kitchenware news v16i02

A handful of American companies will taketheir products overseas this month in hopes ofexpanding their market by showcasing at the2010 Ambiente Feb. 12 to 16 in Frankfurt,Germany. From first-timers to seasoned pros,company representatives say they believe theAmbiente trade fair is the best way to reach aninternational market, and detail the productsthey will be showcasing.

Fat Daddios Debuts 200 Items as First Time Ambiente ExhibitorShowing at Ambiente for the first time thisyear, Co-Owner Greg Skipper said Fat Daddioswill be introducing 200 items of pastry tools andequipment to the European market.

“It's the most ambitious introduction we've everdone as a company in over 40 years of manu-facturing,” Skipper said. “But also, in 40 years, I'venever been as excited for a product introduction.”

Fat Daddios has been selling in the NorthAmerican market now for many years, startingoff as a family business in the 1960s, which re-branded in 2002 to become Fat Daddios.

It ’s no mystery that consumers want to “gogreen.” The only question is, ‘what motivatesthem to do so, and how can retailers andmanufacturers respond appropriately?’

Market research firm GfK Custom ResearchNorth America calls it the “age of greenpragmatism,” with Americans moving beyondaltruistic reasons for making eco-friendlychoices, and basing their decisions on practicalmotives such as saving money, improving health,getting a better value and promoting safety.

Many companies within the kitchenware andhousewares industry have recognized changingconsumer attitudes and have either reformulatedtheir existing products or added new lines thataddress this desire.

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

Suppliers TravelGreener Paths

by Joanne Friedrick

VOLUME 16, NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY 2010

Continued on 5

U.S. Companies Think Global byAttending Ambiente

by Kelly Lewis

Continued on Page 18

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

MARKET WATCH:TRADE SHOW UPDATES

SEE PAGE 22

BUYERS’ GUIDE:COFFEE & TEA PRODUCTS

SEE PAGE 8

SPECIAL FEATURE:CERTIFIABLY GREEN

SEE PAGE 11

2 Kitchenware News & Housewares Review • FEBRUARY 2010 www.kitchenwarenews.com

{ n e w p r o d u c t s }CUISINART’S GREENGOURMET ELECTRIC SKILLETCuisinart’s GreenGourmet Electric Skilletis 14 inches in diameter, and just like thecookware line that inspired it, is coatedin exclusive Cuisinart Ceramica, apetroleum-free ceramic-based cookingsurface that contains no PTFE or PFOA.This unique nonstick coating allowshome cooks to sear, fry, griddle, simmerand braise a wide variety of foods withlittle or no oil or butter and is extremelyeasy to clean. It features an adjustabletemperature control dial that rangesfrom warm to 450°F. The electric skilletcomes with a recipe booklet thatcontains more than 30 recipes. TheGreenGourmet Electric Skillet is

JESSIE STEELE’S RESUABLE RETRO CHERRIES TOTEExpanding on its popular aprons andaccessories line, Jessie Steele hasadded reusable tote bags for spring2010. Not just for the grocery store, thecoordinating shopping totes aredesigned with the same Jessie Steelesignature prints found on theirfashionable aprons. Some of the best-selling prints include Cherry Cupcakes,Brown and Pink Dot, Café Toile, RetroCherries and Summer Lemons. Madefrom durable and reinforced canvas,these oversized rectangular totesfeature long shoulder straps and asturdy design and are extremelyversatile. Jessie Steele was founded in2002 by mother-daughter team Helenaand Claire Steele.Suggested Retail Price: $21.95

Jessie Steele[tel] 877-953-7743www.jessiesteele.com

designed with 1800 watts of power, atempered glass lid with stainless steel rimand die-cast stainless steel handles. Theexterior of the pan has a polishedstainless steel finish, and the unit alsohas an indicator light that turns off whenthe desired temperature is reached. Suggested Retail Price: $149

Cuisinart[tel] 203-975-4600www.cuisinart.com

www.kitchenwarenews.com Kitchenware News & Housewares Review • FEBRUARY 2010 3

ON THE COVER

HIGH COUNTRY INDUSTRIESGrillex Indoor Brazilian Barbecue[tel] 208-899-4054www.grillex.com

LINDEN SWEDENDaloplast Anita Board, Spreader and Cover Set[tel] 952-465-0052www.lindensweden.com

ANCHOR HOCKINGAnchor Home Collections 3-piece Wedge Server[tel] 740-687-2500www.anchorhocking.com

BODUM USABodum ICE French Press Coffee Maker[tel] 877-992-6386www.bodumusa.com

EDGEWAREMandoline Slicer[tel] 800-221-4156www.edgewareproducts.com

FULL CIRCLEReach Bottle Brush[tel] 866-259-0727www.fullcirclehome.com

a

a

b

b

c

c

d

d

e

e

f

f

{ s h o r t s }

6 NEWS ON SIX

22 MARKET WATCH

23 GUEST COLUMN

23 CALENDAR

23 AD INDEX

Wilton Armetale Runs Table-Setting Contestproduct and show their creativity usingWilton Armetale,” stated President KenLefever in a prepared release. “There is alarge collector base around the country thatbrings out their collection during theholidays for entertaining. We want tocelebrate and capture these moments.”

Under the contest rules, consumers werefree to set their table in any fashion aslong as they showed at least one item ofWilton Armetale brand products. Thereare no categories or theme restrictions forthe contest. The company encouraged

people to use their imaginations andstretch their creativity. “We don't want tolock people into just a traditional orholiday setting or theme,” said Lefever.“Just like the product, the versatility andability to work well in any theme orenvironment is a major part of the appeal.”

The contest, which ran through Jan. 15,offered the following prizes: $1,000 for first,$500 for second and third prize, $250. Allnon-winning entries were entered in a chanceto win a Wilton Armetale product selectionvalued at $100 or more.

Wilton Armetale, a family-ownedmanufacturing company, launched a table-setting contest to encourage customers tosend in pictures of their best settingfeaturing at least one piece of WiltonArmetale. Wilton Armetale has been inbusiness since 1892 and produces Armetalemetal cookware and serveware.

The company offered cash prizes. Thecontest was conducted through thecompany’s website, with consumers sendingtheir photo in via e-mail. “The spirit of thecontest is to get consumers involved with the

San Francisco International Gift Fair Partners with Non-Profits

inside the convention center lobby. Inreturn, donators received a $5 parking orpublic transportation credit. At the endof the gift fair, exhibitors also donatethousands of dollars in merchandise toUnder One Roof, a retail outlet forAIDS/HIV relief. The donated items aresold at the store’s Castro District location.

“We look forward to building upon the giftfair’s relationship with those two importantnon-profits,” said Doug Miller, president of

Urban Expositions in a prepared statement.“This partnership gives exhibitors andattendees alike the opportunity to actively giveback to the San Francisco community.”

Attendees who were unable to make fooddonations were encouraged to make amonetary donation to the gift fair or use aportion of their parking or transportationrebate as a donation to the food bank.

Urban Expositions, based here, is a producerof gift, souvenir and resort merchandise tradeshows, including gift shows in Philadelphia,Seattle, Boston, Ft. Lauderdale, Galvestonand Orlando. For more information, contactUrban Expositions at www.urban-expo.com.

Urban Expositions, managers of thesemi-annual San Francisco InternationalGift Fair, have established a charitablepartnership program that will benefitthe San Francisco Food Bank and UnderOne Roof.

Attendees at the gift fair, which runsFeb. 6 to 9 at the Moscone ConventionCenter in San Francisco, were asked todonate three non-perishable food items tothe Food Bank via drop offs in barrels

february 2010contents


I would like to extend a warm welcome to Joanne Friedrick, our newmanaging editor, effective with this issue of Kitchenware News &Housewares Review. Joanne and I worked together when she was editor of Gourmet Newsand I was helping launch Kitchenware News a few years back. She has an extensivejournalistic background and is looking forward to hearing from the industry. You’ll getto meet her at the IH+HA show next month. Please join me in welcoming her to theKNHR team.

You will notice a cleaner format on the pages of KNHR in 2010. We’ve tweaked our layoutto make the publication more user-friendly and will be adding more features as weembrace the new year and will continue to strive to bring our readers and advertisers thefreshest product we can.

Our guest column this month is about the green certification process in woodenware byJohn Rodrigues, vice president of J.K. Adams Co., a Vermont-based manufacturer of woodkitchenware products. Our goal with this new feature, introduced in January, is to providea forum to share expertise and knowledge from all segments of our segment of theindustry and to offer an opportunity for other voices to be heard. Please feel free to contactme if you have a burning desire to contribute to this monthly feature.

Advertisers, if you haven’t already booked your space for the all-important March IH+HAshow, there may still be time, so please give me a shout and let’s get those ads booked!Along with what’s new at the show, we’ll be featuring a section on ethnic cookware, trackingnew trends in this important and growing category of cookware, trends in retail and productcolors to be seen at the show, a barbecue accessories buyers’ guide and market watch onoutdoor living products.

Looking forward to seeing you in March!

Karen Taylor, [email protected]

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

Without revealing my age, I’ll tell you that when I was in highschool, I participated in one of the first Earth Day events. Itseemed like such a strange phenomenon back then, talking about recycling andpreserving the earth’s resources.

Today, many (make that many, many) years later, we continue to explore ways in whichto preserve and conserve resources. It ’s good to see that the kitchenware andhousewares industry is front and center in this process. Whether it is manufacturingmethods, materials or packaging, companies are interested in being good stewardsto the earth and are reflecting this in the products they are creating.

Likewise, retailers are doing their part by promoting these green and eco-friendlyproducts, selling reusable bags in their stores and being more conscious of energyuse, waste management and so forth.

That’s not to say that there isn’t room for further developments on the environmentalfront. Like the organic standards that helped weed out false or misleading claims oforganic status, certification for green products will go a long way toward making theclaims companies make about their products truly resonate with retail buyers andconsumers. Too often people want to get on the bandwagon without actually doingthe necessary work, and that’s where certification or standards can set the bar.

Let us all hope that what seemed like a novel and even pie-in-the-sky concept in myyouth will become part of the mainstream in the future. To achieve this, however,companies need to become truly green in deed, not just word. And retailers must offerconsumers the opportunity to purchase these products regularly and at prices thatcan keep them special, but not out of the realm of the everyday shopper.

Joanne Friedrick, Managing [email protected]

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

Periodicals postage paid at Tucson, AZ and additional mail-

ing 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 Oser

Communications Group, 1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ,

85715 (520) 721-1300. Publisher assumes no responsibility

for unsolicited material or prices quoted in newspaper.

Contributors are responsible for proper release of proprietary

classified information. ©2010 by Oser Communications Group.

All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or in part, with-

out written permission of the publisher, is expressly prohib-

ited. Back issues, when available, cost $8 each within the past

12 months. Back issue orders must be paid in advance by

check. Kitchenware News & Housewares Review is distributed

without charge in North America to qualified professionals in

the retail and distribution channels of the upscale kitchenware

and tabletop trade. For subscriber services, including subscrip-

tion information, call (520) 721-1300. Printed in the USA.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Kitchenware News

& Housewares Review, 1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715.

PUBLISHER Karen Taylor

[email protected]

[tel] (323) 397-9507

MANAGING EDITOR Joanne Friedrick

[email protected]

[tel] (207) 780-8656

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Kelly Lewis

[email protected]

JoEllen Lowry

[email protected]

Ellen Ranta

[email protected]

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Valerie Wilson

[email protected]

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Yasmine Brown

[email protected]

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES 1877 N. Kolb Road

Tucson, Arizona 85715

[tel] (520) 721-1300

[fax] (520) 721-6300

KITCHENWARE/HOUSEWARES ADVERTISING

SENIOR Kate Seymour

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER [email protected]

[tel] (520) 721-1300

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

PRESIDENT Lee M. Oser

publisher’snote

editor’snote

Survey conducted by GfKRoperand released by Tiller LLC. Postedon www.treehugger.com.

