kitchenware news september 2008

H o u s e w a r e s R e v i e w&S E RV I N G K I T C H E N WA R E , H O U S E WA R E S A N D TA B L E T O P M A R K E T S

VOLUME 14, NUMBER 9

Two years ago, Lisa Allen put down herpencil and paper and began emailing. LastChristmas, she had no other choice but toshop online for gifts because she was atwork assisting customers in her own store.Currently owning Columbus Cooks, aGeorgia-based specialty retail kitchenstore, she took on the added task of oper-ating the existing website.

“I was afraid of the Internet for so long.I’m an example of how a person can bechanged and become obsessed with theInternet,” she said. “If I didn’t jump onboard, I was going to miss the boat. I’mstill holding on to the edges, but I’m learn-ing more and more each day.”

Education andTechnology IncreaseThermometer Usage

by Karen Martin, Managing Editor

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KITCHENWARE NEWS

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Specialty Stores:Internet Valued forInvestigation Ratherthan E-Commerce

by Jenna Crisostomo, Associate Editor

If there’s anything that Peter Chapman, JanMurtagh and the United States Departmentof Agriculture (USDA) want you to know,it’s that the color or firmness of food is nota reliable test for doneness. You can almosthear them beating their heads on the tableas they repeat this information.

Chapman, executive vice president ofMaverick Industries and Murtagh, presidentof CDN, The Time & TemperatureCompany® know their way around ther-mometers and timers. They are both veter-ans in an industry that develops high techinstruments while debunking cooking myths.

As Chapman explains, “Several years ago,USDA tried to put together a council ofmanufacturers to discuss food safety and the

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AMERICAN INNOVATIVEKlip! Kitchen™ Timer[tel] 866-663-2393www.americaninnovative.com/Circle #173

COMPONENT DESIGN NORTHWESTDual Sensing Probe Thermometer, Direct Entry Timer[tel] 800-338-5594www.cdn-timeandtemp.com/Circle #174

DMD-KITRICSCandy/Deep-Fry Thermometer, Grill ButtonThermometers[tel] 314-991-8494www.kitrics.com/Circle #175

ESCALIDigital Scale with Timer[tel] 952-469-1965www.escali.com/Circle #176

MAVERICK INDUSTRIESRoast Alert Digital Thermometer[tel] 732-417-9666www.maverickhousewares.com/Circle #177

POLDER INC.BBQ SafeServe Instant Read Thermometer[tel] 800-431-2133www.polder.com/Circle #178

ROBINSON HOME PRODUCTSCIA Masters Collection[tel] 716-206-1100www.robinsonus.com/Circle #179

ZERVOSmart Funnel[tel] 800-313-8588www.zevro.com/Circle #180

Back Cover: DANESCO Jamie Oliver Lines[tel]800-667-6543www.danescoinc.com/Circle #181

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NEWS ON 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE 4

TO MARKET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE 11

MEASURING TOOLS . . . . . . . . . PAGE 12

ADVERTISERS INDEX . . . . . . . . . PAGE 22

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR . . . . . PAGE 22

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SCANPAN Denmark appointed HWI USA Inc., inTorrance, California, as the new SCANPAN distributorin the US. HWI USA Inc. took over the SCANPANbusiness in the US effective July 10, 2008.

“HWI USA offered a very attractive package for me tocontinue managing SCANPAN sales in the US, and I

appreciate that offer. I think, however, that a fresh startfor everybody is in the best interest of moving the busi-ness forward”, says George F. Bente, President and CEOof SCANPAN USA since 1987. Bente will stay on withSCANPAN USA’s holding, Joerck & Larsen A/S,Them,Denmark, through the end of 2008 to oversee an orderlyclosing of operations and will retire at 60.

HWI USA Takes Over Scanpan US Distribution

WMF / USA, Inc. announced a merger with KaiserBakeware, Inc., a member of the WMF Group. Themerger offers the opportunity to leverage the distribu-tion of its combined brand portfolio of functional anddesign-oriented products for the home and kitchen.WMF/USA will now be known as WMF Americas, Inc.

“We are pleased and excited to welcome our KaiserBakeware colleagues, clients and shareholders,” saidMarkus Glueck, former vice president of WMF / USA.“WMF Americas now has superior size and scale, acomprehensive and balanced product portfolio, greaterdistribution penetration and geographic, market and earn-ings diversity - in short, the company is extremely well-positioned for even greater growth in the marketplace.”

Stefan Nisi, president of WMF / USA will be return-ing to Germany after 18 years with WMF. MarkusGlueck will be stepping in as president of WMFAmericas, Inc. Mark Harris, former executive vicepresident of Kaiser Bakeware and now vice president

of sales and marketing of WMF Americas consumerdivision stated, “The merger of Kaiser Bakeware withWMF / USA provides an exciting platform to increasethe visibility for our brand portfolio in our key markets,and take advantage of the synergies in the distributionand supply chain. We will focus on our core sales chan-nels with creative lifestyle oriented products that repre-sent the basis of our brand portfolio’s equity.”

WMF Americas, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary ofWMF Wuerttembergische Metallwarenfabrik AG,based in Geislingen/Steige, Germany, founded in 1853.The WMF Group employ 5,700 associates worldwidewith sales of $1.2 billion in 2007.

Kaiser Bakeware, Inc. was a wholly-owned subsidiaryof W.F. Kaiser u. Co. GmbH, based in Diez/Lahn,Germany, founded in 1919. WMF Americas, Inc.will be headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolinawith offices in Ft.Lauderdale, Florida andFarmingdale, New York.

WMF/USA Merges with Kaiser Bakeware

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Kitchenware News & Housewares Review • SEPTEMBER 20084

PUBLISHER/ James S. McNeil

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR Karen D. Martin

[email protected]

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Alice Cassidy

[email protected]

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Valerie Wilson

[email protected]

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Yasmine Brown

[email protected]

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jenna Crisostomo

[email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHER Alex Landeen

[email protected]

EDITORIAL OFFICES/ 65 W. Commercial St., Suite 207

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES Portland, Maine 04101

[tel] (207) 775-2372

[fax] (207) 775-2375

[email protected]

KITCHENWARE/HOUSEWARES ADVERTISING

PUBLISHER James S. McNeil


[tel] (207) 775-2372

[fax] (207) 775-2375

Kitchenware News & Housewares Review is apublication of ELM Communications, a division of

Oser Communications Group, Inc.1877 N. Kolb Road Tucson, AZ 85715

www.oser.com

n e w s o nThe new Jura-Capresso ENA 5 automaticcoffee center has recently been named #1for energy savings in two separate inde-pendent tests. The ENA 5 received theprize for the most energy efficient automaticcoffee machine in the “Excellence in EnergyEfficiency 2008” contest sponsored by theGerman Energy Agency (DENA). TheENA 5 was additionally cited as #1 inenergy savings in a recent test of 12 auto-matic coffee centers on the world marketby www.topten.ch, a Swiss consumer test-ing website. Germany and Switzerland arethe two most highly developed automaticcoffee center markets in the world. TheJura-Capresso ENA 5 was introduced in theUnited States in August, 2008.

TNS Retail Forward ShopperScape™data support anecdotal evidence of weaker

traffic at many retailers and across mosttypes of shopping venues. Shopperscontinue to pare retailers from their consid-eration set, with the average number ofretailers visited during the past four weeksclose to all-time lows in June. Additionally,the shares of survey respondents shoppingmost shopping center types monthly—either for any kind of merchandise or specif-ically for clothing—again declined in 2008.Monthly shopping incidence remainsstrongest among the two youngest shoppersegments—i.e., those age 18 to 24 and 25to 34—and tends to increase along withhousehold income.

eBay Inc. announced executive changes to itsglobal Marketplaces business. Effective inOctober, Rajiv Dutta, President, eBayMarketplaces, will retire from the company.

Succeeding Dutta as President, eBayMarketplaces, is Lorrie Norrington, who mostrecently was President of eBay MarketplacesOperations. She will report to eBay Presidentand CEO John Donahoe. (Source: Yahoo!)

