|
| |
| Trend
Feature—Tea
Traditions and Coffee Culture Take Center Stage In Gourmet
Housewares Introductions
| |
| |
|
Whether you enjoy your caffeine piping hot or icy cold, there is no
denying the appeal of tea and coffee in today’s society. Beverages
are big business, and companies are highlighting a plethora of new
products designed to enhance the experience. Introductions at
January edition of the New York International Gift Fair® in New York
City ranged from infusers and brewing units designed to create the
perfect cup, to luscious combinations of exotic ingredients
blended to produce irresistible aromas and
flavors. | |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
Show
Feature—Gourmet
Housewares Firms Build Momentum at
Winter
NYIGF® |
| |
Leading
gourmet housewares suppliers continued to build on successful
product launches from August and introduced a broad range of
new items at the winter 2013 New York International Gift Fair®
(NYIGF®), held Jan. 26 to 30, 2013 at New York City’s Jacob K.
Javits Convention Center.
Many of the
companies that participated in the sold-out Gourmet Housewares
Show at NYIGF in August returned for the January NYIGF,
exhibiting in the Show’s Tabletop & Housewares
division. “Many of the suppliers who exhibited at the
Gourmet Housewares Show at NYIGF realize the benefits of
year-round exposure to the thousands of retailers who shop
NYIGF,” comments Christian Falkenberg, director of NYIGF and
vice president of GLM, which produces the Show. “These gourmet
housewares exhibitors report strong sales among their
traditional retail customers; they are also taking advantage
of the opportunity to cross-merchandise their products to
alternative retail channels, including gift shops and home
furnishings stores.”
More than 33,000 retailers from
all 50 states and more than 90 countries attended the January
NYIGF, and many exhibitors said that order-writing was brisk.
“The buyer demographics at this show told a story of economic
upswing,” notes Falkenberg. “Small retailers are demonstrating
renewed optimism, and buyers are traveling greater distances
specifically to shop the New York market.”
Gourmet
housewares companies exhibiting in January say the Show
surpassed expectations.
 “The January show was well
attended and buyers were there to do business,” comments Peggy
Hedgpeth, president of enamelware supplier Golden Rabbit. “Our presence
in the show is a great opportunity to see our customers face
to face and provide overall good public relations. New England
is one of our biggest territories and this show is very
important to maintain relations not only with New England
customers but also national and international
customers.
“Golden Rabbit introduced a plethora of new
products at the January Show and found positive feedback
across the board,” Hedgpeth adds. “Our new mixed medium
enamelware and rattan trays and boxes were well received; also
we introduced a new collapsible nickel plated table base
(left), which holds any of our large trays—simply change the
tray and you can change the look. But the 18th century
reproduction French porcelain was the star of the show and
stopped many customers in the aisle. Its delicate colors
reminded people of sea glass while the classic design is quite
unexpected in an enamel medium.”
 Contemporary gift and
tabletop supplier Yedi Houseware also reported
good results. “Our Botero Home Brand made a huge splash into
market scene, in addition to the new Woven Classic and
Contemporary collections,” states Bobby Djavaheri (right),
director of sales and development. “I believe the January Show
was slightly better than the August Show. NYIGF provides
our company with a broad spectrum of customers. Our line
is distributed in over 20 countries and in this Show, in
particular, we had the largest South American turnout in our
company’s history.”
 London-based gadget and
housewares supplier Joseph Joseph launched its
innovative C soap dispenser, a new Utility range, and
Mezzaluna and Cheese Knives (left). “The Show gives us the
opportunity to gain feedback from our customers and to inform
them of all the exciting developments within our business,”
states Damon Willmott, sales director. “It's a great place to
launch our new collections and also to showcase our entire
portfolio of products; it enables buyers to see our whole
offering and to give ideas on how to merchandise our range.
“We strive to offer a point of difference in both
functionality and design aesthetic—we feel we have our own
signature and offer playful but very useful problem-solving
items,” Willmott continues. “We always keep to our style so
products are cohesive and can be purchased as a collection
over time and sit very well together in the consumer’s home.
We concentrate very much on durability and functionality so
our products will last and serve our consumers for years
ahead.”