The percent who said they arelikely to recycle more.

The percent who said they would carryreusable bags to the grocery store.

The percent who said they are likelyto reduce household chemicals.

The percent who said they are likelyto reduce their carbon footprint.

The percent who said they are “verylikely” or “somewhat likely” toreduce their home's energyconsumption this year.

75

66

42

43

74

Going Green: By the Numbers

The percentage of American adultswho recycle nothing at all.

The percentage of people on theEast and West coasts, respectively,who recycle.

The percentage of people in theSouth and Midwest, respectively,who recycle.

The percentage of American adultswho recycle something in their home.

77

88 & 86

68 & 70

23


{ n e w p r o d u c t s }

MUD PIE’S CLASSIC SHELL BAMBOO CRACKER SET

Mud Pie from Stone Mountain, Ga.,introduces Classic Shell, a variety of sea-themed tabletop and home décor giftitems. The collection offers more than 45gift items, including the BambooCracker Set. Made from eco-friendlybamboo, the set features a blue classicshell glass insert in the tray and castmetal spreader. The tray measures7" x 13".Suggested Retail Price: $30

Mud Pie[tel] 800-998-1633www.mud-pie.com

TODCO’S MENO TRIGGER GRIP COOKING TOOLSTODCO has introduced five newcooking tools designed with acomfortable grip for positive feelingand control without fatigue forindividuals who enjoy the art of cooking.

Introduced under the Meno brand,the new tools are a ceramic peeler,paring knife, mini-spatula, 4-inchdiameter pizza cutter and an icecream scoop. The cooking tools areideal for both left- and right-handedindividuals. Like other Meno TriggerGrip cooking tools, the expanded linehas been designed with a unique,patented handle with a provencurvature that makes it easy to useand grip comfortably and securely.The tools are sold individually andavailable in black and red. The paringknife and ice cream scoop are madeof stainless steel. The peeler’s strongceramic tip allows it to stay sharplonger without rusting. The mini-spatula is made of stainless steel andthe pizza cutter has a four-inch nylonwheel for use on nonstick pans. Suggested Retail Prices: $5.99 to $9.99

TODCO/The Hannon Group Ltd.[tel] 888-282-0797www.hannongroup.com

ZOJIRUSHI’S 3-IN-1 GOURMET D’EXPERT ELECTRIC SKILLETA variety of entrees, appetizers andsoups can be prepared in the 3-in-1Gourmet D’Expert Electric Skillet. Theskillet allows users to grill, simmer andsteam foods. It is equipped with twosizes of titanium ceramic nonstick plates.A 2.5-inch deep pan allows for souppreparation, while the 12-inch widegriddle provides for grilling or makingpancakes. There is also a steamingplate. Other features include stay-coolhandles, a see-through tempered glasslid and a detachable power cord.Suggested Retail Price: $182

Zojirushi America Corp.[tel] 310-769-1900www.zojirushi.com


Bodum, a maker of coffee, tea and otherhousehold and kitchenware products, wasthe recipient of 14 2010 iF Product DesignAwards. Bodum won for products such asits Bistro Flatbed Toaster, Twin Salt andPepper Grinder, Travel Press Stainless SteelMug, Cool Water Jug, Nissen ChristmasTree Holder, Presso Storage Jar andCanteen Double Wall Porcelain Mug.Thomas Perez, president of Bodum USA,New York, said, “We are very proud that theBodum design team has done it again. Wefeel the strong growth Bodum has achievedin 2009 will continue in 2010 and beyond.”The iF Product Design Award, based in

Germany, recognizes products that unitefunctionality, comfort and aesthetics as wellas embracing the challenges of innovation.The 2,800 products submitted for theaward are judged over three days by aninternational jury based on a catalog ofcriteria. For more information, contactBodum USA at 800-232-6386 or visitwww.bodumusa.com.

Dexter-Russell Inc., a manufacturer ofprofessional cutlery, has promoted CraigGiguere to treasurer and chief financialofficer at the Southbridge, Mass.-basedcompany. Giguere, a certified publicaccountant, joined the company in 2008 ascontroller. He is a graduate of WorcesterState College. Before joining Dexter-Russell, he worked for 10 years in generalaccounting and auditing, including servingan audit supervisor at Bollus Lynch LLP

and Worcester College. Dexter-Russellwas founded in 1818 and is the oldestmanufacturer of professional cutlery in theUnited States. For more information,contact Dexter-Russell at 508-765-0201 orvisit www.dexter-russell.com.

Onewayshopping.com LLC, a compre-hensive price comparison website, announcedthat among online shoppers, home applianceswere among the most searched for items.Based on data gathered a over Black Fridayand Cyber Monday, Anderson Koibita, chiefexecutive officer at the company, based inKissimmee, Fla., said top product searchesincluded KitchenAid mixers, waffle makers,George Foreman grills, cooking tool setsand cookware. He said shoppers were notonly shopping for gifts, but also lookingfor attractive discounts and deals.Onewayshopping.com is a comprehensivesearch engine designed to connect onlineshoppers with sellers. The site maintains freesample product listings and accepts any datafeed format from online merchants. For moreinformation, contact Onewayshopping.comat [email protected].

Diamond Sharp, a leading knifesharpening and cutlery exchange service,has expanded its customer base beyondCalifornia. Cliff Wallman, spokespersonfor Diamond Sharp, said, “We are excitedto say that we are expanding in a timewhen many other companies aredownsizing. With our upsizing, we can

assure our clientele that we have thebackup needed to continue providingexcellent service.” For 20 years, DiamondSharp, based in Brea, Calif., has providedblade sharpening via a mail order serviceto both consumers and businesses. To meetthe demands of an expanded customerbase, Diamond Sharp is hiring moreemployees for its headquarters in bothsales and sharpening. In addition togrowing the knife sharpening and cutleryexchange divisions, Diamond Sharp’s newgrowth will enable it to concentrate onother aspects such as repair, maintenance,sales and parts. For more information,contact Diamond Sharp at 800-400-6414or visit www.diamondsharp.net.

CooksPlus, a culinary retail store on HiltonHead Island in South Carolina, has launcheda new website to support its retail operation.Features of the new site include faster andmore powerful search capabilities, improvedcheckout, simpler site layout and enhancedsecurity. CooksPlus is also adding newproducts weekly to its online catalog basedon customer requests and the latestinnovations in kitchenware. Internal staffand chefs from the store’s cooking classeshave tested all products on the CooksPluswebsite. With three decades of experiencein housewares, the CooksPlus staff isavailable to answer questions via its toll-free number. For more information, contactCooksPlus at 866-689-9701 or visitwww.cooksplus.com.

Verilux Inc., makers of home, office, travel,wellness and skincare products, raisedmore than $60,000 in 2009 to benefit morethan 25 international, national and localnon-profit organizations. Verilux, basedin Waitsfield, Vt., donated a portion ofall sales of its eco-friendly compactfluorescent bulbs to its charitablegive-back program. “Contributing tocommunities on a local, national andworld-wide bases is a cherished traditionfor our company,” said Nicholas Harmon,President of Verilux. Verilux supportsnon-profit groups focused on protectingthe environment and human rights, aidingthe poor, seeking cancer cures andenhancing local communities in Vermontand elsewhere in America. These charitiesinclude the Environmental DefenseFund, Nature Conservancy, NationalWildlife Foundation, Greenpeace, NaturalResources Defense Council, Union ofConcerned Scientists, the Sierra Club andAmnesty International, CARE, UNICEF,the New Sudan Educational Initiative,Breast Cancer.org, Breast Cancer Site,Susan G. Komen Foundation, AvonFoundation Breast Cancer Crusade, theNational Breast Cancer Foundation,Lighthouse International, the VermontNatural Resources Council, the VermontFood Bank, the Mad River ValleyCommunity Fund and other localnonprofit groups. For more information,contact Verilux at 800-454-4408 or visitwww.verilux.com.

{ n e w s o n s i x }


{ h e a d l i n e s }

Seguso USA, a tenant at Forty OneMadison since 1996, has renewed itspermanent showroom lease on the ninthfloor. Seguso USA is one of the oldestMurano glass brands, presenting art glassgifts, collectibles and tableware soldthrough high-end specialty anddepartment stores.

Pierpaolo Seguso, creative director, said in aprepared statement about the newlyreconfigured showroom, “We are redesigningthe space to meet both the needs of ourtableware and gift market buyers; at the sametime, becoming more designer friendly andcreating a unique ‘Murano glass destination’at Forty One Madison.”

“We are delighted to continue to be part ofSeguso’s expansion in the United States andtheir new showcase that will show thediversity of their products,” said LaurieBurns, senior vice president and director ofForty One Madison, in a prepared statement.

Seguso USA Renews Lease at Forty One Madison

In an effort to further connect withmembers, industry profes-sionals andconsumers, the International HousewaresAssociation debuted a strategic social mediaplan on Nov. 19.

IHA initiated memberships on Facebook,Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Inaddition, it posted Wikipedia pages forboth IHA and the International Home +Housewares Show, and started a blog onits website, www.housewares.org.

“The rapid development of social mediaover the past few years has enabledindividuals to connect with other userswho share common interests,” said DerekMiller, vice president, international forIHA. “Being a trade association, the IHAis uniquely positioned to help facilitatenetworking and group discussions withinthe housewares industry.”

The association’s Facebook page includes IHAinformation and photos as well as a wall feedto facilitate communication with andnetworking among industry professionals. Italso includes show event information andallows attendees to register for their badgesthrough the page, access pre-show planningand read about the latest news in the industry.Facebook links directly to IHA’s YouTubechannel, which includes videos of IHA eventsas well as others from the industry.

IHA also has two Twitter accounts. Thefirst Twitter feed, housewaresAssoc, providesIHA members with important informationabout the industry and exhibiting at theshow—things like key dates, reminders andtips for having a successful show. The second

IHA Introduces Social Media Tools for Association Showfeed, housewaresShow, was developed forshow buyer attendees, with a focus on pre-show preparation and show events, but alsoprovides industry information.

Like Facebook, IHA’s LinkedIn groupdisplays member networking opportunitiesand provides discussion boards to facilitatecontact, but it has a strict focus on businessrelationships. Individuals can join both theIHA group and a more specific subgroupfor the show.

The new blog on IHA’s website will featurecontributions from several authors discussing

topics, ranging from the latest consumerlifestyle trends to behind the scenes happeningsat the International Home + HousewaresShow. So far, all of the writers for the blog havebeen IHA staff members, Miller said, but theassociation expects to feature industry expertsas guest writers from time to time.

Lastly, IHA has two new Wikipedia sites—one that explains the history and mission ofthe association, and one that focuses on theshow. Users can sign up for any of these toolsat www.housewares.org/sm/.

“Social media has the potential to reach a

large number of people in a very shortperiod of time,” Miller said.

On the flip side, Miller noted, “Social media’sbiggest advantage of being able to reach alarge audience quickly may also be its biggestdisadvantage, if you have negative press.

