tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post1485916698054388406..comments2024-03-29T08:40:55.550-05:00Comments on Jackson Jambalaya: Was the Viking sale another Mississippi hustle? Kingfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184990110961727404noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-60159307177943869032016-12-04T11:18:05.821-06:002016-12-04T11:18:05.821-06:00My firm has been assisting clients with M&A wo...My firm has been assisting clients with M&A work for years, and nothing surprises me. Sellers can be quite nefarious when it comes to concealing the skeletons, and often it can take a year for those misdeeds to surface. I own a few Viking products... some good, and some absolutely horrible. I'm glad that Middleby acquired them, perhaps now they'll return to making a great product and ditch the low end crap. Middleby owns companies like TurboChef, Blodget, La Cornue, and others. What's sad is that so many people are saying that Viking went to sh*t AFTER the acquisition... it was garbage before... Middleby will improve the company. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-91515573508971470432016-02-04T14:57:22.036-06:002016-02-04T14:57:22.036-06:00don't the doors fall off Viking refrigerators?...don't the doors fall off Viking refrigerators?kennardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03149975054721520067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-31414661757113442102015-12-22T16:42:28.648-06:002015-12-22T16:42:28.648-06:00As someone who can confirm with 100% accuracy, yes...As someone who can confirm with 100% accuracy, yes, this company knew about the problem. I know that it was reported on at least a handful of ranges as far back as 2009. The company was lemon that would rather invest in golf tournaments instead of R&D or Quality.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-19104544403862341702015-11-15T10:56:45.292-06:002015-11-15T10:56:45.292-06:00"Aren't vikings just white folks that lov..."Aren't vikings just white folks that loved to plunder other folks?"<br />November 14, 2015 at 7:57 AM<br /><br />No. They were much more. http://www.livescience.com/32087-viking-history-facts-myths.html<br /><br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-30028341479114058962015-11-14T07:57:16.167-06:002015-11-14T07:57:16.167-06:00Aren't vikings just white folks that loved to ...Aren't vikings just white folks that loved to plunder other folks?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-26366777503157765752015-11-13T23:35:37.810-06:002015-11-13T23:35:37.810-06:00The CPA firm that certified Viking's financial...The CPA firm that certified Viking's financial statements used by the purchaser for its due diligence are probably meeting daily to determine who will be sacrificed.Accurialnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-47648629890606316452015-11-13T07:18:32.408-06:002015-11-13T07:18:32.408-06:0010:59; Please explain. Gutter companies say your h...10:59; Please explain. Gutter companies say your house is less likely to shift or develop structural issues if you install their products. Are they lying?Rain Gaugenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-47409585630189897352015-11-12T22:59:32.451-06:002015-11-12T22:59:32.451-06:00Imagine you sold your 20 year old house to a buye...Imagine you sold your 20 year old house to a buyer from Illinos with a Delaware mailing address. Soon after the closing the new owners install gutters. 2-3 years later they sue you because the foundation (that sits on Yazoo Clay) shifts. The buyer was represented by a realtor, had their own inspector and closing attorney. Note: The house also had a full Viking kitchen which increased the marketability.<br /><br />Things to consider: Middleby closed the dishwasher plant in their first phase of restructuring. Refrigeration and Dishwashers were never Viking's strong suit, hence the name Viking Range Corporation - there are faults with the ranges too, but just like a house that was sitting pretty without a single crack on the outside, things change when you put a gutter on it. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-47324385475089815382015-11-12T19:15:51.860-06:002015-11-12T19:15:51.860-06:00Who gives a shit? After The Cotton Council (and ma...Who gives a shit? After The Cotton Council (and market) went to shit, Medart Locker Company propped Greenwood up for years, then failed, and then Fred came along and injected the failed economy with a dose of vitality. Shit happens. Move along. <br /><br />Greenwood used to have the finest motels in the state with attendant buffets for Sunday dining. Now the Patels own them all. Greenwood, sadly, has fallen prey to things we can't mention here without being zapped. <br />Shatook Patelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-18294044817820255722015-11-12T15:36:23.372-06:002015-11-12T15:36:23.372-06:00You people claiming that due diligence would have ...You people claiming that due diligence would have avoided all this, are only partly correct. While due diligence that examined all the nooks and crannies (including what is alleged to be hidden reports) may have led the buyer to walk away, but those reps and warranties are what protect the buyer in cases where the sellers are trying to sell a bad asset. If the sellers represented/warranted that no such defects/liabilities existed as the complaint alleges, they'll have to give the money back. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-77899168801295797272015-11-12T14:16:19.960-06:002015-11-12T14:16:19.960-06:0011:28 AM here with profound apologies to both citi...11:28 AM here with profound apologies to both cities for confusing the names. I have enjoyed several evenings at the Alluvian and Giardina's and found Greenwood to be very hospitable. It should also be noted that the acquisition valued Viking at less than 2x annual revenues - Middleby went in in eyes wide open. And, no, this is not Fred...<br /><br />http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130119/ISSUE01/301199979/middlebys-selim-bassoul-has-big-plans-for-vikingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-76786248371430556752015-11-12T13:21:05.321-06:002015-11-12T13:21:05.321-06:0011:28 is spot on. Consumer Reports has been lukewa...11:28 is spot on. Consumer Reports has been lukewarm on Viking (and SubZero) for years. But I guess people who buy billion dollar companies don't read magazines... Or assume the magazine people don't understand the "high end" market.PittPanthernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-2398635275365319672015-11-12T13:03:28.467-06:002015-11-12T13:03:28.467-06:00@11:28 AM It is Greenwood NOT Greenville. @11:28 AM It is Greenwood NOT Greenville. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-61110449521163283752015-11-12T12:10:56.978-06:002015-11-12T12:10:56.978-06:00I was under the impression that Viking had a good ...I was under the impression that Viking had a good idea and didn't start with a sub-standard product but rather grew too fast and didn't pay attention to replacement parts and maintaining standards.<br />There was more attention to the fast buck than to keeping the golden goose well fed.<br />So, while I suspect Middleby knew there were manufacturing, part replacement and quality control issues, finding out how severe they were, may not have been as easy as some who have commented seem to think.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-21706663669445384712015-11-12T11:28:04.031-06:002015-11-12T11:28:04.031-06:00Conspiracy theorists here need to get a life. Viki...Conspiracy theorists here need to get a life. Viking created an niche in an industry by replicating restaurant-style appliances for the home. It could have been founded anywhere but happened to call MS home. Fred Carl kept Greenville on life-support for years. Unfortunately, the quality of the product did not match the appearance. For all the money they spent on due-diligence, Middleby could have subscribed to Consumer Reports and at least discovered the reliability issues. This is nothing but buyer's remorse - housing prices collapsed and home improvement tanked. They bought an over-valued asset based on past performance. Also, every manufacturer has since caught on that stainless-steel improves profit margins... Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-48304803772950750442015-11-12T11:13:44.901-06:002015-11-12T11:13:44.901-06:00Someone mentioned Whirlpool Corp. If you want to ...Someone mentioned Whirlpool Corp. If you want to see a large re-call list, just check out this website and look up the reports on their purchased brands of clothes washers and dishwashers. It seems there is a faulty control panel that has been installed for years that was accused of catching fire and damaging homes.<br /><br />Previously posters are correct, do the research before investing big or small.....<br /><br />http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/brands-we-love/<br />exjxnreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17429981881769162407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-56553291390293663402015-11-12T09:31:08.554-06:002015-11-12T09:31:08.554-06:00Dickie Scruggs, Bernie Ebbers, and Fred Carl are a...Dickie Scruggs, Bernie Ebbers, and Fred Carl are all White Protestants. They are not protected by ethnoreligious 'parallel power structures', as are some members of other groups, who do far worse, with apparent impunity.<br /><br />In any event, this seems to be more about predatory business strategies on the Part of Middleby, than about deception on the part of Viking. <br /><br />I found Wikipedia to be most informative on the subject of Viking, just now. For reasons of snobbery, we've always avoided "big,fancy, Redneck kitchens", when we've built. We're fine with white Formica counters, concrete floors, and whatever ordinary white appliances our maid picks from the 'dented' section, somewhere. So, we have no experience with Viking. Seems we dodged an expensive bullet. Still, it's sad to see a predatory corporation pick the bones of a man who built a company and did his best to save his hometown. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-36099825669892174982015-11-12T08:52:54.570-06:002015-11-12T08:52:54.570-06:00>>Crotch pot cooker said...