The Private Label ManufacturersAssociation has announced that it willdevote a new section of its 2008 PrivateLabel Trade Show to the industrial ingre-dients, including raw materials, flavors andfragrances that make up today’s storebrands. “Private label in America hasreached new levels of quality and consumeracceptance. Future growth will depend onkeeping up the flow of the best ingredients,flavors and fragrances, so that retailers canoffer consumers the most innovative andcreative products possible,” predicted BrianSharoff, President of PLMA. Ingredients

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have taken on additional importancerecently as products featuring organics, highfiber, low salt, omega-3, zero trans fat andgluten-free, among other new and innova-tive qualities, have appealed to growingconsumer interest in health and wellness,nutrition, and ecology. Retailers like Wal-Mart, Kroger, and Safeway have been quickto respond with new store brand offerings.PLMA’s Private Label Trade Show, hasbeen the starting point for many of theinitiatives in ingredients, flavorings andfragrances. Held annually since 1980, thevenue showcases new products and trends.“Large national brand-makers have hadaccess to this type of information for manyyears,” said Sharoff. “PLMA’s new sectionwill permit the private label industry to seethe latest ingredients without waiting fornational brands to introduce them first.”

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White Plains, NY, August 6, 2008—TheGourmet Housewares Show® announcedboth location and date changes, beginningwith the 2009 edition.

After a four-year stint in Las Vegas andOrlando, The Gourmet Housewares Showwill return to San Francisco, where it firstlaunched in 1977. The annual show will moveinto a summer time slot to better serve inde-pendent retailers fourth quarter buying needs,while also allowing vendors to preview 2010collections. Dates for 2009 are Saturday,August 8 through Monday, August 10.

GLM vice president and show manager, PennySikalis, is confident the repositioning of boththe location and timing of the Show will createdynamic results. “After much research andanalysis of the evolving specialty housewaresmarketplace, feedback from our constituenciespointed to the need to move away from theprevious timing. Combining strong industrysupport for the summer timeframe with relo-cation to San Francisco, we believe the changesare a win-win for all,” said Sikalis.

“The timing and venue makes a lot of sense, andwe at Lifetime Brands support the move...

Gourmet Housewares Show® Returns to San Francisco in August 2009The Gourmet Housewares Show will be heldin the North Hall of the MosconeConvention Center, and is expected to attracta steady flow of buyers and industry execu-tives from high-end independent retailers,specialty chains, department stores and lead-ing direct-to-consumer marketers in allmedia. In addition to drawing attendeesfrom across the country, the Show will alsotake advantage of crossover attendees from thesummer edition of the San FranciscoInternational Gift Fair®, taking place in theSouth Hall and Esplanade of the MosconeCenter from August 8-11.

absolutely,” said Jeff Siegel, president and ceo,Lifetime Brands. Janis Johnson, ceo ofGourmet Catalog Buying Group commented,“The timing provides a double benefit for bothstore and vendor GC members. The August 8– 10, 2009 dates will accommodate fourth quar-ter ordering, as well as afford spring planningand preview opportunities.”

Additional programming, celebrity appear-ances, and other updates concerning the2009 Show will be announced shortly.Please visit www.thegourmetshow.com forfurther information.

From the Editor

Gas prices have finally reached the pointwhere people are changing their behavior.Factor in the desire, no the need, to bemore respectful of our natural environ-ment, and you have a sea change inconsumer behavior.

Analysts are watching us consumers likewe’re aliens in a glass cell at Area 51.(Sorry, the new X-Files movie has just

been released). Continuing on the movie theme, even thedarlings of consumerism, the trend setting women of Sex inthe City, had a new attitude about spending and acquisition.

Going with some real facts, as opposed to movie scripts, theTNS Retail Forward ShopperScape™ report for June indicatedthat shoppers were narrowing their “consideration set” of retail-ers. This phrase is just an interesting way of saying that shop-pers were visiting fewer stores on a regular basis. Whetherpeople are limiting their regular “rounds” of shops due to gasprices, general economic concerns or environmental concernsis not clear. No doubt it’s a mix of all three.

The question of the next year is – what do these conditionsmean to retailers? We will be revisiting this question often overthe next year. Our anecdotal experience with specialty retail-ers has been that the successful ones keep an eye on thenational trends, but make their decisions based on a deepknowledge of their community and their customers. This stillseems like a great strategy.

This month we’re looking at one aspect of retail strategy - inter-net retailing. I’m thinking that shoppers still want the experi-ence of wandering through a great store – but I’m a babyboomer. My 24-year-old niece, an avid cook and baker, thinksthat a great website design is equally satisfying.

Karen Martin, [email protected]

From the Publisher

“As Rubbermaid goes, so go the rest of us.”Rubbermaid, the company that launchedtheir first plastic product, a dish pan, in 1956,has enjoyed terrific brand recognition, rightup to today.Now,with their stock down 40%and resin costs up 60% how do they proceed?

A recent Wall Street Journal article reports thatRubbermaid has announced their strategy,and there may be some lessons for all of us.

First, jettison products that aren’t performing, even if it means givingup some sales. In their case, about 8% or $500 million in annualsales. Secondly, invest in research and advertising for new and inno-vative products that create more value for the consumer. And,continue to build the Rubbermaid brand. Raise prices, as much as22% in some cases. And finally, unfortunately, lay off employees.

In applying this to a specialty store, I think we need very littlein the way of alterations to make this plan applicable.

1. Don’t stop advertising. Yes, have a budget and spend yourdollars wisely, but do not retreat.

2. Look at your inventory. Are their categories or productlines that are not providing enough in margin or turns? Be toughon your assortment, demand more.

3. We will have to raise prices. Of course, we all have to becompetitive in the market place, but it is likely your competi-tion is raising prices too.

4. Evaluate your staffing. Does it fit the business needs? Shouldyou be open an hour earlier or and hour later?

5. Lastly, train your staff and treat then well, they are your #1 asset.

Jim McNeil, [email protected]


w w w . k i t c h e n w a r e n e w s . c o m

J i m M c N e i l K a r e n M a r t i n

H o u s e w a r e s R e v i e w&KITCHENWARE NEWS

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Periodicals postage paid at Tucson, AZ and additionalmailing office. Kitchenware News & Housewares Review(USPS012-625) is published 12 times per year (Jan.,Feb., March, April, May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct.,Nov. and Dec.) by ELM Communications, Inc., 1877N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ, 85715 (520) 721-1300.Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicitedmaterial or prices quoted in newspaper. Contributorsare responsible for proper release of proprietary classi-fied information. ©2008 by ELM Communications,Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or inpart, without written permission of the publisher, isexpressly prohibited. Back issues, when available, cost$8 each within the past 12 months. Back issue ordersmust be paid in advance by check. Kitchenware News &Housewares Review is distributed without charge inNorth America to qualified professionals in the retailand distribution channels of the upscale kitchenwareand tabletop trade. For subscriber services, includingsubscription information, call (207) 775-2372. Printedin the USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes toKitchenware News & Housewares Review, 65 W.Commercial St., Suite 207, Portland, Maine 04101.

PUBLISHER/ James S. McNeil

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR Karen D. Martin

[email protected]


[email protected]

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Valerie Wilson

[email protected]

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Yasmine Brown

[email protected]

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jenna Crisostomo

[email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHER Alex Landeen

[email protected]

EDITORIAL OFFICES/ 65 W. Commercial St., Suite 207

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES Portland, Maine 04101

[tel] (207) 775-2372

[fax] (207) 775-2375

[email protected]

KITCHENWARE/HOUSEWARES ADVERTISING

PUBLISHER James S. McNeil


[tel] (207) 775-2372

[fax] (207) 775-2375

Kitchenware News & Housewares Review is apublication of ELM Communications, a division of

Oser Communications Group, Inc.1877 N. Kolb Road Tucson, AZ 85715

www.oser.com


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Prominent Retailers To Lead Panel at 2008 Chief Housewares Executive SuperSessionThree prominent retailers representing different chan-nels will present a panel discussion to conclude the 2008Chief Housewares Executive SuperSession (CHESS), asenior-level conference for housewares industry decisionmakers set for Sept. 9-10 in Chicago. CHESS is open toall chief executive officers of IHA member companies.

Chris Nielsen, vice president, Home and Garden Store atAmazon.com, Rod Ghormley, senior vice president andGMM—home of ShopKo Stores and Dominic Cimilluca,chief executive officer of Dominic’s Kitchen Store, willexplore how suppliers can best meet the needs of eachchannel. They will answer questions, including:

What are retailers looking for from housewares suppliersin terms of product, delivery and service?How important is innovation?What collaborative role can retailers play with vendors indeveloping new products?How does a vendor make it to the top?How is sustainability impacting retailers?