“Social media is a buzz right now withcountless people jumping in. Although manyclaim to be experts, I believe that everyoneis still moving up the learning curve at thispoint and doubt anyone has reached the top;social media is simply evolving too fast foranyone to have completely figured it out.”

by Ellen Ranta

CAPRESSO’S PERFECTEAThe PerfecTea cordless glass water kettle has fivetemperature settings to allow tea lovers to heat waterto the optimal temperature for any type of tea theydesire. With a turn of the knob and the press of abutton, choose one of five temperature settings: 100°,160°, 175°, 195° or Boil. Inside the kettle, a stainlesssteel dome conceals the highly efficient heatingelement that boils water faster and uses less energythan stovetop kettles. Once the water has reachedthe desired temperature, PerfecTea will automaticallyshut off. A temperature guide that provides the idealtemperature settings for black tea, oolong tea, whitetea, green tea, French press coffee and water forwarming is easily accessible in a convenient slide-outdrawer. PerfecTea is made of durable and scratch-resistant safety glass with matte black and polishedchrome accents. An easy-to-read water level indicatormakes it clear how many ounces are being prepared.The gently curving polypropylene handle is designedfor comfort and features a slip-free coating for safepouring. Perfect for left- or right-handers, the waterkettle easily lifts from the power base, giving the usercord-free pouring. With its 48-ounce capacity, thiscordless water kettle is also a great way to heat waterfor a variety of other food and beverages. As anadded safety feature, the unit comes with a dry boilprotection, turning off if there is no water inside.Suggested Retail Price: $89.99

Capresso[tel] 800-767-3554www.capresso.com


HEARTHWARE HOME PRODUCTS’ I-ROAST 2The i-Roast 2 from Hearthware brings out the trueessence of coffee while allowing users to personalizethe cup by roasting their own coffee. The software ofthe i-Roast 2 ensures an accurate roastingtemperature during each stage of roasting. Presetroasting profiles plus 10 memory functions give amultitude of options to create a range of perfectlybalanced coffees. The easy-to-read LCD displays time,temperature, stages and other functional informationto ensure roasting perfection.Suggested Retail Price: $199

Hearthware Home Productswww.i-roast.com or www.hearthware.com

KUHN RIKON’S EASY-POUR KETTLEKuhn Rikon presents the stainless steel Easy-PourKettle that features an innovative, ergonomic designthat makes pouring hot water easier. When thehandle is lifted, the spout automatically opens. Thespout shuts automatically when the handle isreleased. The handle is positioned to keep the handaway from hot steam for safety. This whistling kettlefeatures a heavy metal base that heats waterquickly and efficiently. With its 2.2-quart capacity, thekettle is ideally sized for everyday use. It performs onall cooktops, including induction.Suggested Retail Price: $59.99

Kuhn Rikon[tel] 800-662-5882www.kuhnrikon.com

VACU VIN’S VACUUM COFFEE SAVER STARTER SET When coffee or tea is exposed to the air it can quicklydeteriorate, affecting taste and flavor. The new, largercapacity vacuum pump extracts the air from thevacuum storage container, creating a vacuum whichoptimizes storage conditions. Tea and coffee areprotected from the harmful effects of light by thespecially tinted color. The unit is dishwasher safe. Suggested Retail Price: $29.95

Vacu Vin/International Innovation Co. [tel] 704-882-3521www.vacuvin.com

RÖSLE’S CAPSULE TOWERAt 13.3-inches tall, the RösleCapsule Tower providesinnovative storage for Nespressocoffee capsules. The designprovides easy selection andaccess to any chosen capsule,which easily attach anddetach. A stable revolving standoffers safe positioning andturning. The tower stores up to 40capsules, 10 per side, withadditional storage space insidefor 40 capsules in a four-stackconfiguration. The tower ismanufactured in 18/10 stainlesssteel and synthetic material.Suggested Retail Price: $60

Rösle[tel] 302-326-4801www.rosle.com

BUYERS’ GUIDE

CUISINART’S PERFECTEMP TEAKETTLEThe Cuisinart 3-quart PerfecTemp Teakettle featuresa built-in precision gauge that provides the exactwater temperature to brew every variety of teaproperly. Other features are an ergonomic handle,boiling whistle, porcelain enamel exterior andinterior with an iron core for quick heating andefficient heat retention.

Cuisinart[tel] 203-975-4600www.cuisinart.com

coffee & teaproducts


DURALEX PICARDIE TUMBLERSCoffee and tea lovers can enjoy their beverages incrystal clear, gently faceted, French Duralex Picardieglassware. Picardie glasses are recognized throughoutFrance and remain the icon of French taverns, bistrosand inns. Not only is the shape a classic design, butthey also fit in the hand beautifully and easily. They areextremely tough and durable, and with even a littlebit of care will last for decades without breaking orchipping. Duralex products go in the dishwasher andare also microwave safe. The tempered glass is non-porous so it does not retain odors, scratches or stains.There are eight sizes ranging from 3.25 ounces tonearly 17 ounces. The most popular coffee size is the10.5-ounce size. Suggested Retail Price: $2.50 to $5

Duralex USA[tel] 302-326-4804www.duralexusa.com

WILLIAM BOUNDS’ SILI GOURMET TEA METhe Sili Gourmet Tea Me from William Bounds Ltd.marries stainless steel and silicone to create a highlyeffective and convenient way to strain freshly brewedloose leaf teas into the cup. Designed to safely sit onthe top of a teacup or mug, the stay-cool stainlesssteel wings hold the colorful silicone strainer in place,eliminating the need to hold the strainer while youpour. The heat-resistant strainer, made of red silicone,resists stains and odors. It is dishwasher safe and easyto clean by hand. Suggested Retail Price: $8

William Bounds[tel] 800-473-0504www.wmboundsltd.com

FRIELING’S MILK 2 FROTHThe Frieling USA Milk 2 Froth provides food safety andconvenience when frothing milk. This unit, whichconnects to commercial espresso machines, keepsmilk at the proper temperature while making it easierto prepare cappuccinos, lattes and other milk-basedbeverages on demand. Now retailers can store up to1½ quarts of milk at a safe temperature, right next tothe espresso machine. The Milk 2 Froth is designed toconnect to any commercial espresso machine’sfrothing mechanism with a piece of flexible tubing.Designed for simplicity, the tubing reaches the bottomof the unit’s interior plastic milk container on one end,with the other end attaching to the espresso machine’sautomatic cappuccino attachment. The commercial-grade unit is durable for any retail environment, andbecause there is no contact between the unit and themilk inside, its unique design makes contaminationvirtually impossible. There is no need to continuallymonitor the unit. Illuminated indicators light up whenthe milk container needs to be refilled. FeaturingAdvanced Thermo-Electric Cooling Technologycombined with superior thermal insulation, the Milk 2Froth provides improved cooling efficiency. It is energyefficient, running on approximately 50 watts of electricity.Its compact size (7" wide x 11½" high x 10½" deep) fitsnicely next to any commercial espresso machine. Themachine comes in black housing.Suggested Retail Price: $250

Frieling USA[tel] 800-827-2582www.frieling.com

GIBSON EVERYDAY’S MR. COFFEE INDULGENCE KITThe Mr. Coffee Indulgence Kit consists of a 1.2-quartcoffee press, battery-operated frother, two latte glassesand a plastic measuring scoop. The coffee press brewsmore than 38 ounces of coffee, retaining the beans’oil for a rich, complex flavor. The press has a sturdy,stainless steel frame with an easy-to-clean glass carafeand stainless steel press mechanism. The unit isdishwasher safe. For retailers, endcap plan-o-gramsand pallet loads are available.Suggested Retail Price: $24.99 for the set

Gibson Everyday[tel] 800-281-2810www.gibsonusa.com

CUISIPRO’S CLICK-N-SIPThe 13-ounce Click-n-Sip travel mug isdesigned for sipping ordrinking rather thanspilling. The mug,available in black, redor gray, features a spill-proof lid. A one-handedpush button that opensand closes the lid islocated in the center ofthe lid. The 360-degreedrinking hole feature isconvenient, allowing

the mug to be refilled without taking the lid off. If theopen and close button is pushed to 'open,' coffee orother beverages can be poured into the top. Click-n-Sip travel mugs fit into most car cup holders and thelid disassembles for cleaning. The mug and lid can becleaned in the dishwasher’s top shelf. The travel mugis backed by a 25-year warranty.Suggested Retail Price: $12

Cuisipro USA[tel] 302-326-4802www.cuisiprousa.com

BUYERS’ GUIDE

coffee & teaproducts

&

www.kitchenwarenews.com

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

S E R V I N G K I T C H E N W A R E , H O U S E W A R E S A N D T A B L E T O P M A R K E T S

VOLUME 16, NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY 2010

CertifiablyGreen


certifiably greenIn 1999, Lifetime Brands Inc. began layingplans for a Greenfield distribution centerin New Jersey that would consolidate itsthree manual distribution operations intoa single, highly efficient and veryautomated facility. In a staged approachover eight years, the company built outnot only the distribution center’s materialhandling equipment but also its physicalsize to accommodate its needs, expandingits total space to 700,000 square feet. Butthis was to be no ordinary distributioncenter. Lifetime Brands brought inDematic Corp. to engineer, build andinstall conveying, picking and sortationequipment that would optimize energyusage while maintaining the highestpossible uptime reliability.

Lifetime Brands is a leading designer,developer and marketer of kitchenware,cutlery and cutting boards, bakeware,cookware, pantryware, tabletop, homedecor, picture frames and bath accessories.The company markets its products undersome of the industry's best known brands,including KitchenAid, Farberware,Mikasa, Cuisinart, Calvin Klein andNautica, as well as environmentallyfriendly products such as EcoWorld.

Lifetime Brands’ products are distributedthrough almost every major retailer in theUnited States. In 2007, the Garden City,N.Y.-based company had net salesexceeding $493 million, a 7.9 percentincrease over the prior year. This growthhas been influenced by the company’svigorous brand acquisitions, which inrecent years has included Mikasa, Wallace,Towle, Syratech and Pfaltzgraff brands.

The company’s newly upgradedRobbinsville, N.J. distribution centerhandles Lifetime Brands’ lines ofkitchenware, distributing nationally some7,600 SKUs of food-prep items like bakingproducts, kitchen gadgets, dinnerware,barware, cutting boards and cutlery sets.

The original 550,000-square-footRobbinsville building was completed andoperational in 2001. Pick tower equipmentadditions were made in 2004, and in 2006the building was expanded by 150,000square feet to accommodate additionalconveying and high-speed sortationequipment, another pick tower andadditional very narrow aisle (VNA)high-rise pallet racking to accommodate100,000 pallets. The center has 4.7 milesof VNA wire-guided aisles. Finally, inJuly 2007, a fifth pick tower was added, athird high-speed sorter and additionalconveying equipment.

Ninety-five percent of Lifetime Brands’7,600 SKUs come into the Robbinsvilledistribution center by container. Thecontainers are opened and the product is

palletized, and then put away into storageor used on current orders using a crossdock operation. A WMS helps directpicking, as well as replenishment of theproduct, from the stored pallets. Batchwaving is utilized through the pickingand sortation process. Full cases makeup the majority of products needed fororders. The higher volume items areselected directly onto conveyors in fivemulti-level pick towers using pick labels.About 20 percent of the center’s productis split-case, manually picked and scannedto carts using RF scanning technology,which are then inducted into the sortationat one of several induction points.Split-case items include kitchen gadgetsand food preparation items, which areusually pick-and-pack to a specific storerather than shipping bulk to wholesale.Normally, the distribution center isshipping to a distribution center inbulk, but split-case items are packed perstore then shipped consolidated to adistribution center.

The hub of the Robbinsville distributioncenter, and where it realizes much of itsmost profound efficiencies, is with itssortation and conveying systems, whichreduce manual labor. “We have energyconservation built in throughout theentire conveyor and sortation materialhandling systems,” said Bob Poth, withDematic. “Lifetime Brands is able todetermine when product is movingthrough any part of the facility, and turnoff a section of the system automaticallywhen it is not in use, and then turn eachsection back on when the product volume

comes back. This is achieved throughDematic’s control system by using photoeyes strategically located throughout theconveyor equipment. This operates inconjunction with selectable timers so theequipment is only running at plannedintervals. It is a very simple and veryeffective energy conservation module thatwe developed and integrated into thesystem for Lifetime Brands.”

