For excellent consumer trust and enduring brand success

No other product brand has been held in such high esteem by Germany's consumers over the past decade as Miele. This is the quintessence of the rolling list of top performers published by the German brand ranking watchdog 'best brands'. To mark the initiative's tenth anniversary, the Gütersloh-based domestic appliance pioneer was awarded the special 'best brand ever' prize in the 'best product brand' category.

The 'best brands' ranking is based on a survey conducted by GfK to monitor the market success of the most prominent brands from around 40 branches of industry. Furthermore, a total of 5000 consumers, selected on a representative basis, were asked to assess the most successful product and company brands with respect to brand trust, quality, reputation and internationality. This ranking, which has been compiled annually since 2004 is the only one in Germany to assess companies both according to their market success and their appeal to consumers.

The 'best brand ever' award reflects aggregate scores since records began. The exceptional position commanded by the Gütersloh-based and privately owned company results from the following: Miele has starred among the Top Ten best product brands uninterruptedly since 2005, even achieving first place in 2009. Since 2007, Miele has also ranked among the 10 best product brands, even achieving the top No. 1 spot in 2007. Currently, Miele stands fourth in both categories. Second and third positions in the 'best brands ever' category are occupied by Lego and Nivea.

'This prize honours long-standing trust in a brand and its enduring success. When all is said and done, it comes from consumers in their entirety and likewise goes to all our employees', says Dr Reinhard Zinkann, Managing Director and Co-Proprietor of the Miele Group at the 'best brands' gala at the Bayerischer Hof Hotel in Munich. 'This makes it the most valuable compliment a manufacturer of branded goods could possibly ever receive.

The companies behind 'best brands' are the market researcher GfK, German business weekly Wirtschaftswoche, ProSiebenSat.1, The Brand Association, iq-media marketing, a communication service provider, and Ströer Out-of-Home Media AG.

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Company profile: Miele is the world leader in the field of premium domestic appliances including cooking, baking and steam-cooking appliances, refrigeration products, coffee makers, dishwashers and laundry and floorcare products. This line-up is augmented by dishwashers, washer-extractors and tumble dryers for commercial use as well as washer-disinfectors and sterilisers for use in medical and laboratory applications (Miele Professional). The company, founded in 1899, has 8 production plants in Germany and one plant each in Austria, the Czech Republic, China and Romania. 2011/12 turnover amounted to approx. EUR 3.04 bn with sales outside Germany accounting for 70%. Miele is represented with its own sales subsidiaries and via importers in almost 100 countries. The Miele company, now in the fourth generation of family ownership, employs a workforce of around 16,700 with two-thirds in Germany. The company headquarters are located in Gütersloh/Westphalia, Germany.