Sounds like...>>Crotch pot cooker said...<br /><br /> Sounds like it's time for the new owner to make lemonade out of lemons. Perhaps they could market the Viking range as a crockpot, put a roast in and when it decides to turn itself on, it will cook the meat<<<br /><br />According to this recall at least 21 people reported cooking with their Viking dishwasher too!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2015/Viking-Range-Expands-Dishwasher-Recall/" rel="nofollow">Viking Range Expands Dishwasher Recall Due to Fire Hazard </a><br /><br />"Incidents/Injuries<br /><br />Viking has received 136 additional reports of overheating connectors, <b>including 21 reports of fires with property damage.</b> No injuries have been reported. In the previous recall, the company had received 21 reports of incidents, including five reports of property damage from fires. No injuries were reported."<br /><br />Apparently there is no need to even load the food into the dishwasher to cook it. Just leave anywhere in the kitchen and take your chances! <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-13790705894949084932015-11-12T07:39:19.587-06:002015-11-12T07:39:19.587-06:005:47; You omit consideration of the fact that Midd...5:47; You omit consideration of the fact that Middleby has its own cadre of engineers who are well educated in the skill of product testing. Was Viking ISO certified? If so, were the annual inspections and audits not read? And they could have found copies of Consumer Reports at most any library.Ain't Foolin' Me...noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-84615610227805442942015-11-12T06:38:11.087-06:002015-11-12T06:38:11.087-06:00I'm living in a box......I'm living in a box......Kingfishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06184990110961727404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-19509871174131294722015-11-12T05:47:42.376-06:002015-11-12T05:47:42.376-06:00For Middleby to claim they didn't know of the ...For Middleby to claim they didn't know of the extent of Viking's quality problems is ridiculous. It wouldn't have taken much effort to conduct market surveys, read online consumer reviews, or check out the low ratings of Viking products in many publications at that time. Or for goodness sakes talk to the many people in the appliance industry that were very aware of Viking's quality issues. Oh wait,they are in the appliance industry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-8078783376728891952015-11-12T05:45:00.606-06:002015-11-12T05:45:00.606-06:004:15; The flaw in your comparison is that both Dic...4:15; The flaw in your comparison is that both Dickie and Bernie went to jail. Carlie has not gone to jail. <br /><br />While it would be much easier to just design a good product to begin with, or to engineer out known defects when they present, it's much more fun to trick someone into buying the defective one. <br /><br />Almost as much fun as The Three Card Monte and even involves a cardboard box. John Carradine In Blacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-17845591743020990892015-11-11T22:57:22.478-06:002015-11-11T22:57:22.478-06:00I fell for the Viking range hoopla back in the bui...I fell for the Viking range hoopla back in the building boom days. I'm now the not so proud owner of a $5,000.00 range which is a piece of shit hunk of stainless steel. It took me about 2 years before I realized I'd been had. The oven is on par with any cheap ass whirlpool and the burners need igniter replacements as often as I need an asswhoopin for sucking into the sham.Burnin my assnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-57419772959044824932015-11-11T21:35:30.165-06:002015-11-11T21:35:30.165-06:00Really... This is news? It is a time honored tradi...Really... This is news? It is a time honored tradition, and teaching even, to accentuate the positive and minimize the negative in sales. Where did all of these jet pilot, rocket scientist , neurosurgeoneons , math wizards go to school?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-24524729443093639262015-11-11T20:29:41.847-06:002015-11-11T20:29:41.847-06:00Maybe it's just me, but perusing the complaint...Maybe it's just me, but perusing the complaint, it appears that they are basically accusing the Viking folks of selling a bad product. Fair enough, but if they can afford to hire Skadden Arps for the lawsuit, I imagine that they had a phalanx of CPAs, corporate lawyers, and investment bankers advising them on the deal and doing "due diligence." I'm kind of thinking that they probably got exactly what they bargained for and now don't like it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com