Weber Acquires June: Smart Cooking Innovation

Weber, a prominent figure in the outdoor cooking sector and well-known for its iconic kettle grills, has completed the acquisition of June, a pioneering smart cooking technology company established in 2013 by Matt Van Horn and Nikhil Bhogal. Although the financial specifics of this transaction remain confidential, Weber has affirmed that June will maintain its brand identity and operate as a fully-owned subsidiary, continuing both the sales and development of the June Oven and its associated products. Concurrently, June co-founder Nikhil Bhogal will assume the position of Senior Vice President of Technology and Connected Devices, overseeing these areas for the entire Weber product range.

Weber and June had previously collaborated, with June providing the technological foundation and expertise for Weber’s smart grilling platform, Weber Connect. This encompasses both the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub, designed to add connected functionality to any grill, and the integrated smart cooking capabilities found in Weber’s SmokeFire line of wood pellet grills. This initial partnership originated from an unsolicited email Matt Van Horn received in 2018 from Jim Stephen, Weber’s current Executive Chairman and the son of the company’s founder.

Van Horn recounted that Stephen expressed his admiration for June’s work as both a fan and a customer, envisioning a future where June technology would be integral to every Weber product. Van Horn described his initial surprise, noting Stephen’s immediate desire to meet in person. He prepared a demonstration featuring chocolate lava cake and a steak cooked in the June Oven, but Stephen arrived early, stating he already owned and appreciated the product.

Van Horn further emphasized Stephen’s insightful vision and energy, which greatly impressed him. He also highlighted the positive culture he experienced after meeting Chris Scherzinger, Weber’s current chief executive, who was joining the company as CEO.

As previously noted, June had already become a partner to Weber, powering the connected cooking platform that debuted at CES last year. Weber also spearheaded June’s Series C funding round, a previously undisclosed final financing stage that occurred in 2018 before the acquisition.

Under the terms of the agreement, Van Horn will serve as president of June and will continue to guide the development of its existing and forthcoming products. He explained that June’s decision to join the 63-year-old company was significantly influenced by Weber’s capacity to facilitate international expansion and distribution through its established global network. Equally important was Weber’s demonstrated commitment to customer satisfaction and a genuine passion for food.

“Nikhil and I launched June because of our love for food and the cooking process,” Van Horn stated. “Our product development philosophy closely mirrors Apple’s principles—a substantial portion of the June team has experience at Apple. We’ve successfully applied this approach on a smaller scale with our 60-person startup. Collaborating with the enthusiastic Weber team has been incredibly rewarding from the outset.”

For Weber, the acquisition brings in a skilled software and technology team with a tech-first approach to cooking, which they plan to integrate throughout their product line, building upon their established reputation for quality and customer loyalty.

“Integrating the software engineering, connected product design, and machine intelligence expertise unlocks core competencies,” Scherzinger explained. “Matt has assembled an exceptional team, and acquiring June is like gaining a top draft pick that elevates Weber’s capabilities. This will accelerate numerous initiatives, and we anticipate expanding the Weber Connect platform with new consumer experiences, services, and products, beginning as early as 2021 and 2022.”

While specific details of the deal remain confidential, Scherzinger indicated that “Matt, his team, and his investors all realized a substantial return.” June’s previous investors included Amazon Alexa Fund, Lerer Hippeau, First Round Capital, Promus Ventures, Industry Ventures, Eclipse Ventures, and others.