In addition to the retail panel, the two-day program willfeature sessions on critical industry issues, includingChina, consumer trends, product design and innovation,sustainability, the state of the retail environment, theVietnamese market, protecting intellectual property andfactory compliance and product safety.

Keynote Address to Focus on China’s FuturesChina expert and author Peter Navarro will give the keynoteaddress, “China’s Futures—From El Dorado toArmageddon,” to open the conference. Navarro is a busi-ness professor at the University of California-Irvine, a regu-lar CNBC contributor and author of the bestselling book,“The Coming China Wars.” His video series, “The ChinaEffect” appears on YouTube. Navarro’s other books includethe path-breaking management book, “The Well-TimedStrategy,” and the bestselling investment book, “If It’sRaining in Brazil, Buy Starbucks.” His articles have appearedin a wide range of publications from Business Week, theLos Angeles Times, New York Times and The Wall StreetJournal, to the Harvard Business Review, the SloanManagement Review and the Journal of Business.

SUPERSESSION2008 CHIEF HOUSEWARES EXECUTIVE

Consumer Trends, Design,Sustainability & Retail EnvironmentMarshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at The NPD Group,Inc., will give an update on “Consumer Trends: Home—The Place to Be, Again.” Cohen will look at the neweconomy and the new consumer, explaining to housewaressuppliers where they can find new opportunities. “We haveseen more changes in the past six months than we haveseen in the past six years with consumers,” the notedconsumer expert says. He will provide specifics of thosechanges and how suppliers can effectively communicatewith consumers both directly and indirectly.

Gregg Davis, IDSA, founding principal and president,Design Central, will present, “Design: Carpe Diem! Seizethe Day!,” where he will discuss what innovative designtools companies can use to come out ahead in the compet-itive landscape. His talk will include new tools inNeuroeconomics and marketing, consumers’ emotionalbuying habits and using innovation as an engine for change.

Steve Belletire, IDSA, associate professor of industrialdesign at Southern Illinois University/Carbondale, willexplore “Sustainability: Creating Retail Opportunities withSustainable Design.” His presentation will feature anoverview of how sustainable design and developmentconnect to ongoing challenges and opportunities in retailhousewares markets. It will also include a glimpse at Okala,an innovation tool being used by new product teams tocreate concepts that meet the needs of manufacturers,distributors, retailers, consumers and the environment.

A panel of financial experts will examine “The State of theRetail Environment: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly,” focus-ing on bankruptcy, insolvency, dark stores and debtor-in-possession financing. Panelists include Tim Cropper, seniorvice president and chief customer credit officer, CITCommercial Services; Richard Heller, partner, corporaterevitalization, Carl Marks; and Thomas Scotti, managingdirector and chief operating officer of appraisals, appraisals& valuation division, Gordon Brothers. These experts willoffer their thoughts on early warning signs of retailer finan-cial problems and ways suppliers can protect themselves andgive guidance about what a company can do after its prod-ucts are on the retail shelves and the invoices are late.

Three breakout sessions will offer attendees up-close accessto experts: “Vietnam: An Emerging Market for Sourcing”with Dinh Tran, president of North America-VietnamTrading Agency Inc. (NAVTA); “Protecting IntellectualProperty on a Budget: How One Small Company BattlesIP Pirates Globally” with Robert Engel, president, AngelSales Inc., and “Managing Factory Compliance & AssuringProduct Safety” with Gene Rider, president, Intertek’sConsumer Goods North America operation.

To register for CHESS or for more information, contactJudy Colitz of IHA at [email protected] or visitIHA’s website at www.housewares.org

CHESSSeptember 9-10, 2008

Chicago, IL USA

save the date

CHIEF HOUSEWARES EXECUTIVE SUPERSESSION

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DOWN TO EARTH’S BAMBOO ECOTOWLS

The reusable Bamboo EcoTowl is anatural fabric made from 82% bamboofiber and 18% corn, both fast growingand sustainable resources. It provideslong lasting service without losing itsstrength or absorption power.Washable, durable, super absorbent,

and biodegradable, this “greenkitchen” necessity greatly reduces theuse of expensive disposable wipes,petrochemical microfibers,and papertowels. When dirty, simply hand ormachine wash, then air dry or tumbledry with no heat.It can also be sanitizedin a dishwasher or microwave. Andwhen it’s ready for disposal, theBamboo EcoTowl can even be

composted. Each pack contains two20”x12” towels.

Down to Earth Distributors, Inc.[tel] 800-234-5932[fax] 541-485-7141 mail@downtoearthdistributors.comwww.downtoearthdistributors.comCircle #130


POMEGRANATE’S PEPPERMENT HOLIDAY APRON

Pomegranate, Inc. introduces a vibrant collection oftable linens and accessories for the Holiday season!The collection is a fresh, fun and festive way to bringholiday cheer and spirit to the home. These coor-dinating patterns, in a range of colorways, includethe Pepperment motif. Seen here in a full apron,pepperment candies on white linen make thischarming pattern great for any home.Suggested Retail Price: $36

Pomegranate Inc.[tel] 800-948-5188[fax] 859-293-5659[email] [email protected] #131

THE TIN WOODSMAN PEWTER COMPANY’S CROSBY & TAYLOR STONEWARE

Crosby & Taylor, a sister company to TinWoodsman Pewter, introduces a newline of stoneware and pewter.The high-quality, artisan-made stoneware isbeing produced for the company bya local potter, and then embellishedwith artisan pewter accents.The pieces

will be available in three richly-coloredglazes - “pistachio,”“butter pecan,”and

“whipping cream.”The first release was inJuly and included a fleur de lys motif.Other

designs to be released in the coming monthsinclude a dragonfly and a fish motif.

The Tin Woodsman Pewter Co.[tel] 888-683-1196[fax] 541-683-5906 [email protected] #132


ROBELY SERVING DISHFeaturing an aerodynamic design, thissquare shaped serving dish is perfect formaking a statement while serving fruits,appetizers and even bread dips. Thisarched dish is available in two sizes and ismade of a bright, durable porcelain.Microwave & dishwasher safe. SizesInclude: 11.25”x 8.5”x 2”& 15”x 12.5”x 2.5”.Suggested Retail Price: $19.99 - $49.99

Robely Trading Inc.[tel] 800-567-8768 [fax]800-676-2359[email] [email protected] #135

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JURA-CAPRESSO’S ENA 5 AUTOMATIC COFFEE CENTER

With demand growing for eco-friendlyproducts, one of the key selling pointsof the new Jura-Capresso ENA 5 is itssmart energy-saving features. This auto-matic coffee center has recently beennamed #1 for energy savings in twoseparate independent tests. One of theslimmest automatic coffee centers, theENA 5 was designed to be space-saving as well as energy efficient. Itspatent-pending Zero Energy Button letsthe machine finish any beveragealready in progress and thencompletely disconnects from the elec-trical outlet. The optional Energy SaveStandby Mode can reduce powerconsumption up to 40 percent. TheJura-Capresso ENA 5 will be availablein Ristretto Black, Blossom White andCoffee Cherry Red. The company isintroducing three different ENA models.Suggested Retail Prices: $899 - $1,199

Capresso [tel] 800-767-3554, 201-767-3999[fax] [email protected] #134

BLOMUS FLEX TRIVET

With the innovative KNIK, FLEX and LAPtrivets from Blomus so much morebecomes manageable and easier. In thisdesign for the kitchen. FLEX is a flexibletrivet. This flexible rod can be bent in anydirection as far as is required, shaped intoa spiral or question mark. In any way youneed to use FLEX can be used for large

or small saucepans, plates, platters andmuch more. The FLEX trivet is coated insilicon, making it easy to grip. You caneven use FLEX to unscrew a lid in a flash.

