrost and heat foods so they are ready-to-serve in minutes." About Amana(R) The Amana brand is recognized as the leader in providing high-speed cooking solutions to the foodservice industry with a complete line of commercial microwaves, combination ovens and steamers as well as residential appliances. Amana Commercial Products is part of the Maytag Specialty Group, a division of Maytag Corporation. Maytag Corporation is a leading producer of home and commercial appliances with 12 manufacturing facilities in the United States. Its products are sold to customers in the United States and in international markets. The corporation's principal brands include Maytag(R), Amana(R), Jenn-Air(R), Jade(R), Hoover(R) and Dixie-Narco(R). For more information on Amana commercial cooking systems, call 1-888-262-6271, e-mail amanacommercial@amana.com or visit http://www.amanacommercial.com . Media Contact: Lynne Dragomier Maytag Corporate Communications (641) 787-7711