Electrolux GRO - a future kitchen concept designed to help people eat more sustainably

GRO (Swedish for ‘to sprout’) is an Electrolux future concept aiming at reinventing the kitchen and enabling people to enjoy food in a way that is healthy and sustainable for the environment. Electrolux has produced a vision of a better tomorrow with a collection of modular solutions driven by modern sensors and AI, based on behavioural science and the planetary health diet from the EAT-Lancet report*.

Food is not just the most important aspect in human health; it has also wreaked havoc on the climate and ecosystems. To save the environment, we must change the way we eat, prepare, and shop.

Tove Chevalley, the head of the Electrolux Innovation Hub, states: “Electrolux has set the ambition to make healthy and sustainable eating the preferred choice by 2030, and GRO is our testament to that. By challenging conventional thinking of what a kitchen is, we have rethought everything from the start – aiming to help change behaviors by making planet-friendly eating effortless and enjoyable through groundbreaking design”.

Every design choice and product feature within the kitchen system is based on data and behavioural research, which has been the foundation for the GRO idea. It's also about figuring out how kitchen products might help people eat more sustainably. GRO allows individuals to act on key recommendations in the acclaimed EAT-Lancet report*, designed to meet people's personal requirements to progress towards a more sustainable diet, and is inspired by experts, chefs, early adopters, and thousands of consumers.

“The way we currently produce food to feed the planet is tragically at the expense of the planet itself. Research shows, that one important action we can take to change this is to dramatically reduce the consumption of animal-source foods in places where they are currently over-consumed. This will help ensure enough healthy food can be produced for every person on the planet without destroying it. Food must be elevated as a key solution by anyone serious about tackling climate change and restoring nature,” says Brent Loken, Global Food Lead Scientist at WWF. Brent formerly worked with EAT, where he was a lead author of a report published in the Lancet.

With this in mind, Electrolux developed the "jewellery box," a storage solution for the GRO kitchen system that encourages people to eat less but better meat and try new and different protein sources.

There is also a global trend of developing new meals by combining methods and flavours to enhance the taste experience in the plant-forward world. Specific techniques previously used to prepare meat dishes are now part of the plant-forward world. People may smoke their ingredients at home using GRO's "nordic smoker", which encourages them to experiment with new flavours.

The concept's digital platform will allow users to see their eating habits and environmental effect, as well as establish personal goals, get guidance, and track their progress over time. GRO may also supply meal suggestions, local produce, and sustainable ingredients based on personalized tastes, nutritional needs, and what's in the fridge.

GRO's insights serve as the foundation for Electrolux product development, with the goal of making future products even better at promoting more sustainable living.

“GRO is our vision of what a kitchen could look like. A vision that will inspire and guide our company’s innovations going forward, whilst pushing us forward to meet our sustainability goals,” Chevalley adds.

Read more about Electrolux GRO here: betterlivingelectrolux.com/gro

*EAT-Lancet Report is the first full scientific review of what constitutes a healthy diet from a sustainable food system, and which actions can support and speed up food system transformation. The report was prepared by EAT and is an adapted summary of the Commission Food in The Anthropocene: the EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems. The entire Commission can be found online at thelancet.com/commissions/EAT.