Blomus - SKS USA Corporation[tel] 618-395-2400[fax] 618-395-2900www.blomus.comCircle #133


FUSION LOVE HANDLES

Everybody needs a little extra to hold onto™ especially when handlinghot pots and pans in the kitchen. TheLovehandle is the most versatilesilicone kitchen grip around and the only grip with a Built-In Utensil Rest.The flexible handle grip fits a variety of pan handles, pot lids and pans.The split-design allows you to quickly and easily snap theLovehandle™on and off in those hot situations. Compress the grip over your pot orpan handles and theLovehandle™ will conform for a sure cool gripevery time. Available in red and black.Suggested Retail Price: $8.99

Fusionbrands[tel] 404-523-0675[email] anna@fusionbrands.comwww.thefoodloop.comwww.fusionbrands.comCircle #136

NORPRO’S GRIPPING FLEXIBLE CUTTING MATS

Norpro’s Gripping Flexible Cutting Mats come in 4 brightcolors that are lightweight, flexible,and easy to use on anysurface. To reduce risk of cross-contamination use a differ-ent color mat for each food group. The mats are nonporous, won’t retain odors or dull knives, and havea non-slip backing keeps them in place. Use tocut up meat and chop fresh vegetablesand then use to funnel prepped foodsinto pans and bowls. Protectscountertops, is FDA approvedand is dishwasher safe.

Norpro, Inc.[tel] 425-261-1000[fax] 425-261-1001[email] [email protected] #182


RSVP’S NEW STONEWARE COMPOST PAILS

Compost collection couldn't be any nicer than with these 2-3/4qt. stoneware compost pails from RSVP. Dual charcoal filters fitneatly inside the lid and last up to 2 months under regular use.The snug fitting lid has anadded gasket to keep odorsin and the large handlemakes it easy to carry thepail to the compost bin.These are greens new “BFF”.Suggested Retail Price: $36

RSVP International, Inc.[tel] 800-275-7787[fax] [email protected]#183


UK's Autumn Fair returns September 7-10,2008 to Birmingham, England's NationalExhibition Center offering NorthAmerican and other international retailersan opportunity to preview exclusive prod-uct launches for 2009 from more than 2,000exhibiting companies. With the U.S. dollarat a record low, Autumn Fair also providestremendous opportunities for leading NorthAmerican companies to export to the UK.

“Autumn Fair is perfectly timed for U.S.companies looking to expand into Europeand in particular the UK,” said Adam Ash,president of White Hound Advertisingand North American Agent for showorganizers Emap TPS. “For the first timein more than 30 years, the pound is worthmore than $2 making American goods

dollar that it is less prohibitive forEuropean customers to buy from us.”

Networking with other UK exhibitors anddistributors at other trade events convincedfootwear manufacturer OKA b. to exhibitat Autumn Fair. “Autumn Fair came highlyrecommended from many of the UKdistributors we've spoken with. The cost toexhibit is reasonable based on the ROI weanticipate from the show through leads andnew business,” says Melissa Evans, market-ing coordinator, OKA b. “We are convincedthat Autumn Fair will prove beneficial forour brand and our UK distribution.”

International visitors may also take advan-tage of the new Autumn Fair buyers club.The Seasons Club is a new initiative that

Weak Dollar, International Growth Opportunities AttractLeading North American Companies to UK's Autumn Fair

and services more competitive in foreignmarkets, which is encouraging moreAmerican manufacturers to send moregoods overseas. And for distributors,Autumn Fair offers the opportunity tobring unique products back to the US thathave not yet found a market here.”

San Francisco, California-based CavalliniPapers & Co. Inc., producers of Italianstationery and paper products says theirdecision to exhibit at Autumn Fair wasbased on the company's tremendous successat other international trade events. “OurUK and German customer base is verystrong so we thought this was a good timeto branch out,” said Mindy Carpenter,creative director, Cavallini Papers & Co.“Plus the Euro is so strong against the

WHITE PLAINS, NY, GLM®, a dmg worldmedia business, has announced the promotionof Anita Schachter to vice president, CanadianGift Shows, effective immediately.

In this role, Schachter is responsible for allaspects - including sales, marketing,management and operations - of the semi-annual Alberta Gift Show, Montreal GiftShow and Vancouver Gift Show. She willreport directly to Dorothy Belshaw, seniorvice president, GLM.

“Anita's in-depth knowledge of theCanadian gift market, combined with herleadership skills and tradeshow expertise,make her a natural fit for this role,”commented Belshaw. “Under her guidance,

GLM Promotes Schachter to Vice President, Canadian Gift Shows

the gift shows will continue to prosper andserve the evolving needs of Canadian-basedretailers, distributors and wholesalers.”

Schachter joined dmg world media in1998, and has held various sales andmanagement roles during her tenure. Mostrecently, she served as group manager,Eastern Gift Shows, with direct responsi-bility for the Montreal Gift Show andToronto International Gift Fair. Prior tojoining dmg world media, she managedindustrial trade shows and conferences forKerrwil Publications.

Schachter was a member of the Board ofDirectors of the Canadian Association ofExposition Management (CAEM) for nine

t o m a r k e tnext ‘power tool’ for us to connect to buyers,” saidexhibitor Sunny Lim of The Homeport. Limexplained that he received leads from potentialoverseas and domestic buyers in advance of theshow. “We definitely made the right decisionin being part of this program,” said Lim.

“We are very pleased with the results of theOnline Catalog Gallery,” added exhibitor TomZimmerman of Two's Company, Inc. “Best ofall is that we can tell exactly what each prospec-tive customer was looking for when they wereinspired to contact us.”

The Online Catalog Gallery used the ActiveMerchandiser™ technology from Whereoware,which enabled individual exhibitors to quicklyand easily load their own catalogs directly tothe NYIGF website. Exhibitors could changeor update their information in real-time makingthe Online Catalog Gallery keeping informa-tion up-to-date.

to information about some 50,000+ productsthat were featured at the August show. Byusing a keyword search, retailers found infor-mation specific to their needs and interests.

“The Online Catalog Gallery creates tremen-dous efficiencies for buyers and exhibitors,” saidDorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director. “Buyerscan source product, set appointments andarrive prepared to place orders. Exhibitorsgain valuable exposure before and after the Fair,extending the value of their participation andgenerating immediate and measurable results.”

Response to the online planning tool was posi-tive from both buyers and exhibitors, accordingto GLM. “The Online Catalog Gallery is the

WHITE PLAINS, NY,Taking advantage ofa sophisticated new Internet planning tool,more than 2,500 qualified leads were gener-ated from the New York International GiftFair® (NYIGF®) Online Catalog Gallery inadvance of the Summer 2008 market. Sincegoing live in April 2008, this new feature,which is available through the NYIGF websiteat www.nyigf.com/catalog, received more than1.5 million catalog page views.

Designed to save considerable product sourc-ing time, the Online Catalog Gallery enabledbuyers to view product assortments prior toattending the market. A total of 138 exhibitorsloaded their product catalogs into NYIGF'sOnline Catalog Gallery, offering retailers access

NYIGF’s New Online Catalog GalleryBenefitted Buyers and Exhibitors

allows Fair exhibitors to nominate theirmost important customers to be eligible totake advantage of exclusive on-site oppor-tunities and benefits while they are at theshow. Amenities include: Access to theSeason's Club Lounge featuring a bar, cafe,cloakroom and wireless internet; opportu-nities to socialize and network with otherbuyers, discounts at select bars, restaurantsand attractions in Birmingham; and fasttrack entry to the show upon arrival.

Additional Autumn Fair promotionsinclude: Ethical Brands - an initiative spot-lighting companies selling accredited greenor responsibly traded products; AutumnFair Exclusives - an initiative highlightinginnovative new product ranges; andCreative Britain, which puts the spotlighton high-quality, British-designed products.Exhibitors participating in these categorieswill feature a corresponding logo on theirstand throughout the show.

Autumn Fair is conveniently divided intotwo core selling zones: Living and Giving,for optimum buying expediency. Withinthe two buying zones, the Autumn Fairlayout will contain the familiar productcategories: Kitchen and Dining, HomeInteriors, Toys, Design-led Gifts,Greetings & Stationery, Jewelry &Fashion Accessories, Gifts and Volume.