 Another London-based firm,
industrial designers Black+Blum, added several
unique new products, including a polar bear ice cube tray
(right). “We had a great show, introducing more new products
than we did in August, and were thrilled at how well they were
received,” points out co-founder Dan Black. “Exhibiting is the
only way to introduce new products to the U.S. market while
meeting with new and existing customers at the same time. The
polar bear ice tray, called Brrrr..., received a great
reaction, bringing a sense of fun to making ice while solving
the functional problems with existing trays.”
German
housewares supplier Koziol received a good
reaction to its colorful new Leaf and Crystal salad bowls,
according to Tobias Mautner, export manager. “Customers
loved the shapes and colors of these lines,” he says. “The
January show was much higher frequented then the August
edition and our booth location helped us to have better sales.
We worked with a bigger booth this time to show customers the
possibilities of Koziol.”
Cookware supplier Art & Cuisine had a good
reaction to its bold colors, introducing red, blue and purple
to its cookware line. “We had a really good Show overall, with
a strong reaction to our products,” comments president Stephan
Memmi. “We saw a lot of our existing customers and made a lot
of new contacts as well.”
Newcomer Teroforma debuted a variety
of items, including Icon Whiskey Stones, Bread & Butter
Boards and the Troika Trivet. “This particular Show happened
to be our first solo showing and it allowed us to ‘spread our
wings’ a bit and exhibit our entire collection,” states Lauren
Herbert, brand director. “Having the space and presence was
extremely exciting. The NYIGF allows us an unparalleled
connection to buyers not just in the U.S. but on an
international level as well.
 “We launched two distinct
product ranges at the show—both were well received by
customers and press,” Herbert continues. “The first is the
Whisky Stones ICON collection, sets of three polished,
engraved soapstone beverage cubes that ensure there is always
much more in your glass than just your favorite spirits. The
second launch continues our development on the tableware side
with design-led, thoughtfully crafted pieces: our Bread &
Butter Board (left) brings a bit of additional functionality
to the traditional wooden serving board. An accompanying small
soapstone bowl nestles perfectly into an opening, which also
doubles as a hook or handle. The Troika Trivet has embedded
rare earth magnets allowing this three-piece trivet to
transform from 7 to 10 inches accommodating a wide variety of
hot dishes. After dinner the Troika Trivet pulls apart and
nestles neatly together fitting in a drawer until the next
use.”
During the winter NYIGF, a preview of the
reorganization and rebranding of the market was announced.
Beginning in August 2013, a new exhibit floor layout will
position the show’s more than 2,800 exhibitors into four
comprehensive broad market collections: Home, Lifestyle,
Handmade, and New! The show also will adopt a dynamic new
brand: NY NOW, the Market for Home & Lifestyle.
NY NOW, the Market for Home & Lifestyle will run Saturday,
August 17, through Wednesday, August 21, 2013, at New York
City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship
Terminal Pier 94. NY NOW’s four comprehensive collections –
Home, Lifestyle, Handmade and New – will encompass 100,000
products in 400+ product categories. Some 35,000 attendees
from all 50 states and more than 80 countries worldwide are
expected. Information and registration is available online at
www.nynow.com.
|
|
| |
| |
| |
Industry
Q&A—What
were the most interesting or innovative new products in the Tabletop
& Housewares Division of the NYIGF?
|
| |
|
 A "The New York
International Gift Fair always offers such a dazzling
array of styles and designs suited to every possible
trend that one could point to almost any corridor and
find a cohesive theme. While it would be possible to
list dozens of appealing and tantalizing trends, I tend
to gravitate toward the revival of products that look
like they could have stepped out of a late 1960s
interior design magazine. The return of items that are
clearly a nod to Kaj Franck, Finel, Catherine Holm,
Dansk and other Finnish and Scandinavian brands is such
a welcome trend. Bold graphics, interesting patterns and
deep colors applied on spare, unornamented or even
clever modular shapes are the hallmarks of that era, and
I saw dozens of products that either emulated that, or
were actual reproductions, all over the show. It is a
wonderful era to breathe new life into. I know my
customers at Stock will respond to these tabletop items
because they not only feel faintly nostalgic, but some
of those shapes are simply, inherently alluring. They
aren't fussy, but with interesting graphics and colors,
they aren't boring either. People know that a simple
bold piece can spark an entire setting. I am eager to
bring in a hearty supply of these Finnish-style products
into Stock.”