Two Dematic RS Series high-speed slidingshoe sorters are utilized in the distributioncenter. The interleaving extrudedaluminum slats in the sorters provide awide, flat carrying surface that preventsjams. It allows the sorting of a wide rangeof product sizes and types with quiet andpositive sortation and ultra-highthroughput. Coming into and out of thesorters, the distribution center is utilizingzero-pressure accumulation conveyors totemporarily stop, hold and release material.They allow product accumulation along aline without pressure buildup.

The center’s energy conservation module,conveyors and sortation is run underDematic’s SortDirector warehouse controlsystem (WCS), which integrates with theRobbinsville WMS and coordinates allproduct movement inside the distributioncenter. SortDirector runs on a Windows-based Pentium PC using an SQLdatabase. It uses modular components ofcode to make it easily configurable.Providing graphic system monitoring for

the entire conveying operation, it givesoperators real-time control of productmovement, and real-time reporting.

By mid-2007, Lifetime Brands’Robbinsville distribution center had thecapability of handling 45,000 cartons perday, at an extremely high order accuracyrate. “The energy efficiencies at our NewJersey facility have helped cut ourdistribution operating costs,” said CraigPhillips, senior vice president fordistribution at Lifetime Brands. “We havereduced our distribution expense, as apercentage of sales, by 3.75 percent overthe past five years.”

“Uptime reliability is also critical torunning an efficient DC,” continuedPhillips. “A key operational metric we lookat is our system’s uptime, and atRobbinsville it is over 99 percent. We alsoattribute much of our inventory and orderaccuracy to the systems we have in place.”

Dematic Corp. is the world’s leadingsupplier of logistics automation solutions,systems and service. Dematic providesintegrated material handling solutions thatincorporate process improvements,material flow technologies, controls andsoftware to reduce operational costs,maximize productivity and optimize supplychain performance. A global company withoperations in 22 countries, Dematic’sNorth American presence includes anengineering/manufacturing headquartersin Grand Rapids, Mich., and 18sales/engineering/service offices. For moreinformation, visit www.dematic.us.

For more information on LifetimeBrands, visit the company’s websiteat www.lifetimebrands.com.

Lifetime Brands Creates Energy Efficient Distribution Center

Craig Phillips, vice president of distribution for Lifetime Brands in the Robbinsville, N.J. distribution center.


featured products

honorees“green house”

Celebrating the practical beauty of eco-friendly design for the things we use everyday, the Housewares Design Awardsannounces the winners of their annual“Green House” Design Award competition.

The “Green House” honorees—BattenIndustries, Electrolux and NextLife—were chosen for their new productinnovation in meeting the needs of today’seco-conscious consumer with smart neweco-friendly design.

“Green is becoming one of the mostimportant factors in housewares productdesign, adding a new dimension beyondbeauty and function. Environmentalconsciousness is inspiring a new era ofcreativity in product innovation,” saidPeter Giannetti, editor-in-chief ofHomeWorld Business.

The Housewares Design Awards arepresented by HomeWorld Business witheducational support from the International

Housewares Association and sponsorship byDuPont Teflon Housewares and the NewYork International Gift Fair.

The “Green House” Design Award is partof the prestigious Housewares DesignAwards Program, now in its seventh yearas the premier design award focused onthe housewares industry. The “GreenHouse” winners were chosen from hundredof entries vying for recognition as the bestdesigned products of the year.

Products judged were introduced to theUnited States market between Oct. 1, 2008and Sept. 30, 2009.

The three Green House Award winners, alongwith all Housewares Design Awards winners,will be honored at a ceremony and luncheonFeb. 3 at the Marriott New York Marquisoverlooking New York’s Times Square. Formore information on the entire program andthe “Green House” Design Award winners,visit www.housewaresdesignawards.com.

BATTEN INDUSTRIES NELLIE’S PVC-FREE DRYERBALLS Nellie's second generation Dryerballsare now PVC free. Unlike previousversions that were made from PVC, thisnew TPR material is not harmful tofactory workers during processing andis readily recyclable. PVC-free dryerballseliminate the need for chemical fabricsofteners and dryer sheets whilereducing drying time 15-25 percent, thussaving energy. Optional fragrancesticks are available and come in fourvarieties. Fragrance sticks are madefrom 100 percent essential oils.

ELECTROLUX ULTRASILENCER GREEN A cleaner environment starts at home.With greener innovation in mind, theElectrolux global design team createdUltraSilencer Green, an environmentallyfriendlier vacuum cleaner designed tohelp consumers clean greener withoutsacrificing performance. Unlike other“green” cleaners, Electrolux built avacuum that embraces recycling, re-using and reducing. Designers startedby building UltraSilencer Green with55 percent recycled plastic, mostlyfrom shredded cars, and building asleek canister vacuum with high-performance and power. Energy-efficient, and compatible with theElectrolux design palette, UltraSilencerGreen uses nine amps of power at areduced noise level for a cleaner,greener home environment.

NEXTLIFE RAINSTOREThe “Green Team” at NextLife hascompletely re-engineered thepedestrian “rain barrel” from thebottom up to maximize rainwatercollection and reuse, while minimizingwasteful environmental behavior. Likeevery NextLife-branded product, the“RainStore” has been scientificallyproven to carry a lower carbonfootprint than comparable productsthrough the incorporation ofsustainable manufacturing, packaging

and transportation practices. Thedesign, including a self-wateringplanter on top, sets a new standard fora category, which was historicallydriven by function. No one said “eco”has to be ugly! And just for goodmeasure, NextLife went an eco-stepfurther by incorporating at least 40percent high-quality, post-consumerrecycled plastic into every “RainStore”thereby, alleviating the stress onoverburdened landfills as well as theshrinking supply of fresh water.

Green Home, Green Design: Housewares Design Awards Announces Green House Design Award Winners


certifiably greenLeaving no stone unturned, the developersat Toyota have found a way to make anewer and stronger paper...out of rock.

TerraSkin® is a unique tree-free papermade of stone (calcium carbonate) andnon-toxic polyethylene resin. When thetwo materials are combined they createa water and tear-resistant substrate thatrequires no water or bleaching toachieve its bright white quality. It isgreat for bags, boxes, foodware and

signage/marketing materials.

The raw material comes from post-industrial recycled marble and limestonefrom the building industry. TerraSkin® isnaturally bright white without the use ofany bleach and it's production requires nowater and 50 percent less energy thantraditional paper.

TerraSkin® is not a fiber so it doesn’t absorbink like regular paper—consequently 20-30

percent less ink is used for printing. It isalso water and tear resistant which makesit wonderful for shopping bags and otherapplications. TerraSkin® will degrade backto its source—the powder of stone—whenleft out in nature for approximately threeto nine months.

To date the product has been test marketedwith Burt’s Bees, who uses TerraSkin® towrap their bars of soap. The Museum ofModern Art in New York City was

evolutionary in their decision to transformtheir packaging from paper to TerraSkin®.

Shopping bags made of TerraSkin® willbe showcased at the New YorkInternational Gift Fair, Jan. 30-Feb. 4.They will be featured in Accent on Designin booth 3734.

For more information, to see a video andfor sample product inquiries please visittheir website at www.terraskin.com.

Rock, Paper...Paper Made From Rocks?

More than half of U.S. adults have madechanges in their lives they believe will helpsustain the environment, according to a2008 Harris Interactive Environmentalstudy. Taking this commitment to thekitchen, Whirlpool brand introduced theEco Kitchen, helping consumers integrateenvironmentally-friendly changes in oneof the biggest energy-consuming livingspaces of the home. The Eco Kitchen,which includes the Resource Saver™refrigerator, Resource Saver™ dishwasher,Velos® SpeedCook oven and Energy Saverange, is the brand’s most energy-efficientkitchen ever.

According to the U.S. Department ofEnergy, lighting, refrigeration and cookingare responsible for 41.5 percent of a home’senergy consumption. With consumerinsights in mind, Whirlpool brand wantedto offer simple ways for consumers toreduce the impact energy use has on theenvironment and their wallets. As a result,the company identified appliances that canbring real efficiency when it comes towater, energy and cost savings to one of themost wasteful rooms in the home.

“There are definitely some kitchenappliances which are more ‘green’ thanothers,” said Tomas Diaz, Whirlpool brandmarketing director, in a prepared statement.“We created the Eco Kitchen to helpfamilies minimize their energy and waterconsumption, offering consumers somesimple ways to help the environment.”

The Eco Kitchen provides the most energyefficient options in food preservation,cleaning and cooking for Whirlpool brand.

Efficient Food Preservation The Resource Saver™ refrigerator exceedsfederal efficiency standards by 30 percent,making it the most energy efficient side-by-side refrigerator ever. The energysavings continue even as groceries areunloaded into the refrigerator. To betterpreserve food, 6th Sense™ technologyhelps quickly cool food and adjuststemperatures inside the refrigerator tonormal operating temperatures. Therefrigerator’s energy use is equivalent to

powering a 60-watt light bulb.

Cooking for the Environment Recent innovations by Whirlpool brandaddress consumers’ energy consumptionconcerns when cooking. Two ranges in theWhirlpool Gold® series are equipped withthe industry-first Energy Save mode toconserve electricity when the oven is notin use. Similar to a sleep mode on acomputer, this Energy Save mode dimscontrol features and clock when not in usemaking these models more efficient thanprevious Whirlpool brand ranges.

As these ranges are produced, Whirlpoolcontinues to keep the environment top ofmind. Energy Save ranges are made withSCHOTT CERAN® glass ceramic cooktops, the only eco-friendly glass-ceramiccooktop panel manufactured without releasinghazardous heavy metals into the earth.

In addition to energy savings, Whirlpoolbrand understands consumers often lookfor flexibility in appliances. Whirlpoolbrand’s over-the-range SpeedCook oven,the Velos® system, combines the powerof an oven with the convenience of amicrowave, and can grill, broil, bake andsteam. The Velos oven also saves energyand time, cooking up to 47 percentfaster than a traditional oven when inSpeedCook mode.

Energy-Saving Cleaning As Whirlpool brand’s quietest model todate, the Resource Saver dishwasher usesone-third less water and energy thandishwashers manufactured just eight yearsago. In addition to energy, water savingsis also important when it comes to kitchenclean-up. The Whirlpool brand ResourceSaver™ dishwasher uses far less water thanhand washing a load of dishes, saving up

to 20 gallons per load (which equates to4,300 gallons/year in water savings). Withimproved wash performance throughincreased water pressure and focused washaction, there is no need to pre-wash dishes.

The Resource Saver refrigerator(GS5VHAXWY ) is available atretailers nationwide and online atwww.whirlpool.com with an MSRP of$2,099. The Velos oven (GH7208XRS)is available at retailers nationwideand online at www.whirlpool.com withan MSRP of $919. The EnergySaverange (GFE471LV ) is available atretailers nationwide and online atwww.whirlpool.com with an MSRPstarting at $699. The Resource Saverdishwasher (GU3600XTV) is availableat retailers nationwide and online atwww.whirlpool.com with an MSRPstarting at $799.

Whirlpool Brand Makes an Eco-Kitchen Possible


GREEN (cont. from page 1)When asked why companies should movein this direction, Juanita Coumbias,international sales and marketing directorat Starfrit USA Inc., stated clearly: “Itwould be selfish and inconsiderate to notdo so for all our futures.” Starfrit,headquartered in Lonueuil, Quebec, makescookware from recycled aluminum anduses PFOA-free nonstick coatings orceramic coatings on its nonstick pieces.