Attendees will also be able to attend freeseminars and networking events, as well asexplore trend resources. Show hours forAutumn Fair 2008 will be from 9 a.m. - 6p.m. on Sunday, September 7 throughTuesday, September 9 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.on Wednesday, September 10. Volumehalls open on Saturday, September 6 from10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For attendees, pre-registration is free to alloverseas visitors. To pre-register, visit thewebsite www.autumnfair.com or call AdamAsh: 609-921-0222; fax: 609-921-0292 ore-mail: [email protected].

years, and served as the Association'spresident, from 2003-2005. She was namedCAEM Member of the Year, in 2000.Schachter is a graduate of York University,and currently resides in Mississauga, Ontario.

The Alberta Gift Show will took placeAugust 17-20, 2008, at the NorthlandsAgricom, Sportex and Rexall PlaceColiseum, Alberta. The Montreal GiftShow took place August 24-27, 2008,at the Place Bonaventure, Montreal,Quebec. The next edition of theVancouver Gift Show will take placeSeptember 7-9, 2008, at the BC PlaceStadium, Vancouver, BC. Additionalinformation is available online atwww.canadiangiftshows.com.

In addition to the Online Catalog Gallery,nyigf.com also offered a powerful DirectorySearch feature, which allowed users to searchfor exhibitors by company name, product cate-gory, keyword or NYIGF division. Thisadvanced planning tool was helpful to buyerswishing to pre-plan a shopping strategy whichallowed them to maximize their time at market.

The Summer 2008 market took place onAugust 16-21, at New York City's Jacob K.Javits Center, Metropolitan Pavilion andPassenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94.NYIGF is held concurrently withEXTRACTS® at the Javits Center and HomeTextiles Market Week® at NYIGF (at theJavits Center Metropolitan Pavilion and Piers92 & 94), 230 Fifth Avenue and 7 West 34thStreet). The next NYIGF show will take placeJanuary 24 - 29, 2009 (Saturday - Thursday).

Measurement


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SWISSMAR’S NUSCÜP IN 3 SIZES

The original, award-winning Nuscüp measuring tool, manufactured by Dalla Piazza ofSwitzerland, is now available in three sizes – designed to handle any kitchen task! TheNuscüp adjustable measuring tool for the home cook measures both liquid anddry ingredients. The Nuscüp Mini, the second addition to the line, is ableto accommodate smaller measurements with the same versatility asits forerunner, while maintaining the same durability that’sexpected from the original.

The most recent addition to the Nuscüp family isthe Nuscüp Spice. This brand new size is smallerthan the Nuscüp Mini and is perfect for fittinginto a variety of herb and spice jars, andincludes all of the same great features ofthe Nuscüp and the Nuscüp Mini.Suggested Retail Price: $10-$19

Swissmar Inc.[tel] 800-387-5707[fax] 905-764-1123www.swissmar.comCircle #137

IMUSA’s MEASURING SPOON SET

As part of its expanding line of gadgets, IMUSA is expandingits lines of kitchen tools with the introduction of a new 6pcpiece measuring spoon set. Made of durable, dishwasher safeplastic, the set is available in blue (with other colors availableby special request).Suggested Retail Price: $2.50

IMUSA[tel] 305-640-3000[email] [email protected] #138

TYPHOON PLUS THERMOMETERSTyphoon Plus, Inc. introduces new kitchen essentials with a bit of a twist by way ofcolorful dial faces and new packaging.You cannot always rely on the accu-racy of the built in fridge thermostats, and it is essential to make sure thatthe refrigerator, and food inside it, remains at the correct temperature.Typhoon’s new Refrigerator Thermometer is just perfect for the job;made of stainless steel with a blue color dial face, it features a handyhook for hanging on interior racks or a nifty little stand for fridges withglass shelving. Similar in design to the Refrigerator Thermometer,butdifferentiated by a striking red diall face, Typhoon’s new OvenThermometer makes sure that the interior oven heat remains consis-tent and accurate.All oven temperatures vary so an oven thermome-ter is a must when the temperature has to be just right. It alsofeatures a hook for hanging from an oven rack. They are supplied ina counter display unit containing 6 pieces.Suggested Retail Price: $8

Typhoon Plus, Inc.[tel] 415-884-9060[fax] [email protected] #139

TOOLS

13

CUISIPRO FAT SEPARATOR

A new fat separator from Cuisipro makes healthy gravies,stocks and soups by separating out more fat from meatjuices then other fat separators do. The secret to theCuisipro Deluxe Fat Separator is a plug that blocks thespout preventing fatty liquids from splashing into it andleaving a fatty residue. The plug, attached to the lid,snugly blocks the hole at the base of the gravy spout whenthe lid is closed. The spout remains empty and plugsecurely in place until the fat and meat juice have sepa-rated and the lid unsnapped.

The measuring cup is also oversized, 4-cup capacity, andfeatures easy to read measurements.The cup features a largehandle that is easy to grip and comfortable to hold when pour-ing and a large spout that is particularly useful for pouring largebatches of gravy or stock. The Cuisipro Deluxe Fat Separatoris dishwasher safe and backed by a 25-year warranty.Suggested Retail Price: $15

Cuisipro[tel] 302-326-4802[email] [email protected] #140

ZAK DESIGNSKITCHEN PREP TOOLS

Zak Designs is expanding itsoffering of kitchen prep prod-ucts and increasing the coloroptions that retailers can pres-ent to their customers. As partof that mission,Zak is launchingtwo new sizes and colors ofColorways Batter Bowls alongwith a wide selection of kitchenprep products that coordinate.All the Colorways products areall made from heavyweight,100% melamine that’s durableenough to stand up to what-ever cooks can dish and prac-tical enough to use in everydaybaking. And with the coloroptions that are available,consumers can pick the prod-ucts they want in the colorsthat will create an individual-ized statement in their kitchens.

Zak Designs[tel] 800-331-1089[fax] 509-244-0704[email] [email protected] #141

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TERRAILLON SUB SCALE

Terraillon introduces a super fun kitchen scale. With a weight capac-ity of 6.6 lbs., the “Sub” weighs in fine increments of 1/8 ounces. Itboasts full features such as dry/liquid measure and automatic zero(tare) as well as unit weighing conversion (pounds/ounces and kilo-grams/grams). It’s fun design features a handle for easy storage andcomes in three upbeat colors. It uses 2 x lithium batteries and comeswith a 10 year warranty.Suggested Retail Price: $30

Terraillon[tel] 919-573-6039customerserviceusa@terralllon.comwww.terraillon.comCircle #145


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ROSLE’S NEW DIGITAL THERMOMETER

Rosle presents a universal digital thermometer formeasuring temperatures in solid foods and liquids ina matter of seconds with a high degree of accuracy.The 5-inch sleek thermometer inserts into solid foodssuch as meats and poultry, liquids such as tea, milkor frying oil,or in soft foods such as baby food,meltedchocolate or custard. The thermometer displaystemperatures in both Fahrenheit and Celsius fromtemperatures as low as - 40º F up to 392º F.Suggested Retail Price: $40

Rosle[tel] 302-326-4801[email] [email protected] #142

TAYLOR’S PROGRAMMABLE THERMOMETER

Taylor’s Programmable Thermometer is equipped with 2 Probes and2 Timers. You can cook two different meats or dishes at the sametime. This programmable device also includes common presets.The unit beeps when food is in the range of the target tempera-ture. It features a temperature range of 16° F to 302° F.

Tayor Precision Products[tel] 630-954-1250[fax] 630-954-1275[email] [email protected] #143

POLDER’S OPUS TRIPLE TIMER & CLOCK

Polder’s Opus Triple Timer & Clock has abrushed stainless steel button dial that willlook stylish in any setting. The timer givesyou a choice of three sound-alert alarmsincluding church bells, songbird or rooster.The timer displays a 24 hour clock whennot in timer mode. The timer is designedwith a perfect angle for tabletop reading.Batteries are included.Suggested Retail Price: $24.99

Polder Inc.[tel] 914-937-8200, 800-431-2133[fax] 914-937-8297www.polder.comCircle #144

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THERMOMETER (continued from cover)industry, but none of us were too excitedabout sitting around and discussing tech-nology with our competitors.”

While they may not have had a meeting ofthe minds on manufacturing, they did geta wake-up call about how few consumersactually use a thermometer to test doneness– about 15to 20% according to USDA.Chapman recalls a meeting down inWashington where USDA brought in someexperts to talk about cooking temperatures.He said, “They brought in some peoplewith PHD's in food safety to prove to usthat color and temperature were notrelated.” According to Chapman they reallydemonstrated the point about color havingnothing to do with doneness. USDA alsotossed around some astounding numbersregarding food poisonings. Chapmanwalked away a believer.