|
—Jan
Faust Dane, Owner, Stock Culinary Goods,
Providence,
RI | | | |
| |
|
|
A
"I loved the items from the brand DCI; we ordered these
and they were a major hit in Panama and we plan on continuing
with them. We also loved Two’s Company—we are opening a new
store, and we are going to stock it with a lot of items from
this brand because they have such lovely
things.”
|
—Marta
E. Sosa, General Manager, Cookshop, Panama City,
Panama | | |
| |
 A "I am a
Canadian company and attend the Show to be on top of what is
happening outside of Canada, and to find innovative products
that would not be common here. My favorite at the show was the
Argentina stand. The company No Brand won out on all other
companies on branding Argentina, the things that Argentina is
famous for. For my purposes, I was pulled in by the Mate gourd
that the company had created. These gourds are used to drink
Maté, an herbal from South America, and traditionally a rough
gourd is used. No Brand however had modernized it with clean
clear lines into something I had never seen before. Everything
that is happening in tea is wrapped around how we are
re-packaging an age-old beverage for our modern day lives. And
this product spoke to me on that.”
|
—Shabnam
Weber, Owner, The Tea Emporium, Toronto,
Canada | | |
| |
| | |
|
| |
|
NYC
Feature—Treat
Yourself To Some Bacon In Everything from Snacks to
Cocktails
|
|
|
| |
 Crif Dogs is a hot dog
lover’s dream come to life on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The
brainchild of childhood pals Brian Shebairo and Chris Antista,
Crif Dogs has been serving up its luscious deep-fried tube
steaks since 2001, but recently it’s been all about the bacon.
The menu offers up juicy, bacon-wrapped hot dogs topped with
numerous options, including the Good Morning, a bacon-wrapped
dog smothered with melted cheese and a fried egg; the Spicy
Redneck, a bacon-wrapped house dog with chili, cole slaw and
jalapeños; the B.L.T., a bacon-wrapped dog with lettuce,
tomato and mayo; the Tsunami, a bacon-wrapped house dog with
teriyaki, pineapple and green onions, and the Chihuahua, a
bacon-wrapped dog covered with avocadoes and sour cream. For
non-bacon-believers, Crif Dogs also offers Veggie Dogs,
burgers, fries, shakes and floats. Crif Dogs is located at 113
Saint Marks Place, between 1st Avenue and Avenue A in
Manhattan, or at 555 Driggs Avenue @ North 7th in Brooklyn.
The Manhattan eatery is open Sunday through Thursday from 12
noon to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday from 12 noon to 4 a.m. For
information, call (212) 614-2728.
 If you’d prefer to get a dose of bacon-y
goodness in cocktail form, you don’t have to go far—just
around the corner at 14 Avenue A near Houston Street is the
New York branch of the Double Down Saloon, the Las
Vegas taproom renowned for creating the Bacon Martini. The
Double Down has gone one better with the addition of the Bacon
Bloody Mary. Both cocktails are made with Double Down’s bacon
vodka, created by infusing vodka with hickory-smoked bacon.
Truly a bacon-licious experience! For information, call
212-982-0543. | | |
|
 |
 |
|
| |
|
Show at a Glance |
| |
The
Tabletop & Gourmet Housewares section of NY NOW
HOME is the only industry event to focus on high-end
cookware, cutlery, bakeware, small electrics, gadgets, tabletop,
kitchen textiles and specialty food. NY NOW HOME
presents a comprehensive collection of 1,200 companies encompassing
the home furnishings, home textiles, decorative accessories,
tabletop and gourmet housewares categories on Level 3 of the Jacob
K. Javits Convention Center. Drawing 35,000 attendees from all 50
states and 80+ countries, NY NOW is produced twice
annually by GLM Shows and is open to trade only.
Donna Boyle Schwartz, Taste of NY editor: donna@dds-enterprises.com or
telephone 845.298.9365.
Click here for previous issues of Taste
of NY.
| |
|
| |
| |