“Consumers are demanding it,” as a partof doing business, explained C.A. Webb,marketing director at Preserve, a Waltham,Mass.-based company that makessustainably designed and manufacturedproducts, including reusable plasticdishware and kitchen tools such as mixingbowls, paper and plastic cutting boardsand storage containers.

At Lamson & Goodnow, a high-endcutlery and kitchen tool maker based inShelburne Falls, Mass., age-old tradition ismeeting modern needs in its newGoodNow line, which uses 100 percentpost-consumer recycled paper for thehandle and 90 percent post-consumerhigh-carbon steel for the blades. Thecompany uses hydroelectric power to runthe facility and then recycles 100 percentof all the scrap and grinding shavings,explained Paul Ferreira, who handles salesand marketing.

While the line is 21st century, Ferreirasaid the company has been“environmentally responsible” since 1837.Today, he said, “There is certainly agroundswell of consumers who are drivento purchase only eco-friendly products.We are happy to hear when customers callor write us that they appreciate being ableto purchase high-quality, American-madeproducts from a responsible manufacturer.”

For Starfrit, the decision to embark on a“green” mission began in 2007, saidCoumbias, when they implementedchanges, “both internally and at the factoryand product level...with several newmeasures being added on an annual basis.”

While Coumbias said the changes haven’timpacted the business, “either positively ornegatively, [it] may be one of the reasonsthat weight in our favor if a buyer has tochoose from two companies with equalproducts, price and promotional strategies.”For consumers, buying green may not bea priority, she said, “But the ones who doare customers for life.”

According to GfK Roper Consulting, priceis still a barrier for some shoppers, with 60percent of those surveyed by the companysaying green products are too expensive.And 28 percent reported they were “toobusy” to go green.

Companies with a green message oftenreach out to potential customers viaadvertising and packaging, said Coumbias.

“We let the products tell the story andemphasize putting them in peoples’ handsvia creative partnerships and strategicsampling,” said Perserve’s Webb. “We almostalways hear, ‘Wow, why didn’t I think ofthis?’ when someone new tries one of ourproducts.” He noted retailers can sign up forthe company’s monthly newsletter, and healso urged retailers and consumers to “hangout with us on Facebook.”

Ferreira said Lamson stresses its greenmessage in its literature and on its website,emphasizing “That Lamson’s goal is to remaina responsible American manufacturer.”

One topic that is on retailers’ andmanufacturers’ minds is the certification of

products calling themselves “green” and “eco-friendly.” “We are watching the proliferationof certifications closely and are interested tosee the few that wind up leading theindustry,” said Webb. “We focus on honestyand transparency, telling our Preservers [asthey call their customers] anything theywant to know about how and why we dowhat we do,” he said. “We are excited thatpeople are asking more and harder questionsabout the products they bring into theirhomes.” Webb added the industry “shouldanswer those questions openly and honestly.”

For Coumbias, the next step on thecertification road should be “to ensure thatthe message and the products themselvesare verifiable and that companies refrainfrom using ‘greenwashing’ to misleadconsumers.” She said governmentstandards or product certifications couldachieve this goal.

Looking at her plans forthis year, Ruis said she’sexcited to find productsthat fill her customerrequests, such as moreserveware, Dutch ovens,baking pans and mixingbowls. “People are bakingmore, so I’m looking foroven to tableware.” The challenge comes infinding ways to put more into her 1,200-square-foot space, said Ruis. She hasn’tgotten into appliances, in part because ofthe space they take up and also because theygenerate more returns than the food ortabletop products.

And there’s no room to expand, so buying hasto be done with an eye on what fits. Her planwhen looking at new products is to bringthem in as part of a temporary display. “Andif it sells well, then I’ll keep it,” she said.


{ h e a d l i n e s }Cookware Sale Under The Big TopConsultant with ties to the industry launchesunique fundraiser, shopping, recycling event.

Drawing on his background in thekitchenware industry for 16 years, Joel Kaplanlaunched Cook’sware aFaire in December—an event that combined a cookware sale withboth a fund-raising event for the OaklandZoo and a recycling project for people lookingto rid themselves of old cookware.

Conducted within an 8,000-square-footheated tent on the zoo’s property,Cook’sware aFaire ran from Dec. 11 to 31and offered zoo visitors an opportunity topurchase cookware from brands such asRachael Ray, Paula Deen, Circulon,Farberware, Anolon, Earth Pan andKitchenAid at discounts of up to 75percent off the MSRP. “I decided to do itin December because of gift-giving time,”he said, “but there’s no reason to assumethis can’t be done at other times of year,such as Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.”

Kaplan, who runs his own consultingbusiness and counts the Oakland Zoo asa client, said what began as a fund-raising

event for the zoo quickly turned into anopportunity as well for manufacturers thatwere interested in gaining someincremental business around the holidays.The short-term event was easy for thebusinesses to explain to their regular retailcustomers, he said, who otherwise mayhave been concerned about competition.For consumers, it was a chance to buyproducts at a discount, while having a goodtime viewing cooking demonstrations.

Customers also received an additional twopercent discount if they brought in oldpots and pans for recycling by AaronMetals, a local recycler. Kaplan said theycollected about a ton of old cookware.

Being the first such event, Kaplan said heexperimented with the concept, which heplans to take to other locations in NorthernCalifornia and then around the UnitedStates. Such a project, said Kaplan, couldbe difficult without his industryconnections. “In terms of marketing, thebarriers to entry were high,” he explained,with a substantial commitment to bothacquiring the goods for sale and setting up

the infrastructure for a multi-week sale.

Kaplan was able to use the zoo’smembership database as a key marketingtool, he said. E-mails were sent to themembers informing them of the event. “It’simportant to start with a non-profit withan established marketing base so it ’scost effective to advertise to them,” hesaid. In addition to reaching out to thezoo’s members, Kaplan also advertised in a20-mile radius of the zoo to reachnon-members as well. What he learned,however, is that the zoo draws people fromas far away as 50 miles, so many whopurchased at Cook’sware aFaire hadn’t heardof it beforehand. That’s one of the lessonslearned during this premier event, he said.

Originally, said Kaplan, he had wanted tosell discounted merchandise or seconds,but realized that such a formula would haverequired him to bring in more merchandise.“So I rethought the model and brought inbest-sellers,” among the various cookwarelines, he explained, “plus a handful of lower-priced SKUs that would sell well.” He alsoexperienced bad weather and slow sales

during the beginning of the event, whichwas scheduled to last 10 days, so heextended it through the end of December.

The demos featured local chefs, caterersand cooking school instructors whodonated their time in exchange for theopportunity to promote their skills andbusinesses, said Kaplan. “I found chefsthrough the Internet or they were referredto me,” he said. Different cuisines wereshowcased, as were healthy cookingprograms. One of the chefs, Amy Klein, isinterested in combating childhood obesity,said Kaplan, so she made that a focus ofher demos. Kaplan also brought in youngchefs—ages 12 to 17—to demonstrate thatkids can cook and eat healthy, too.

While Kaplan declined to discuss thefinancial success of the venture, he notedthat the average transaction was higher thanexpected. Originally he thought customerswould spend about $75 each, while theactual total was closer to $90. Because theevent was at the zoo, many familiesattended, though the typical buyer was afemale age 25 to 45, he said. Based on thesuccess of the Oakland sale, Kaplan said heis in negotiations for additional events.

by Joanne Friedrick

Owning a retail store is like raising a smallchild, said Amy Ruis. They may grow beyondinfancy, but you still need to hold their hand.

For six years, Ruis, who operates Art of theTable on historic Wealthy Street in Michigan,has been nurturing her fledgling retailoperation—a combination gourmet food,wine and tabletop store. Over that time, shesaid, “We’ve stayed the same more than wehave changed.” She has the same mix ofproducts (although brands, colors and flavorshave evolved) and mostly the same employeeson her nine-person staff.

What change there has been, she said, hascome mostly in how she approaches herbusiness. “I’ve been able to delegate more,”she explained, “once they (the staff ) seesand knows my vision.” By doing this, shesaid, “It makes us more of a team, if theyhave responsibility and can take somethings off my plate. That gives them asense of ownership.”

Running a nearly $1 million a year businessnow, Ruis said she’s turned over some buyingto her staff, mostly with the cheese and meatofferings. She still buys all the other gourmetfoods and tabletop, and this year handledthe beer, wine and liquor buying.

The neighborhood in which her store islocated has gone through a renaissance inthe past years, she said, with many eclectic

shops, theaters and eateries sprouting up.Ruis keeps her store open until 8 p.m. tocapture the before and after dinner crowd.Unlike some businesses that have experienceda drop off because of the economy, Ruis saidthe past year was her best since 2006. Inpart, she credited her improved sales with thefiscal cautiousness of her clientele and thebusiness growth within the city. While somecommunities are contracting, Grand Rapidshas seven new buildings going up in itsdowntown, she said.

Still, said Ruis, she made measured purchasesfor the holidays, concentrating on items thatcould fill out a Christmas table rather thanreplace everything people already had.“Serving piece were a big deal; things thatcould fit in with what they had.” Customersweren’t making major purchases, such as anew set of dishes, she said, but boughtindividual aluminum or ceramic bowls withholiday designs and fun tablecloths andnapkins. “In 2006 and 2007, I sold entiresets of holiday dishes,” noted Ruis. “Thisyear I didn’t have any in stock, but no oneasked for them, either.”

Accessories were also big for the holidays.“Candles flew out the door,” she said,including smokeless and dripless tapers andnon-scented pillar candles. While Ruishadn’t yet analyzed the reason for thesepurchases, she expected it was tied to moreat-home entertaining.

Locally made items resonated with customersas well, Ruis said, from handmademarshmallows and chocolates to potterybutter keepers. Often customers wouldpurchase complementary gift items:hot chocolate, a decorative mug, a spoonor other stirring utensil and homemademarshmallows. A popular gift basket featuredMichigan-made or related products. “I sold60 Michigan oven mitts,” said Ruis, “and Icould have sold more if I’d had them.”

Displays have always been a focal point withinArt of the Table, and Ruis prides herself oncreating vignettes that showcase products andhow they relate to one another. For theChristmas season, she said, she did tableswith themes on holiday baking, withbakeware, cookbooks and cookie cutters, warmdrinks with mulling spices, teas, cups and aFrench press, a cheese presentation thatincluded cheese boards and knives, a green andred table with dishes featuring pine boughsand colored drinking glasses and a maindisplay with all silver and gold items.

The latter, said Ruis, featured two “glitzy”centerpieces in silver and gold, whichalthough they were meant to be part of thedisplay, were eventually sold to customers at$150 each. Ruis said she learned early onthat everything should be for sale, becausecustomers will ask for it. Other featuredproducts included silver placemats andornaments and glass and wooden trees. “Wesold so many things from that display that Ihad to keep reworking the table,” she noted.

To fill her shelves, Ruis said she attendsseveral trade shows each year, including theFancy Food Show in either San Francisco orNew York, the gift show in Atlanta or NewYork and possibly the housewares show inChicago. She also relies on manufacturersreps to bring her ideas, along with scoutingtrade publications for new products.

by Joanne Friedrick

At Art of the Table, displays can be found throughoutthe store.

Amy Ruis

retailerprofileArt of the Table


AMBIENTE (cont. from page 1)The company has recently discoveredinterest from distributors from all over theworld, and though Ambiente is anexpensive investment, Skipper said hebelieves the chance to make Europeanconnections is invaluable.

“The dollar isn’t favorable to the Euro andthis will be by far the most expensive showwe’ve ever done, but we look at the risk-benefit of it and we are anticipating a verygood show.”

From pastry tubes to roll-out mats and airbrushtools, Fat Daddios specializes in bakeware asits primary product line. This year, they havedeveloped a new line of baking tools, pastrytools and commercial-quality equipment thatwill be available to professionals.