Training the consumer to check fordoneness with a thermometer hasbecome even more important in today’smarket. Chapman pointed out, “Twentyor thirty years ago local stores did thereown butchering - now it ’s massprocessed. One little bit of E. coli cancontaminate hundreds of thousands ofpounds of meat.”

Manufacturers of thermometers tookthese USDA warnings to heart. WhileUSDA focused on consumer education,manufacturers concentrated on technol-ogy. The industry wanted to make ther-mometers easier to use. The theorybeing that the easier a thermometeris to use, the more likely consumers areto use them.

Speed is one of the ways that the indus-try has made thermometers easier to use.At Maverick they’ve also developed whatChapman calls the “anticipation” ther-mometer. Through a series of loga-rithms, the thermometer can actuallypredict when meat or poultry will reachthe proper temperature based on thecharacteristics of your oven and thechange in temperature of what’s beingcooked. Imagine knowing that theThanksgiving turkey will finish in 1.5hours rather than two hours.

Murtagh has been in some of these samemeetings and has a similar agenda - help-ing protect us from contaminated food. AtCDN they are also focusing on the use ofthermometers to save energy. They havea new selling opportunity for retailers thatinvolves publicizing refrigerator ther-mometers for saving energy. Accordingto Murtagh, refrigerators are the singlebiggest energy user in most homes, so asmall investment in a refrigerator/freezerthermometer is good investment.

“Our experience is that whenever high energycosts become an issue for consumers, our salesof our refrigerator/freezer thermometersincrease. Everyone should have two, one intheir refrigerator and one in their freezer, tohelp them conserve energy by maintaining theoptimal temperature,” said Murtagh. CDNoffers seven models of refrigerator/freezerthermometers and alarms, with suggestedretail prices ranging from $2.99 to $17.49.CDN is promoting them with consumeroutreach and on its website, where refrigera-tor thermometers are included in its Time andTemperature Essentials List for food safetyand energy savings.

This list is a must-read for any retailer.Tips include everything from the warn-ing about not using color as an indica-tor of doneness to tips on how to placethe thermometer in the food to get thecorrect reading. In these tips, Murtaghpoints out that your refrigerator shouldbe 40°F/-15°C or below for safe foodstorage and that perishable food, whetherhomemade or take-out, should never beleft out of the refrigerator or freezer formore than 2 hours. In hot weather –above 90°F/32°C – return items to therefrigerator after one hour. “When indoubt, throw it out.”

Chapman added, “Basically people arenot aware that refrigerators fluctuateconstantly in temperature – openingthe fridge constantly can increase thetemperature 5º which can take a weekoff the life of food.”

If food safety isn’t enough of a reason tobuy a good thermometer, perhaps ouregos will get us interested. If you wantthat delicate dish to turn out perfectly,you’ve got to know the actual tempera-ture of your oven, not just what thesetting indicates. Chapman is amazedwhen people don’t check their oventemperatures with an oven thermometer.“Most people don’t understand that theiroven fluctuates 25º plus or minus.Thermostats in most ovens are calibratedto the low end of the scale, he said. “Theoven cuts off at the set temperature anddoesn’t come back on until the temper-ature drops by 15º-20º.”

If the USDA is working on educationand the manufacturers are working on

technology, what role does the retailerplay? Chapman’s hoping the retailer canpull it all together for the consumer. Ifthe retailer can talk about the impor-tance of a thermometer and demonstratehow to use the thermometers in differ-ent situations, they will be providing atrue public service. Chapman’s hopingthey can do a little cross merchandisingof thermometers with grilling andseasoning displays, too.

Have you seen an increase in demand forkitchen timers? In terms of units sold/projectedfor 2008 vs. 2007 we have seen an uptick indemand. However we added a entire second lineof kitchen timers (the new Klip! Kitchen series)at a price point that doesn't directly cannibalizefrom our high-end Quad-Timer line, so it's likelythat this is equally the cause.

Is the demand influenced by the emphasis onfood safety? In the case of our product lines,which are designed for use with the stove/oven, Iwould say no. I have seen some new products inrecent years designed to track the age of itemsstored in the fridge. I don't think eating spoiledyogurt will hurt you but it certainly can't help -so in that sense, food safety might drive demandfor those products.

How does a kitchen timer differ from othertimers - what types of features should a cooklook for in a timer? Interesting question. Thefeature that jumps to mind immediately is one thatwe call "batch". This is a very simple quick-recallfunction - particularly useful for repeated timingtasks such as baking cookies. Multiple timers isanother feature that's useful for cooking. Our

Manufacturers Add Features to TimersQuad-Timer product was designed for moresophisticated home chefs who may have 2 ormore items going on the stove at one time.Specific to that product are the "stovetop burnerindicators" which are very kitchen-specific innature. Finally, I think the feature desire thatwe heard about the most last year was porta-bility. Indoors or out, our customer wanted tobe able to leave the room and have a conven-ient means by which to take the timer withthem. This is the key selling point of our newKlip! line which features both a belt/apron clipand a detachable lanyard for this purpose.

Your new Klip timer has a graphic indicatoras well as a digital indicator – what gave youthe idea for this feature? This feature wasinspiration for the Kids Klip! Teaching &Time-Out model of that timer which we dofor the specialty toy market but is equally usefulfor adults. Believe it or not, a three year-oldfinds the bar graphics on the product engag-ing enough that it helps them to get throughtheir "time-outs" with fewer complaints. Froma kitchen timer perspective it seemed an obvi-ous benefit that we could incorporate withoutraising the cost of the product to the consumer.

We caught up with

Adam Hocherman

from American

Innovative to learn

about state-of-the-

art timers. Here’s

what he had to say

about the demand

for timers and the

features that make

a cook’s life easier.



CROCK-POT® ELUME™ PROGRAMMABLE SLOW COOKER

The Crock-Pot® brand introduces the new Crock-Pot® eLume™ Programmable Slow Cookerwith a modern design featuring new touch screen user interface, polished stainless steel exte-rior and stylish metal handles with a silicone wrap. The seamless design is free of knobs, cracksand grooves making it easy for you to wipe away dripping sauces. The removable dishwasher-safe stoneware and lid make clean-up a breeze.

This Crock-Pot® slow cooker conveniently prepares homemade meals with a single touch. Simplytouch and go! This 6.5 quart oval slow cooker features a countdown control panel and an auto-shift to warm function that displays the amount of time the unit is kept on the KEEP WARM func-tion for up to 4 hours. Also included with each unit is the Crock-Pot® slow cooker cookbookwith over 80 recipes.Suggested Retail Price: $99.50

Jarden Consumer Solutions[tel] 800-323-9519www.crock-pot.comCircle #147

RESTON LLOYD CREATES DEDICATED PREPCO™ WEBSITE

Reston Lloyd created a dedicated PrepCo™ Brand Website: www.prep-co.com. PrepCo™is a new Housewares brand whose focus is to offer ‘prod-ucts with features’; each product is designed to give the consumer excellencein design, functionality and quality.

The new website introduces the brand as well as the products currently avail-able to consumers in North America. Visitors to the site also find 6 deliciousrecipes which can be prepared with PrepCo’s Bake Porter™ line. In the prod-uct section visitors can find information on all available items as well as use andcare instructions.PrepCo’s Bake Porter™ line was a finalist in the cookware cate-gory for the Gourmet Golds Awards at the 2008 Gourmet Show. Judged by apanel of trade and consumer press, the Gourmet Golds highlight the show’sbest products in different categories including Cookware and Bakeware.

Reston Lloyd[tel] 703-437-0003 www.prep-co.comCircle #148

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Circle #103

ONE TOUCH AUTOMATICVEGETABLE SLICER

One Touch Products designs,develops and markets a newcategory of small kitchenappliances that operate witha touch of a button. The auto-matic Vegetable Slicer is greatfor slicing onions, carrots,zucchini and more.The hiddensafety switch activates onlywhen the plunger is in place.The slicer offers a variety ofmandoline style slices. Theblade comes in its own inter-changeable safety cassette.

