The Story of Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove

The son of Norwegian immigrants, Westye Bakke was born on his family's farm in northwest Wisconsin in 1892. One of 10 children, Westye demonstrated a mind for innovation early on. Shortly before World War I, he and his brother Oscar went into business together, selling a winterized motorcycle they had invented. The motorcycle, which had a ski on its front wheel to go through deep snow, was purchased by Canada’s North-West Mounted Police and other customers as far away as Russia.

After the war, Westye left the motorcycle business to Oscar and moved to Madison in 1926. Finding work as a refrigerator salesman for Frigidaire, Westye spent his free time tinkering with his refrigeration prototypes as he sought a reliable way to store insulin for his young son, Bud, who needed it to manage his juvenile diabetes. Realizing he was on to something that would have broad appeal in the marketplace, Westye founded the Sub-Zero Freezer Company, introducing the industry’s first system for preserving food at ultra-low temperatures.

1940s

1943 - Westye built his first freestanding freezer prototype in the basement of his home, bending the unit’s coils barehanded and substituting materials as needed due to wartime shortages during World War II.

1945 - Westye founded the Sub-Zero Freezer Company in Madison, Wisconsin. The Sub-Zero name was chosen because its freezers were the first to meet the strict quality standards for below-zero safety in freezing food.

1948 - Westye’s son, Lawrence Clarke Bakke, known as “Bud,” joined the company in 1948 after graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in mechanical and agricultural engineering.

1950s

Working with an in-house engineer in the 1950s, Sub-Zero began producing more streamlined looks—units with rounded corners and “built-ins” that sat flush against countertops and blended with existing cabinetry. Once rigid and boxy, American kitchens suddenly became ultra-smooth and richly vertical.

By the mid-1950s, Sub-Zero had introduced its first refrigerator with an exposed grille, which soon became an icon in the home appliance industry. This renowned design feature is still used in Classic Series Refrigeration.

In the late 1950s, Sub-Zero pioneered the built-in refrigeration category by introducing the first-ever cabinet-flush unit and modifying the built-in design to allow for recessed fronts. This enabled complete customization of each unit to match the kitchen’s overall décor.

1955 - Sub-Zero introduced dual refrigeration—separate, sealed systems for the refrigerator and freezer.

1960s

1964 - Sub-Zero launched a novel line of refrigerators that could be integrated into bar counters, dining room furniture, and even living room tables.

Mid-1960s - The phrase “Sub-Zero kitchen" entered the real estate lexicon as shorthand for "a home that gets all the high-end details right." 

1967 - The built-in refrigerators became Sub-Zero’s best-selling model, comprising approximately 70% of all sales.

1970s

1972 - Bud was named CEO and spearheaded the creation of a new, lightweight, all-aluminum freezer with separate inside doors. He also worked with designer Bob Kelly to source better interior lighting for all models.

1979 - Sales figures skyrocketed almost tenfold from the beginning of the decade. Under Bud’s leadership, the engineering team worked to fine-tune the units, improving wiring circuitry and adding pull-out freezer drawers for more convenient access to frozen foods.

1980s

1981 - Bud’s son Jim joined the company, representing the third generation of Bakkes to work at Sub-Zero. Homer Price, vice president of sales, began serving as Sub-Zero’s president. He developed the company's distribution strategy based on exclusive territories for each distributor. 

Mid-1980s - The new Sub-Zero 500 Series refrigerator debuted with a more sculptural, ergonomic aesthetic inspired by European furniture design. Featuring advanced mechanical controls, the 500 Series kept temperatures constant within one degree.

1990s

1990 - Sub-Zero kicked off its inaugural Kitchen Design Contest. Now in its fourth decade, the contest celebrates standout kitchen design projects and has helped launch the careers of talented professionals worldwide.

1992 - Jim was named president of Sub-Zero in 1990 and CEO in 1992, after spending 10 years working in various positions within the company. Under his guidance, the tried-and-true Sub-Zero philosophy of stylish form with exceptional function has since expanded to cover the entire kitchen. 

1995 - As the company celebrated its 50th anniversary, Sub-Zero broke new ground with its 700 Series “integrated refrigeration” units that contained separate refrigerated compartments within a single unit.

1997 - Sub-Zero Group Foundation was created to support local and national nonprofit organizations.

1999 - Sub-Zero introduced a new type of wine cooler aimed at wine connoisseurs and enthusiasts. The 400 Series Wine Storage Unit featured two separate temperature zones with varying capacities. Near the end of the decade, the company also expanded to foreign markets in the Near East, Europe, and South America.

2000s

2000 - The year 2000 marked a new era for the company with the acquisition of the residential arm of Wolf, a company with over 75 years of experience in commercial kitchens. Sub-Zero’s launch of the new Wolf product line of cooking appliances for serious, passionate cooks was the most ambitious ever in the industry, with more than 50 products introduced simultaneously.

2002 - Wolf introduced its first Dual Fuel Range, which included gas cooking above and convection electric ovens below; Sub-Zero unveiled the Sub-Zero PRO 48 professional-style refrigeration unit three years later.

2005 - The company's 60th anniversary saw the opening of Sub-Zero and Wolf’s brand-new 35,000-square-foot training center, named after founder Westye F. Bakke.

2008 - Sub-Zero introduced an air purification system (based on technology developed by NASA) that scrubs the air of ethylene and odor every 20 minutes, keeping food fresher longer.

2010 - The company introduced nearly 70 new products, including the Wolf Convection Steam Oven in 2012. This represented impressive new technologies, décor possibilities, and aesthetic enhancements.

2016 - Wolf introduced its first-ever induction range at the Architectural Digest Design Show in New York City.

2018 - Sub-Zero and Wolf launch state-of-the-art dishwashers under the brand name Cove, completing the trifecta of kitchen appliances.

2023 - Sub-Zero reimagined its Classic and Designer Series Refrigeration with a patented Split Climate® intelligent cooling system and a host of innovative new features.

2024 - To better serve customers in its largest markets west of the Rocky Mountains, Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove opened a new manufacturing and distribution center in Goodyear, Arizona.

The Future is Now

As with everything in life, times and tastes change in home cooking. Jim Bakke has astutely tapped into a growing trend among affluent consumers for homes capable of restaurant-quality cooking and entertaining, expertly preserving fine wines, and extending the same level of kitchen capabilities to their outdoor entertaining spaces.

Jim Bakke has worked tirelessly to create state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, a dedicated and efficient distribution system, superior customer service, a world-class innovation center, and a portfolio of showrooms in prestigious addresses worldwide.

Yet despite this remarkable success, Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove has never lost sight of the values that have guided every generation of the Bakke family—honesty, hard work, personal integrity, and respect for tradition matched by a passion for innovation. As Jim Bakke puts it: “At Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove we’ve always stayed true to our roots. Our focus since my grandfather founded the company has been meaningful innovations that enhance people’s lives. We look forward to the next 80 years—and hope you’ll be with us along the way.”