“They are all available for sale as ofFebruary,” Skipper said. “Everything we dostays with our company focus and goaland that is to be all things baking. There’snot another company that has as deep ofa line as baking tools as we do.”

Metrokane Returns to Ambiente With New and Enhanced ProductsMetrokane has been exhibiting atAmbiente in Frankfurt for the past 10years, developing a close network ofdistributors and retailers bothinternationally and domestically.

“The Frankfurt show is my absolutefavorite, it's a great launching pad, thetiming is right, the coverage is tremendous,it provides the ideal environment andthe exposure is really quite extensive,”said Riki Kane, founder and presidentof Metrokane. “It is a worldwide,international, global show that attractsbuyers not just from Europe and theUnited States, but from South America,Australia and Asia and it has always beena very important, productive, first showof the year for us.”

This year, Metrokane will be introducinga new wine rack called The Z Rack, a lineof Rabbit bar tools, a pouring thermometerfor wine, and a cork-storing display unitcalled “Corkhaus.” Metrokane will also beintroducing variations on the “ElectricRabbit”—which sold out this past holidayseason at Macy's. The new Electric Rabbitswill be in special finishes such as blackvelvet, silver and metallic red and in hotnew promotional colors in spring such aselectric orange, lime and grape. Thecompany will also debut a Vertical Houdiniand a Houdini Aerator.

“We have six new products that we’relaunching in Frankfurt,” said Kane.“[Ambiente] always represents, to me, abeginning. It’s a real launching pad and aplace to meet with many of our buyers inadvance of (the International Home +Housewares Show in) Chicago.”

Revolutionary Cooling Systems Debuts At Ambiente After 6-Year WaitRevolutionary Cooling Systems is makingits debut at Ambiente this year after beingplaced on a space-available waiting list forthe past six years.

The admission comes at a good time, as thecompany gears up to launch two newproducts that rapidly chill beverages:The Blitz Chiller, which chills single-serve cans and bottles in two minutesfrom a warm room temperature to 38degrees Fahrenheit, and theVinPodium, a rapid chilling wine andchampagne cooler.

“We have two new products that we'reshowcasing, and it has taken us six yearsto get into Ambiente,” said Ed Carino,director of sales and marketing.“They’ve opened up a new hall and hadextra space, and it made sense for us totry and go, to try and get our productsin front of an international crowd.”

Lodge Manufacturing Co. Expands Line To Include Glass LidsA 114-year-old family business based inTennessee, Lodge Manufacturing Co. isthe only U.S. producer of cast-ironcookwear. While the company has had a15-year presence at Ambiente, it is rollingout a variety of new products for thisyear's show—expanding its line to include

new glass lids and a some products for thehome cook.

“We've been making iron covers for 100years and now we have glass lids in coloredpackaging,” said Bob Kellermann, CEO ofLodge. “[They are] tempered glasslids…oven-safe to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.”

Also being showcased at Ambiente is the newLodge 7 1/2 quart Dutch Oven in the LodgeColor series, available in gradated red and blue.

“The largest pot available in the LodgeColor series has been 6 quart, so we feelthe 7 1/2 quart will be a great new item,”said Kellermann.

Additionally, Lodge Manufacturing isintroducing its new Double-Play ReversibleGriddle, which is a dual-side, seasoned,griddle that's ribbed on one side and flaton the other, making it easy to cookeverything from hamburgers to pancakes.

Hampton Forge Ltd. Aims ToSlice The Competition With

Line Of Flatware And Cutlery Hampton Forge Ltd., a U.S. company thatspecializes in flatware and cutlery, will aimto slice the competition as first-yearexhibitors at Ambiente.

“The show is very important to us becausethis is the first year we are expanding ourbusiness to the Latin American andEuropean markets,” said Levi Neto, salesdirector for Latin America. “We expect itto be excellent. We are (making) a greatinvestment so customers and distributorscan have the best first impression possible.”

From beautiful flatware to high-qualitycutlery, Hampton Forge Ltd. will takesignature pieces from its line to theFrankfurt show, hoping to attract a wideraudience and bring their products tointernational attention.

“It’s hard to anticipate because this will bethe first time that we are attending andparticipating in the show,” said Neto. “Forus it's going to be very, very important. We

are already a market leader here in theUnited States, and we'll be fighting outwith the big guys in Europe, but we believein today's economy our company has theadvantage. We have the best cost andbenefit to our customers.”

Whether aiming to make a splash on theinternational scene or returning to show offa new line of products, these Americancompanies are hoping to make themselvesknown at Ambiente by showcasing the bestof what’s to come for the kitchen in 2010.

EVRIHOLDER’S BATTERY HOLDEREvriholder Products’ new Battery Holderhelps take the clutter out of buying andstoring batteries in the home, office—virtually everywhere. The stand is selfsupporting but can be wall mounted.Measuring 5.15" wide x 3.38" deep x 9.09"tall, the holder folds flat for easy storage.When the stand is folded flat, it works formerchandising in retail stores The batteryholder is made of durable ABS plasticand comes in a variety of colors: White,Green, Grey, Black and other translucentcolors. Designed to hold 6 AAA, 10 AA,4 C, 4 D and (2) 9-Volt batteries.

The BATTERY HOLDER joins Evriholder’screative line of Storage andOrganization solutions for the home,including the Hang N Hold™ purseorganizer, the Evribox™ line of sock, braand shoe organization boxes and theHang N Hide™ laundry organizer. Suggested Retail Price:$4.99

Evriholder Products LLC[tel] 714-490-7878, 800-975-0335www.evriholder.com


{ n e w p r o d u c t s }NAMBÉ’S COPPER COLLECTIONNambé’s new Copper CanyonCollection is a departure from theirtraditional silver motif. Made from acopper-coated Nambé alloy with clearprotective coating, the line representsa celebration of the company’s NewMexican Heritage. Nambé is based inSanta Fe, New Mexico.

The collection, the shapes and colorsrepresent the canyons of the Southwest.Designer Lisa Smith was inspired by hertrips to the Grand Canyon, ArchesNational Park and Bryce Canyon. Thesecanyons are carved from water and wind.The coppery sand and desert flora arereferenced by the copper and verdigrison the ripples and ridges of Nambe’s newCopper Canyon Collection. Due to subtlyvarying verdigris (green patina), eachpiece is unique—a sculpture ofcontrasting color and texture.Suggested Retail Price: $25 (5" bowl)$225 (3-tier server)

Nambe[tel] 212-685-7698, 800-443-0339www.nambe.com

FUCILLO DESIGN’S ORGANIC FREEZER BINFuccillo Design® introduces theOrganic Freezer Bin, a composting binthat is kept in the freezer. The bin’sspecially designed handle, combinedwith the flexibility of the silicone allowsusers to empty the bin quickly andeasily, without ever coming intocontact with its contents. While theorganic waste is frozen, it’s odor andpest free. The bin holds 4 liters ofcompost, and the ergonomic handlemakes it easy to lift. The bin comes infour colors, all produced with naturaldyes. The walls are semi-transparent,giving the user a constant indicator ofhow full their bin is. Unlike other systemssuch as biodegradable bags orcardboard inserts, the Organic FreezerBin only needs to be bought once.

Fuccillo Design[tel] 902-802-5796www.fuccillodesign.com

STASHCANThe StashCan isa trashcan thatkeeps the roll ofgarbage canliners in the can ona roll at the top.

Adding a roll of trash liners to a trashreceptacle is a simple, but surprisinglyuseful feature. The design fits astandard 28-31 gallon kitchen trashbag, with total dimensions (includingthe bag storage unit in the back) at12" x 32" x 19". Suggested Retail Price:$54

Quirky [tel] 917-720-2908www.quirky.com/products/13


Sous vide may be a slow-cooking process,but this is certainly not your mother’sslow cooker.

Using a combination of vacuum sealingand slow cooking at lower temperatures ina water bath, the SousVide Supreme fromEades Appliance Technology takes atechnique first developed in France andbrings it into the American home kitchen.

I have to admit I was curious as to howfood would fair under this type of cookingmethod. What immediately came to mindwas something akin to boil-in-bag mealsthat were the precursors to microwaveablemeals. And my memories of those productswere not great.

For my test run on the SousVide Supreme,I selected a recipe for “Tender and JuicyPork Chops” but modified it to use one ofthe spice packages the company had includedwith the sample machine instead of theseasonings suggested (salt, pepper, onion andgarlic powder and paprika). I took a single,1.5-inch thick pork chop and liberally rubbedCajun seasoning on both sides. I also tookthe recipe’s suggestion of adding butter aspart of the seasoning process. Otherseasonings that can be added include frozenherbed broth and chilled flavored oils. Therecipe had suggested that the pork chopcould be brined overnight, but I hadn’tplanned for that, so I omitted that step.

Setting up the machine is simple. There isa main unit with a control panel on thefront that is about the size of a large breadmachine. Inside of that, you place a grillon top of a wire handle—this is designedto keep any food packaging away from thebottom of the unit and helps you removethe items after cooking. Atop the grill,you place a universal rack that holds oneor more vacuum-sealed pouches of food.Depending on the size of the package, therack can be configured in three positionsto accommodate average, large and longpouches. A fill line indicates how muchwater to put in, but it is important thatthere be enough water to completelyimmerse the package; therefore, you mayneed to fill beyond that line, but not abovethe maximum fill indicator.

Before putting any food into the SousVideSupreme, you need to seal it in a vacuum-sealed bag. I was provided several bags indifferent sizes, along with a vacuum-sealingtool, which isn’t part of the SousVideSupreme. With my pork chop sealedproperly, I then filled the machine withwater, turned on the SousVide Supreme,and waited about 10 minutes until the watertemperature hit the desired 140 degreesFahrenheit (you can set it up for Fahrenheitor Celsius). Then I lowered the bag intothe water using the rack, put on the lidand went back to work for about 3.5 hourswhile the cooking process took place.

Sous vide is definitely not something youdo without planning. But like a traditionalslow cooker, you can set up your meals inadvance and not have to check on themuntil the time is up. The booklet thataccompanies the SousVide Supreme notesthat cooking times are determined not bythe weight of the food, but by thethickness. The recipe I used said a 2-inchpork chop would take 4 hours to cook, soI figured one that is about 1.5 inches wouldtake 3 hours or so to prepare.

After the allotted time passed, I removedthe pouch with the wire handle, using (assuggested) the interior of the lid fordraining the rack. I then proceeded withthe next recommended step, which wasquick searing. Foods in which acaramelized exterior is preferred, like steaksor chops, require this additional finishingstep. I could have broiled or used a kitchentorch to sear the pork chop, but I chose tofinish it in a pan atop the stove. Just acouple of minutes on each side providedthe necessary brownness.

Now for the taste: The end result was

definitely tender and juicy, with the flavorof the spices having permeated the meatmore fully than if I had just seasoned andthen broiled, pan-fried or baked the meat.

Is this a practical method for a single porkchop? Probably not, but I can seeapplications for families on the go, caterersand even those among us who want toexperiment with cooking different cuts ofmeat, especially ones that tend to betougher. One of the benefits of the sousvide process is that it breaks down collagenfibers during the low, slow cooking process,so you can buy cheaper cuts of meat andsave money by preparing them this way.

Unless the bag comes open during cooking(which it shouldn’t if sealed properly usingthe right grade of bag), clean up is simplya matter of unplugging the machine,discarding the water and wiping down theinside and accessories with a clean cloth. The SousVide Supreme has a suggestedretail price of $449. For more information,contact Eades Appliance Technology at505-780-0579 or www.eadestech.com orwww.sousvidesupreme.com

Product development can mean creatingsomething completely new, or it can beabout finding what works best from amongexisting products. In the case of therelaunched Shun Pro line of Asian knivesfrom Kai USA Ltd., it ’s more a case ofthe latter.