One Touch Products[tel] 852-27563862[email] [email protected] #151

SMITH’S CERAMIC PULL THROUGH KNIFE SHARPENER

Smith’s, introduces the Santoku/Straight Edge Ceramic Pull-Thru Knife Sharpener The new combinationSantoku/Straight Edge Ceramic Pull-Thru Knife Sharpener features pre-set crossed ceramic rods thatprovide the perfect angle every time for edge maintenance and a razor-sharp finish.The white ceramicrods provide the proper sharpening angle for popular Santoku/Asian edge knives and the brownceramic rods for all straight edge knives. This functional design incorporates an ergonomic soft grip handlefor comfort and control and non-slip rubber base for safety.

Smith’s®[tel] 800-221-4156[email [email protected] #149

FAGOR’S 3-IN-1 ELECTRICMULTI-COOKER

The New Fagor 3-in-1 ElectricMulti-Cooker offers maximumversatility. The 6 quart ElectricMulti-Cooker is a pressurecooker, slow cooker and ricecooker all in one providingmaximum convenience ofone-pot meals. Fagor's ElectricMulti-Cooker has a warm andbrown function for truly one-pot-cooking. A self locking lid& automatic pressure releasesystem make this cooker easy-to-use. The removable, non-stick cooking pot is dishwashersafe. A delay timer addsconvenience.Suggested Retail Price: $119.99

Fagor[tel] 800-207-0806[fax] 201-804-9898[email] [email protected] #150

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Circle #121

LODGE ADDS EMERALD GREEN TO LODGE COLOR LINE

Lodge introduces gradated Emerald Greento the Lodge Color: Porcelain Enamel onCast Iron line. Moderately priced LodgeColor originally hit the market in the Springof 2007. The line includes a 6 quart Dutchoven, 3 quart Dutch oven, 3 quartCasserole,11 inch Skillet,4.25 quart,and a 17x 10-5/16 inch roaster.

Imported from China, Lodge Color alsofeatures three other gradated colors – red(Island Spice), brown (Café), and blue(Caribbean). Additionally, the base of theDutch ovens and Casseroles have loopedhandles for ease of use on the stove top, orplacing the cookware in the oven.

Lodge Manufacturing[tel] 423-837-7181[fax] 423-837-8279[email] [email protected] #153

CADCO’S MOBILE BUFFET WARMING CARTS

Roll your entire buffet right into the diningroom,onto the patio,porch,etc. The top shelfkeeps your foods piping hot for hours, whilethe lower 2 shelves give you plenty of storagespace. Variable heat control (155 - 205degrees F) and 1 on/off switch make thesewarming carts practical and easy-to-use.The pans, lids,and pan frame(s) are includedwith buffet cart. The cart has 4 casters - 2 withbrakes & 2 without brakes. The carts areshipped assembled with the exception tothe casters/wheels.

Cadco, LTD/BroilKing[tel] 860-738-2500[fax] 860-738-9772[email] [email protected] #154

VIETRI’S PALATINA

Vietri’s design team searched countless “European fabric houses” to find thedamask pattern handpainted on the Palatina collection.To create Palatina’sgolden rim, artisans combine flecks of gold leaf with glaze and handpaintthe edge of each piece, firing three times to ensure the collections beautyfor years. Made of terra bianca, the pieces are handpainted in Umbria.Handwash only.

Vietri[tel] 800-277-5933[fax] 212-679-8050www.vietri.comCircle#152



AMERICAN METALCRAFT’SENDURANCE™ MELAMINE COLLECTION

American Metalcraft added 21 new pieces to its Endurance™ Melamine Collection offeringsfor 2008. Lighter weight and more economically priced than porcelain or ceramic, EnduranceMelamine is proving its value with long-lasting performance in everyday operation. There are13 bowls in various designs including wide rimmed round and square. The wide rimmed roundbowls fit into American Metalcraft's 3-tiered Ironworks wrought iron stand for an attractive display.Straight edged square bowls, in 4 different sizes, complement the most popular of the newmelamine products - 4 slanted round bowls. The capacities of the Endurance Melamine Bowlsrange from 11 oz. to 230 oz. In the platter category,American Metalcraft offers 14 different stylesincluding wide-rimmed rectangular (the largest of which fits American Metalcraft's 2-tieredIronworks stand), contemporary-styled square and rectangular, wide rimmed oval, funkywavy/textured styles, and a simulated black granite look in a triangular or rectangular design.

American Metalcraft[tel] 800-333-9133[email] [email protected] #156

KYOCERA’S FK REVOLUTION SERIES PARING KNIFE

The FK Revolution series is another line of exceptional ceramic knives from KyoceraAdvanced Ceramics.A lower price point and more knuckle clearance are key featuresof this distinctive line. Comfortable ergonomic handles provide precise control. Offeredin 5 new colors, these sleek, ultra-sharp knives are designed to complement – notcompete – with traditional cutlery. The Revolution series is designed for slicing fruits,vegetables and boneless meats.

The Zirconium oxide blades stay razor sharp at least 10 times longer than traditional cutlery,making them ideal for everyday use. No home maintenance is needed. When kniveseventually do need sharpening, it is complimentary; customers pay only shipping &handling ($10 for up to two knives). Availabie in: White blade with blue, green, yellow,orange, red and black handle or black blade with black handle.Suggested Retail Price: $29.95

Kyocera[tel] 800-537-0294[fax] 714-428-3605[email] [email protected] #155

ACCOUTREMENTS ROADHOUSE CAFE PLATES

Even grandma’s liver, onion and brussel sprouts casserole willlook good on one of these Roadhouse Cafe Plates. Each set oftwo 8” melamine plates is decorated with the logo of a classicrestaurant from the 30’s or 40’s. Plates are sold in sets of two andpackaged in illustrated window boxes.Suggested Retail Price: $13

Accoutrements[tel] 425-349-3838[fax] 425-349-5188[email] [email protected] #158


Circle #124

MICHIGAN MAPLE BLOCK HOLIDAY GIFT SET

Michigan Maple Block Company (MMB) has partnered with Lamson &Goodnow to produce the gourmet enthusiasts’ favorite gift set – theEmmet’s Epicurean Cutting Essentials Kit. The kit, which invites home culi-narians to “Prep Like a Pro”, includes a professional grade edge-grainWood Welded solid maple butcher block cutting board, a bottle ofEmmet’s Elixir Hardwood Cutting Board Conditioner (the only NSF-certi-fied, anti-microbial conditioner on the market), and a LamsonSharp 7”Santoku knife with a Rosewood handle.Suggested Retail Price: $99 including gift boxing and domestic shipping

Michigan Maple Block[tel] 800-678-8459[email] [email protected] #159

ABBIAMO TUTTO’S POMPEII COLLECTION

Abbiamo tutto has created a new collection,Pompeii.Unveiled at the August NY International GiftFair, the new collection was developed with theNational Gallery of Art to commemorate the exhibi-tion, Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culturearound the Bay of Naples. Pompeii and the RomanVilla presents some 150 works of sculpture, painting,mosaic, and luxury arts, including recent discoverieson view in the United States for the first time and cele-brated finds from earlier excavations. The design forthese ceramics—which were entirely produced inItaly—was inspired by an ornamental lithographicfound in a nineteenth-century rare book.The collec-tion includes a letter holder,pen/desk tray,wine bottlecoaster and cork, mug and rewritable memoboard/cutting board. The collection will be sold onlythrough Abbiamo tutto retail customers.

Abbiamo Tutto[tel] 866-714-9161www.E-Abbiamotutto.comCircle #157

J.K. ADAMS’ WINE & DINE PLATES IN CHERRY

These larger sized wine and dine plates are designed to hold astemware glass and an ample amount of appetizers at one time.Made from beautiful, solid,Vermont Cherry, these lovely plates areelegant party plates to use and give as hostess gifts. The 9-inch x5.5-inch rectangular plate and the 8-inch x 6-inch oval platesfeature a carefully sculpted slot to cradle wine glasses so partyguests can hold and carry a sampling of hors d’oeuvres and a wineglass in one hand.Suggested Retail Price: $10.50

J.K. Adams[tel] 800 451-6118 [fax] 802 362-5472www.jkadams.comCircle #161

ROSLE’S EGG SLICER

A good egg slicer cuts boiled eggs without smushing them. A great egg slicer does the joband is attractive enough to place on the table.This new egg slicer from RÖSLE does both.

