Imagine a kitchen revolution sparked by a boxing sensation and a grill. In the 90s, George Foreman’s name became synonymous with lean cooking, a phenomenon that generated 8 million dollars a month, a feat that started with inspiration from Micheal Jordans mother. 30 years later, the George Foreman Grill is still as popular as it was during its launch. A favorite in American homes and markets, the grill machine quickly became a star, backed by another star player, the professional boxer who boasts 76 wins, with 68 by knockouts.

“Why don’t you get your own product?” Foreman, who endorsed several brands to success, was often asked. After finally listening to that advice, he started his own product line. And with a little inspiration from Michael Jordan‘s mother, his partnership became the greatest deal!

The George Foreman Grill, which you might have heard of or seen in kitchens, was first popularized by former boxer George Foreman. The Salton company had first sent the product to the boxing legend, which sat unused until his wife, Mary Joan Martelly, decided to try it and make hamburgers. She loved the product, and it became Foreman’s favorite too. That’s when he decided to be part of it.

It was first launched as the Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine, and then Foreman became the face of it. He signed the deal with Salton with nothing upfront. However, he received 45% of the future profits. According to a new post by Pablo Torre Finds It All, at some point back in the 90s, he was earning $8 million a month. And it was Jordan’s mother, Deloris, who inspired him. 

“Foreman signed a deal — inspired by the one Michael Jordan’s mother made with Nike — with no upfront guarantees, but on the back end, he received 45%,” the caption of the IG post by Pablo Torre Finds Out. 

It was Jordan’s mother who convinced the then-rookie of Chicago Bulls Jordan to sign a deal with Nike, which was on a rocky boat at the time. Back in the 80s, Jordan had signed a five-year, endorsement deal worth $2.5 million. This deal changed the sneaker world just the way Foreman did with the grill machine. Now, after all these years, Jordan gets 5% royalty from Nike and earns more than $200 million annually. 

Like Jordan, Foreman too had a deep connection with the brand and that is what helped promote it better. While buying the Air Jordan, people wanted to be like Mike; the grills were popular because Foreman himself loved the product. Much later, Salton also bought the rights to use his name for the products.

The sales faded after Salton bought George Foreman 

Apart from Foreman’s frequent appearances on TV, the products also came with his autographs. Understandably, sales went up. Salton’s sales saw a whopping $183 million in 1997, and by 2002, it went up to $922 million. In his book ‘Knockout Entrepreneur,’ he said, “I just signed the contract so I could get sixteen free grills for my homes, my training camp, my friends, my mom, cousins, and other family members. That’s all I really expected to get out of the grill deal. I never dreamed this opportunity would turn into a grilling empire!”

In 1999, the former boxer signed a tempting $137.5 million deal, allowing the brand to use his name for the products. However, the Foreman lineup struggled with tough competition from brands such as Hamilton Beach and West Bend. Back in 2004, the company saw its deficit go from $12 million to $58 million. 

Later, it merged with Applica, and was renamed as Russell Hobbs Inc. in 2009 and was acquired by Spectrum Brands in 2010. And this brand still sells George Foreman Grills however, without the boxer’s endorsement.