“The knife is such a simple tool, an oldtool, that it ’s a daunting task to come upwith something new, cool and visuallypleasing, but also with enhancedperformance,” said Marc Wade, nationalsales manager-housewares division for Kai.

Up until this year, there were two lines ofShun Pro cutlery, he said, one that hedescribed as the “down and dirty” version,and the other, the Shun Pro 2, whichhad many of the ceremonial, ornatecharacteristics of Japanese knives. Whilethere were customers for both lines, Wadesaid it made more sense in the long run “totake the best elements from the two lines”and have a single offering.

Still sold under the Shun Pro name, therelaunched line takes the blade stock from

original knives and gave it some high-endcharacteristics, including a mirror finish onthe chiseled or beveled edge side andgraffiti etching on the other side.

Having a mirrorpolish, said Wade,“is hard to do,but the advantageis it reduces theamount of drag.”A good sushi-grade knife shouldglide as it cuts,and the finish helpsto accomplish that,he said. Theetching, which iscreated by usingacid on the metal, is all about the aestheticsof the piece, said Wade. “It has to havesome element of flair,” he acknowledged.

What results then is a line of knives withboth visual beauty and high performance.The Shun Pro line is crafted in Seki City,Japan, and available in three styles andmultiple sizes within those styles.

The Deba, a multi-purpose prep knife, isavailable in 4.5-, 6.5- and 8.25-inch sizes. TheYanagiba is the traditional long slicingknife used for preparing sashimi and sushi,

although Wadesaid he also uses itto make preciseinch-thick cuts ofrib eye steaks.This knife is soldin 8.25-, 9.5- and10.5-inch sizes.The final knife inthe collection isthe Usuba, achopping knifegood for preparingvegetables.

Wade said the Shun Pro line is aimed attwo target markets: those who love toprepare Asian and Japanese cuisine andwant the right tools for the job, and thosewho are more concerned about finding aproduct to fit a particular need, like a greatslicing knife, and find that the single bevelof the Asian knife gives them that ultra

thin, exacting edge they need. For the lattergroup, said Wade, trying a Shun Pro knifecan be an “aha” moment.

Using Asian knives doesn’t require anyspecial skills, although sharpening is bestaccomplished with a whetstone because ofthe chiseled edge. A traditional knifesharpener that works on both sides of theedge isn’t appropriate for this kind of knife,said Wade.

Looking ahead, Wade said there is plentyof room to expand the Shun Pro linebecause Japan “already has more uniqueknife shapes than any other knife culturein the world.” He said because of that,“our palette is wide open.” New knives willlikely be introduced based on customerneeds and changes in cooking culture. If anew type of cooking emerges that requiresa special tool, Wade said the Shun Proline could incorporate that, either usingtraditional Japanese knives as the basis orcreating a hybrid style. Right now, he said,they are already working on some smallerknives, along the line of paring knives, toexpand the line.

Revised Shun Pro Collection Cuts to the Heart of Cutlery Needs By Joanne Friedrick

productreviewSousVide Supreme


Kai's new Shun Pro line features etched Japanese-style knives.

by Joanne Friedrick



Six new design companies, reflecting arange of design aesthetics from around theworld, were invited to participate in “A+:The Young Designers’ Platform” showcasewithin Accent on Design® at the winter2010 New York International GiftFair® (NYIGF®).

“Our search for fresh and unique designperspectives extends beyond geographicalboundaries,” said Dorothy Belshaw,NYIGF director and GLM senior vicepresident, in a statement. “We’re delightedto introduce designers from Canada, SouthKorea, Turkey and the United States to thegift and home industry this winter.”

A+ Participant ProfilesSangwoo Nam, Appree Co.Sangwoo Nam is a young designer fromSeoul, South Korea whose functional homeaccessories include the “Leaf-it” self-stickmemo notes in the color and shapes oftree leaves, and Waterdrop Magnetic,round translucent magnets of various sizeswhich function as magnets while providingan indirect link to nature.

Jung Woo Lee, ekdesign Jung Woo Lee, principal product andgraphic designer at ekdesign in Seoul, SouthKorea, strives to incorporate expressivedesign into a variety of functional office

Six Emerging Designers Debut in Accent on DesignThrough A+: The Young Designers’ Platform at NYIGF

products, including cardboard file foldersand USB media players. For moreinformation, visit www.ekdesign.co.kr.

James Minola and Chelsea Green, GrainJames Minola and Chelsea Green, designersfrom Bainbridge Island, Wash., embrace amission to unite sustainability and businessthrough design. Grain is a design collaborativewhich creates and produces home andpersonal accessories, including the “Ty”recyclable shower curtain, made of ethically-produced, high density polyethylene (HDPE).The new “D.I.Y.” edition comes with an

attached permanent marker to draw customdesigns on the curtain. Minola and Green,both recipients of several design awards, metwhile pursuing industrial design degrees at theRhode Island School of Design. For moreinformation, visit www.graindesign.com.

Marie-Pier Guilmain and Maud Beauchamp, Loyal LuxeMarie-Pier Guilmain and MaudBeauchamp are pet accessory designersbased in Mont-St-Hilaire, Canada, whoseproducts are designed and manufacturedentirely in Quebec. Their showcasework is the “chalet for cats,” a cardboardhouse for cats or other small domestic pets.Its innovative yet humorous design is

inspired by Canadian-style chalets. BothGuilmain and Beauchamp received

industrial design degrees from MontrealUniversity. For more information, visitwww.loyalluxe.com.

Jiyeon Ahn and Jieun Kim, Luca 12:00This female design duo from Seoul, SouthKorea, creates playful lighting and otherhome accessories, in which everydayobjects become meaningful in a newcontext. One of their newest designs is“Soap, a portable light,” through which aunique light lamp—in the shape and colorof a bar of soap—is controlled throughtouch. By rubbing the lamp in the samemanner as a bar of soap, users can adjustthe luminous intensity, and the soap’sholder acts as a charger. For moreinformation, visit www.luca12.com.

Munire Kirmaci, munire kirmaciMunire Kirmaci is an industrial, productand spatial designer based in Brooklyn,N.Y., who designs home accessories aswell as interior spaces. Her signature pieceis “Salt and Pepper in One,” a stainlesssteel container which stores and dispensesboth salt and pepper in one piece. Kirmacireceived a Bachelor of Interior Architectureand Environmental Design from BilkentUniversity in Ankara, Turkey, and aMasters of Industrial Design from thePratt Institute. For more information,visit www.munirek.com.

A+ showcases emerging talents alongsidesome 200 established contemporary designresources exhibiting in Accent on Design.This type of participation offers youngdesigners and new companies an affordableopportunity to expose their concepts,prototypes and finished products to thewholesale marketplace. The program,which was launched in 2008, acceptsapplications from nascent designers,including students, recent graduates, ornew companies in business for one year orless. Participants are selected on the basisof design concept, creativity and originality.

The A+ exhibit is curated by the AmericanDesign Club (AmDC). Founded in 2008,AmDC is a professional community ofAmerican designers whose goal is toheighten awareness for emerging designersand provide exhibition opportunities.

“A+: The Young Designers’ Platform” atAccent on Design runs Sunday, Jan. 31,through Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010, at New YorkCity’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.Fair hours are 9am-6pm daily, except forThursday, when the Fair closes at noon.

NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift, home andlifestyle marketplace, with 2,700 exhibitingcompanies featuring an extraordinary breadthand depth of design-driven home fashionproducts and complementary giftware.Some 31,000 attendees from all 50 statesand 85 countries around the world wereexpected as of press time. For moreinformation, visit www.nyigf.com.

PORTABLE COMPOST PAIL NEW FORANCHOR HOME COLLECTIONS™Responding to the needs of consumerswho want the convenience of acompost pile without going outside,Anchor Home Collections™ introducesa stylish Compost Pail for the indoors.

The decorative pails are designed forcountertop use and have a built-incarbon filter to eliminate odors. Aneasy-carry handle makes trips to thecompost pile simple.

Available in two convenient sizes, 1gallon small and 2 gallon large, theCompost Pails come in black and white.Suggested Retail Price: $19.99-$29.99

Anchor Hocking[tel] 740-681-6478www.anchorhocking.com

FAGOR’S ELECTRIC STEAMER Fagor America is adding a stainless steelelectric steamer to its small electricsproduct assortment. This 10-quartcapacity allows the flexibility to cook atfull capacity or with the individualsteaming baskets in combinations of one,two or three tiers to prepare one smalldish up to several dishes at once. Anadditional rice cooking bowl is included.The unit is equipped with digital touchcontrols and an LCD screen, 60-minutetimer with time delay setting and a keepwarm function. In addition, it has a waterlevel indicator with automatic shut off.An external reservoir allows for water refillto occur while the unit is in operation.Suggested Retail Price: $69.99

Fagor America Inc.[tel] 201-804-3900www.fagoramerica.com

SIMPLEHUMAN’S SINK CADDYSimplehuman introduces a Sink Caddyfeaturing four suction cups and a wireledge hanger to keep it securelyattached to the sink wall. The wire ledgehanger has a soft, clear rubber coatingto keep the wire from scratching thecountertop or sink. A pop-up siliconebrush holder extends to hold longerbrushes, while a raised plastic dividerseparates sponges and scourers forfaster drying.Suggested Retail Price: $16.99

Simplehuman[tel] 877-988-7770www.simplehuman.com

PEKING HANDICRAFT’S HAPPI FLORAL GUEST TOWELPeking Handicraft Inc., a globalmanufacturer and wholesaler of homedecor, tabletop and giftware items,introduces new everyday textiledesigns by Dena. Dena’s whimsicaleveryday patterns blend vibrantcolor, elegant florals and polka dotdesigns on new kitchen towels andaprons offered exclusively by PekingHandicraft. The company’s HappiFloral, Happi Monogram, Rachel andHappi Cupcakes designs are both funand functional. The Happi Floral GuestTowel is 14" x 22". Suggested Retail Price: $7.50

Peking Handicraft Inc.[tel] 800-872-6888www.pkhc.com


Trade Show Buzz

New York International Gift FairJan. 30–Feb. 4Held twice annually, the New YorkInternational Gift Fair showcases a varietyof lines across the home, lifestyle and giftspectrum. The fair also plays host to avariety of seminars and events, providingeducation and entertainment for the30,000-plus attendees and 2,700 exhibitors.

This year, the focus is on creating an onlinepresence for small businesses, withseminars on social media such as “ABeginner’s Guide to Social Media” and“Social Media 2.0: Using OnlineTechnologies to Build Your Business,” aswell as courses on Web basics ande-marketing strategies— “Untangle theWeb: Web site Basics” and “BusinessBoosting E-marketing Strategies.”

On Feb. 3, the Seventh AnnualHousewares Design Awards willhonor the best products in 13 categoriesincluding Tabletop, Cookware,Bakeware, Lighting, Home Décor andOutdoor Living, at the Marriott Marquisin Times Square.

Ambiente Feb. 12-16Three leading international trade fairs,about 4,300 international exhibitors and180,000 square meters of net floor spacewill come together at Ambiente, Feb. 12-16, in Frankfurt, Germany. The marketrevolves around tableware, kitchenware,household goods, gift items anddecorations as well as home furnishingaccessories. Under the Ambiente umbrella,products are organized into three dedicatedfairs: Dining, Giving and Living.

Ambiente is debuting a new concept forthe halls this year, enabling exhibitors topresent their products in a clearlystructured and targeted framework.

The Dining Fair will occupy Halls 1.0-6.0,while the Giving Fair will be in Halls 9.1-9.3, 10.0 and 11.1, and the Living Fair willbe in Halls 8.0, 9.0, 10.1, 10.2 and 11.0.

