LG Electronics is intensifying efforts to expand its business-to-business kitchen appliance market share in North America. While the South Korean company already holds the top position in the consumer appliance sector, it faces challenges competing against established local players General Electric and Whirlpool in B2B infrastructure and business networks. LG aims to crack the top three in the U.S. B2B kitchen appliance market by year-end, leveraging its ultra-premium SKS brand.
LG Draws Crowds at KBIS with Premium B2B Kitchen Technology
The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) at Orlando's Orange County Convention Center on Feb. 17 attracted builders, interior specialists, and kitchen designers from across the United States. While GE's premium Monogram brand drew long queues and Whirlpool restricted access to builders only, LG Electronics' open 1,003-square-meter booth at the entrance proved overwhelmingly popular.
Visitors flocked to experience LG's Signature and ultra-premium SKS brands throughout the day. New SKS products including a 36-inch column refrigerator and 36-inch full-flex induction cooktop attracted particular attention. Attendees expressed surprise at AI technology that learns individual usage patterns to optimize compressor operation and energy consumption.
"I already knew the SKS brand well and came specifically for it," said builder Errol Farrell after attending a cooking demonstration. "The food was excellently prepared."
LG also introduced SKS Laundry Solutions, expanding its B2B offering beyond the kitchen. The 29-inch SKS WashCombo exceeds standard North American sizes of 24-27 inches and features AI drum rotation control.
The company showcased LG ThinQ Pro, enabling builders to manage appliance registration, unit-by-unit inspections, remote maintenance, energy optimization, and predictive fault detection via AI across hundreds or thousands of housing units.
Samsung Electronics also exhibited its premium Bespoke and ultra-premium Dacor brands, with wine storage appliances drawing significant interest.
LG Targets 'Big Three' Status by Year-End
At a press briefing, LG executives Seung-tae Baek, Executive Vice President of HS Business Division, and Do-young Kwak, North America President, confirmed their goal of reaching third place in U.S. B2B kitchen appliance market share by year-end.
Despite tariffs and rising material and labor costs, LG's U.S. B2B kitchen appliance business grew 60% in 2024 and 40% last year. This approaches the three-year goal announced by LG CEO Jae-cheol Ryu during his February 2024 KBIS visit.
"My mission is achieving our goal this year, as we declared our 'Big Three' vision two years ago," Kwak said. "We must become a trusted supplier for builders and improve price competitiveness."
The U.S. B2B built-in appliance market totals approximately $7 billion annually, representing about 20% of total appliances. GE leads with 30% market share, followed by Whirlpool at 15%. LG competes closely with Electrolux, Bosch, and Samsung at under 10% each.
Kwak noted that LG's cooling system products are seeing rapid demand growth amid North America's AI data center investment boom. "We've already secured projects worth tens of millions of dollars and are now discussing deals at the hundreds of millions level," he said.
Executives identified ongoing uncertainty around the USMCA trade agreement and geopolitical risks as key business concerns for 2025, while noting that memory semiconductor supply constraints affecting phones and PCs have minimal impact on home appliances.
Ultra-Premium Appliances Featured in Luxury Florida Homes
At the International Builders' Show (IBS) on Feb. 18, the official show home featured premium interiors and appliances worth approximately 400 million won ($290,000) in electronics alone.