This sleek egg slicer is 3-inches tall x 4-inches wide and is made of stainless steel andPOM.The egg slicer features cutting wires that are positioned at alternating levels sothey turn out neat egg slices that don’t fall apart. Eggs can be placed in the holderto be cut lengthwise or widthwise. The egg slicer handles other foods of similar consis-tency such as Mozzarella Cheese for the perfect tomato, mozzarella and basil salad.Suggested Retail Price: $30

Rosle[tel] 302-326-4801[email] [email protected] #160



INTERNET (continued from cover)As the store’s second owner since itsestablishment in 2002, Allen took overoperations June 2007, adding a variety ofnewness such as a full time chef, cook-ing classes, dinner parties and a GourmetTo Go section with prepared food. Thewebsite is also undergoing a redesign,but will continue to offer shopping onlinefor products. Allen also sends out a dailyemail to almost 2,000 subscribers, listingupcoming events, cooking classes andproduct information.

“We utilize the website for many things, butthe main thing that’s brought much success,is just letting people know what we sell,”she said. “It’s been a research tool for thecompany, but also a great advertisement.”

Allen admitted the Internet can hinderbusinesses in some ways, but its presencehasn’t affected Columbus Cooks. Saleshave gone up, with the company websitealone bringing in almost 20 percent of thestore’s revenue. “The Internet is going tobe the way of the world for shopping,”said Allen. “It’s been a big success.”

Continuing to shine bright in the retailindustry, online retail sales will increase17 percent this year to $204 billion,according to The State of RetailingOnline 2008, the 11th annual Shop.orgstudy conducted by Forrester Research,Inc. “From higher shipping costs tochanges in consumer shopping habits,online retailers are not immune to thecurrent economic climate,” said Scott

Silverman, executive director of Shop.org,in a prepared statement. “But the factthat online sales will increase substan-tially this year demonstrates the resilienceof the channel and is a testament to thevalue and convenience most customersfind when shopping online.”

Though the internet’s presence forColumbus Cooks has been a positive rein-forcement for the company’s growth insales online and in the store, the same is nottrue for Phoenix-based Kitchen Classics.

Up and running for 13 years, KitchenClassics’ website offers customers theability to shop and purchase items onlinefrom the convenience of their homes aswell. Avid cooks can also register forcooking classes through the site.

Kitchen Classic’s owner, ShaunaHalawith, explained, “A lot morepurchases are made in the store, insteadof online. Cooking class registration onthe site has gone up, but not sales ofitems. We get an order or two a dayonline, but we used to get 20-30 a day.”With the decline in online sales,Halawith said at some point online shop-ping will no longer be available on thewebsite. However, cooking class informa-tion and registration on the site has beena “big boom” for the business.

Though utilizing the Internet for shoppinghas not been a successful revenue tool forHalawith’s store, oth ers view it as a simpleexploring method for consumers.

“People will do more of their investigat-ing online,” said Dave West, chef andowner of Florida-based Rolling PinKitchen Emporium. “There’s a hugeamount of people that love to touch andfeel things, they want to buy it from aplace where they can take it back to, thatthere’s a human connected to it.”

West ’s website does not offer onlineshopping, but he has noticed hisexpanded customer market with the sitespresence alone, which has directlyboosted in-store sales. The site includesinformation on featured cooking classesand events, a monthly, interactive calen-dar and recipes.

“Our objective is to be the community’sresource,” he said.

As Iowa-based Kitchen Hearth’s thirdowner, Kelly Bandstra agrees that even ifcustomers aren’t shopping online, “it’s agreat base for investigation.” Bandstra’swebsite went live in June, and in the shorttime it has been up, she feels as though saleswill not increase without giving customersthe ability to shop online.

“Ordering online is a goal of ours andthat would be a huge asset for people notonly in the community, but to thosefarther away,” she said. “I have productsthat people need, and I just want toshowcase that on my website.”

Up for three years, Texas-based Faraday’sKitchen Store’s website has brought more

in-store sales. “If you have no Web pres-ence, then you are losing a largeconsumer base even if you only serve asingle community,” said Tony Curtis-Wellings of Faraday’s. “Just having awebsite to tell people what you do, selland/or provide can be enough informa-tion to get people to come to your store.”

Welling’s does, however, have a projectedplan of offering customers online shop-ping and cooking class registration forspring 2009 to push sales even higher.

While specialty food and kitchenwareretailers may have different approachesto internet sales, just getting informationout to consumers is a solid consensusfor not only these stores, but retailersnationwide.

“The Internet provides information toconsumers, which in turn creates inter-est and that interest turns into income,”said Welling’s.

Karen & Dave West - Rolling Pin Kitchen Emporium


SEPTEMBER 20086-9 Boston Gift Show,

Boston Convention Center,Boston, MA, 800-272-SHOW,

bostongiftshow.com

7-9 Vancouver Gift Show,BC Place Stadium,

Vancouver, British Columbia, 800-633-8332,vancouvergiftshow.com

7-10 UK's Autumn Fair,National Exhibition Center,

Birmingham, England, 609-921-0222www.autumnfair.com

14-16 Fall Gift & Home Furnishings Market,LA Mart,

Los Angeles, CA, 800-LAMART4,lamart.com

OCTOBER 200822-24 New York Tabletop Market,

New York Showrooms,41 Madison, 7 West 34th, 230 Fifith Ave.,

New York, NY, 212-686-1203,7wnewyork.com & 41madison.com

American Innovative ........................12

AmericasMart ....................................2

BIA Cordon Bleu...............................8

Cameron's Professional Cookware ...19

Component Design Northwest ........15

Danesco International ......................24

DMD/Kitrics ...................................14

Down to Earth Distributors.............10

Dydacomp ........................................20

Escali ...............................................15

IMUSA/ The Gaunaurd Group.........5

Kitchen Resource .............................17

Kyocera Advanced Ceramics ..............3

Linden Sweden ................................16

Loofah-art ........................................16

Maverick...........................................14

Metrokane ..........................................9

Michigan Maple Block.......................3

Microthin ...........................................7

Parrish's Cake Dec. ..........................18

Polder Inc ...........................................8

Prodyne ............................................10

PSP-USA ...........................................4

Roscan ..............................................21

SCI Scandicrafts Insert ....................11

Signature Housewares ........................4

Solicut/Triangle ................................23

Starfrit ................................................6

Toastess ............................................22

Tribest.........................................19, 21

c a l e n d a r

ADVERTISER INDEX

Circle #127

EMILE HENRY’S JAPANESE CUP

Inspired by the shape of Asian rice bowls,Emile Henry softened the edges, addedbeautiful glazes and finished if off with thepotter’s stamp on the bottom, TheJapanese Cup makes a sensational state-ment in the bold Mediterranean colors ofazure, cerise, citron and vert or a sophis-ticated, soothing table setting in slate,sand, sky and fique. The Japanese Cup isalso available in the classic fashion colorsof white and black.

The cup is 4-inches in diameter and holds7oz. The cup is modern, elegant, casualand refined and works as a bowl, cup orindividual baking dish. The vessel is sizedright for baking individual cobblers,cakes,puddings and potpies. It is made fromBurgundy clay so it retains heat longer atthe table. It can be placed directly intoa preheated oven or in the microwave sosoups, stews and beverages can beheated directly in the cup.

Emile Henry[tel] 302-326-4800[fax] [email protected] #171

OLD DUTCH’S NEW PORCELAIN TEA SET

Bring good luck to the table with this bright,cheer-ful Porcelain Tea Set from the Unity Collectionby Old Dutch International,Ltd.The rich blackinteriors are a dramatic counterpart to theglossy red exteriors, which are embossedwith the Chinese characters “Shuang Xi”,meaning “Double Happiness”.Often asso-ciated with the New Year, the “double”nature of the symbol also makes it partic-ularly appropriate as a wedding oranniversary gift. The cups feature specialdouble-walled construction, to keep the teahot while the outer surface remains comfort-able to the touch.The iron handled 26 oz. teapotand four cups come handsomely packaged in apresentation box suitable for gift giving.Suggested Retail Price: $55

Old Dutch International, Ltd[tel] 888-826-7737[email] [email protected] #170

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Circle #129

kitchenware news september 2008

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