The halls will then be divided up intocategories such as Table ContemporaryDesign (Hall 4.0), Kitchen Trends (Halls1.1 and 1.2), and Gifts Unlimited (Halls9.1 and 9.2), to name a few. This newlayout, which is based on product group,style direction and market segment, isdesigned to make both exhibiting andattending more beneficial for all.

Coffee Fest March 5-7Coffee Fest packs up its bags to travel tothe East Coast for its spring show atthe Meadowlands Exposition Center,Seacaucus, N.J., March 5-7, whereentrepreneurs and veteran specialty coffeeprofessionals will gather to network, learnand accumulate a breadth of coffeeproducts and knowledge to transmute intoa healthy bottom line.

“We welcome the energy of the East Coastand look forward to comparing notes withprofessionals from the New Yorkmetropolitan area,” said Greg Hartlein,CEO of Coffee Fest, in a statement.

The show offers attendees a three-prongedapproach to business success—education andtraining, networking and trend watching,over the course of the three-day show.

Some highlights of this year’s East CoastCoffee Fest are the Pacific Natural FoodsTop Cup Challenge, where soy plays thestarring role in a contest to see whichbarista can whip up the tastiest and mostcreative soy-based drink, and the Tinker'sMinute—an old-fashioned take on newproducts, that highlights the latestinnovations the industry has to offer with

exhibitors’ one-minute platform speeches.

Natural Products Expo WestMarch 11-14Natural Products Expo West, now in its30th year, will open March 11 in Anaheim,Calif., with a strong showing of exhibitorsand attendees expected. Educationalopportunities include seminars,presentations, tours and speakers. Thekeynote session this year is Food, Economyand 350 with Bill McKibben, the founderof 350.org, an international climatecampaign and author of The End ofNature. The featured speaker this yearis Robert Kenner, director of the movieFood, Inc.

Expo West is also offering a businessprogram for newcomers to the industry.The program will provide in-depth advicefor businesses and individuals frombranding, marketing and labeling toindustry trends, distribution, financing andtips for success.

Attendees can also take advantage of achance to explore retail stores andmanufacturing plants throughout SouthernCalifornia, with two available bus tours.The retail-store tour highlights the bestnatural products and specialty stores, whilethe manufacturing-plant tour will focuson LEED-certified facilities and practices.

International Home + Housewares ShowMarch 14-16Building on more than 400 new exhibitorsat the 2009 show, the InternationalHousewares Association announced abroad range of new and returningexhibitors slated to appear at the 2010International Home + Housewares Show,to held March 14-16 at Chicago’sMcCormick Place.

“The retailer audience told us that last year'snew exhibitors along with the thousands ofnew offerings from long-time exhibitorsmade the show innovation headquarters forour industry,” said Phil Brandl, president of

IHA, in a statement. “We are pleased to saythat we are ahead of last year’s pace insigning up new exhibitors.”

As of Dec. 14, the show had 160 newexhibitors scheduled. The new exhibitors arespread throughout the four expos containedwithin the show: clean + contain, dine +design (which includes GOHO—GourmetHome and Food), wired + well, and globalcrossroads (an international pavilion).

{ m a r k e t w a t c h }

Foreign Presence Grows at New York International Gift FairSome 46 countries will be represented atthe winter 2010 New York InternationalGift Fair, with more than 300 internationalcompanies included among the Fair’s 2,700exhibitors. Global suppliers will be featuredthroughout NYIGF’s eight divisionsthrough government-sponsored pavilions,as independent exhibitors and—for thefirst time this winter—within a newlyformed international “consortium” inAccent on Design.

“No other U.S. market provides such anextensive quantity of global resources,”said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF directorand GLM senior vice president in aprepared release. “Equally notable is thequality of international merchandise ondisplay, reflecting the exceptional talentand inspired aesthetics of designers and

craftsmen from around the world.”

Eleven international pavilions will befeatured at NYIGF this winter, withexpanded participation by groups fromIsrael and Japan. Pavilion organizers are:Africa Now!, representing nine Africannations, American Chamber of Commercefrom Peru, Ateliers d’Art de France,,British Crafts Council, British DesignGroup and British Jewellery andGiftware Exports, Israel Export Institute,Italian Trade Commission, JETRO NewYork ( Japan), LMI-Leipziger MesseInternational GmbH (Germany), andProMexico Trade & Investment.

This winter, the Israel Export Institutewill expand its presence beyond NYIGF’sGeneral Gift division to feature a

collection of Israeli handcrafts withinNYIGF’s Handmade division; and JETRONew York will expand its pavilion withinthe General Gift division. In total, therewill be 25 Israeli companies exhibitingwith the Israel Export Institute and 12Japanese companies exhibiting withJETRO New York.

At the same time, four independentJapanese exhibitors have formed a new“Accent on Japan” consortium withinNYIGF’s Accent on Design division. Thefour main participants–Gallery 91,Inatome, Morihata International Ltd. Co.and Tanuma Co. Ltd. (a first-time NYIGFexhibitor)–have relocated next to eachother on the exhibit floor, to create a sharedspace through which they will showcasetheir gifts, accessories and tableware fromJapan and feature work from emergingJapanese artists.

In total, 46 countries are represented atNYIGF: Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia,

Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia,Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, China,Czech Republic, Denmark, Ethiopia,France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala,Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel,Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mali, Malaysia, Mexico,Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Portugal,Russia, Singapore, South Africa, SouthKorea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania,Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdomand the United States.

NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift, homeand lifestyle marketplace, with 2,700exhibiting companies featuring anextraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products andcomplementary giftware. Some 31,000attendees from all 50 states and 85countries around the world are expected.

The winter 2010 edition of NYIGF runsJan. 30, through Feb. 4, at New York City’sJacob K. Javits Convention Center andPassenger Ship Terminal Pier 94.

A monthly update on the goings-on at industry-related shows


Putting Words into Deeds on Going Green

J.K. Adams made the decision to becomeForest Stewardship Council (FSC)certified to bring validity to what it hasalways practiced in the manufacturing ofits products, which is to purchase lumberfrom suppliers who use sustainable forestrypractices. J.K. Adams felt that witheveryone claiming “green” on theirproducts the company wanted to be thefirst manufacturer of its type to be certifiedby the FSC, which is an independent, notfor profit organization whose mission isto support environmentally appropriate,socially beneficial, and economicallyviable management of the world’sforests. J.K.Adams is a manufacturer ofwood cutting boards, serving pieces andknife, wine and spice storage to thegourmet housewares industry for morethan 65 years.

The first step in the certification processwas to create a company FSC Chain-of-Custody Documented Control System.This document outlines the proceduresand responsibilities of everyone in theorganization regarding the processingof FSC certified products. This beginsfrom the time the order is taken to thetime the finished product leaves thebuilding. Every step in the process mustbe documented and every person in theprocess must understand theirresponsibility. Upon completion of theChain-of-Custody documented controlsystem it was submitted to the FSC forreview and approval. Once we receivedapproval an audit was scheduled. A teamof five came to the facility to review andask questions about our processes andensure what we claimed was actuallyhappening throughout the factory.Employees were interviewed to ensure

they were clear on the process and whattheir role and responsibility was. Thereview team was on site for the entire dayconducting their investigation.

Once the audit team was finished theyleft to prepare their findings in a report.Any shortcomings were noted andwere expected to be corrected beforecertification was issued. Uponsatisfactory completion of the audit wewere issued our certificate. The processfrom start to finish was nearly one year.Each year an auditor comes in to reviewour documentation before we arerecertified for the following year. Checksare done to calculate all incoming FSCcertified materials, how they wereprocessed through the factory, and whatproducts they were made into. Incominglumber receipts, factory work orders,packaging, and shipping documents areverified for compliance. Everyone in theprocess must be FSC certified includingthe timber land owner to the lumbermill who processes the trees into lumber.

J.K. Adams believes this process wasworth the effort and expense because itis in line with its core beliefs and valuesregarding how our forest resourcesshould be handled. J.K. Adams continuesto be the only manufacturer of its typeof product to carry this certification andhopes others will come aboard and bringlegitimacy to the unregulated “green”label that unfortunately is often looselyapplied to products that would nevermeet the standards set forth by the FSC.

John Rodrigues is vice president of J.K.Adams, located in Dorset, Vermont. He canbe reached at 802-362-2303, ext. 24.

2010 TRADE SHOW CALENDERFEBRUARY 2010

7-11 Spring Fair Birmingham,National Exhibition Centre

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

12-16 AmbienteFrankfurt Fair & Exhibition CenterFrankfurt, Germany 770-984-8016

www.messefrankfurt.com

21-24 Alberta Gift ShowNorthlands Agricom

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 800-633-8332www.albertagiftshow.com

23-24 Upshow-Upper Midwest Foodservice & Lodging ShowMinneapolis Convention Center

Minneapolis, MN, 914-421-3200www.upshowonline.com

27-March 1 Portland Gift & Accessories Show

Oregon Convention CenterPortland, OR, 800-346-1212

www.portlandgift.com

MARCH 2010

7-10 Montreal Gift ShowPlace Bonaventure

Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 888-823-7469www.montrealgiftshow.com

14-16 International Home & Housewares Show

McCormick PlaceChicago, IL, 847-692-0109

www.housewares.org

14-16 Spring Gift ShowLA Mart

Los Angeles, CA, 800-LAMART4www.lamart.com

21-24 Boston Gift ShowBoston Convention & Exhibition Center

Boston, MA, 800-272-SHOWwww.bostongiftshow.com

25-28 Dallas Total Home & Gift MarketDallas Market Center

Dallas, TX, 800-DAL-MKTSwww.dallasmarketcenter.com

APRIL 2010

13-16 New York Tabletop MarketNew York Showrooms, 41 Madison

7 West 34th, 230 Fifth Ave.New York, NY, 212-686-1203, 212-279-6063

800-698-5617www.41madison.com, www.7wnewyork.com

www.230fifthave.com

17-22 International Home Furnishings Market

High Point, NC, 336-869-1000www.ihfc.com

MAY 2010

15-18 International ContemporaryFurniture Fair

Jacob K. Javits Convention CenterNew York, NY, 800-272-SHOW

www.icff.com

JUNE 2010

8-10 Licensing International ExpoLas Vegas, NV, 212-951-6612

www.licensingexpo.com

14-16 NEOCON World’s Trade FairThe Merchandise Mart

Chicago, IL, 800-677-MARTwww.neocon.com



JULY 2010

2-6 Tendence LifestyleFrankfurt Fair & Exhibition Center

Frankfurt, Germany, 770-984-8016www.messefrankfurt.com

14-21 Atlanta International Gift &Home Furnishings Market

AmericasMart AtlantaAtlanta, GA, 800-ATL-MART

www.americasmart.com

31-Aug 2 The Gourmet Housewares ShowMoscone Center

San Francisco, CA, 914-421-3206www.thegourmetshow.com

AUGUST 2010

14-19 New York International Gift FairJacob K. Javits Convention Center

New York, NY, 800-272-SHOWwww.nyigf.com

SEPTEMBER 2010

11-13 Atlanta Fall Gift & Home Furnishings Market and The Atlanta Gourmet Market®

AmericasMart AtlantaAtlanta, GA, 800-ATL-MART

www.americasmart.com



columnguest

John Rodrigues, Vice PresidentJ.K. Adams Co.

D&H Distributing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Eades Appliance Technology LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Essenergy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

IHA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Kyocera Advanced Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Linden Sweden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

LSArts Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Parrish’s Cake Dec. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Prodyne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

SCI Scandicrafts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Starfrit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Tervis Tumbler Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Zak Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

A D V E R T I S E R I N D E X

kitchenware news v16i02

Documents