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Trend
Feature—Inventive
And Interesting New Gadgets
Double As
Great Gifts | |
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Everyone delights in discovering an ingenious new gadget for their
kitchen, something that allows them to hone their culinary crafts.
Whether it’s a whimsical appearance, fantastic functionality or
aesthetic design appeal, new and innovative gadgets are perpetual
best sellers in the gourmet housewares business. Gadgets also make
great gifts, and therefore are the perfect crossover category for
retailers in search of a business boost. Gadgets appeal to the
creative cook in all of us, because they make kitchen tasks easier,
faster and, let’s face it, just more
fun! | |
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Show
Feature—Gourmet
Housewares And Tabletop Exhibitors Showcasing Innovative New
Products At August NY NOW |
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Gourmet housewares and tabletop suppliers
are unveiling a host of new and exciting products at the
summer 2013 edition of NY NOW®, the Market for Home &
Lifestyle (formerly NYIGF®), running Aug. 18 to 21 at New York
City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
“The NY NOW
HOME collection features the best and the brightest in gourmet
products, innovative housewares and upscale tabletop items,”
points out Christian Falkenberg, NY NOW director and senior
vice president of show producer GLM. “More than 300 suppliers
of gourmet housewares products and specialty tabletop items
will showcase their products during NY NOW, offering exciting
new merchandise to the estimated 35,000 retailers who will be
shopping the Show.”
The upcoming August event marks the
debut of a new format for NY NOW, which was formerly the New
York International Gift Fair. As part of the new format, the
Gourmet Housewares Show® will be integrated into the Tabletop
+ Gourmet Housewares neighborhood within the NY NOW HOME
collection.
 “We are very excited about
coming to the NY NOW Show!” declares Teresa Lundahl, founder
of Swedish ceramics manufacturer Mateus. “We are very proud to
present our new collaboration with the great designer Tord
Boontje, who has designed a lovely platter and a amazing gift
box for our collection called ‘Mateus Meets Tord Boontje.’ Our
collaboration with Tord Boontje will play an important role,
as he is a landmark in the world of design.
“Mateus
ceramics include a wide range of different colors and shapes
of articles for the table,” Lundahl continues. “We will be
presenting a light blue color (above, left) that can be
combined with the other colors already presented in the U.S.
market—purple, grey and ocean—as well as some new bowls and
platters. I think the new color will get quite a good response
as it gives even more depth to our concept—showing that all
items can be mixed, making your table setting fun and
personal! It gives people the possibility to express
themselves by creating their own table settings, combining
colors and shapes according to their moods and
taste.”
 Italian housewares and tabletop supplier
VIETRI is highlighting its new Dei
Medici dinnerware (right) at the August Show. “Our new Dei
Medici dinnerware collection is a fresh take on bridal while
maintaining our classic Italian heritage,” explains Lisa
Boyles, vice president, sales and marketing. “The design
honors the Florentine Medici family and their patronage of the
arts with its sculpted borders inspired by a Renaissance
painting and hand-painted scenes representing Florence and the
surrounding villages. Handmade of Italian stoneware in
Tuscany, Dei Medici is refined and rustic at once.
“Our
newest product launch features comforting color palettes,
statement prints and bold patterns reflecting energy and
passion, gorgeous gilded glassware, strong yet modest designs
and beloved favorites, updated with new appeal,” Boyles adds.
“Each piece of VIETRI is authentic and unique, born from the
earth and inspired by Italy. VIETRI's products are designed to
complement the American lifestyle and celebrate Italy and all
that it encompasses—a love of life, people, nature, and simply
good living.”
 California-based ceramics
manufacturer Alex
Marshall Studios is launching an Urban Dinnerware
line (left) in 19 glazes and four sizes: 13-inch charger,
11-inch dinner plate, 8.5-inch side plate and 6-by-2-inch
bowl. “It's our interpretation of a coupe design and is made
from a high fire porcelain clay body,” points out co-owner
Alex Marshall. “It's extremely thin and lightweight but
incredibly strong so it can be used on a daily basis. We're
also launching two new glazes: honey with charcoal, and black
and white. The honey with charcoal is our honey glaze with a
couple of charcoal drip lines and dots across the center of
each piece. The black and white is gloss black with gloss
white, and where they overlap in the middle creates a mixture
of the two colors. The honey with charcoal is available in our
entire line and the black and white is available in serving
bowls, certain accessories, vases and lighting. For our baby
and kids' line, we're launching a lavender butterfly, blue
rocket ship and blue UFO motifs which are available on our
three-piece dish sets, coin banks, picture frames and
lighting.”
NY NOW, the Market for Home &
Lifestyle will run Saturday, Aug. 17 through Wednesday, Aug.
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.
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Industry
Q&A—What
great new products will you be shopping for at the August NY NOW
show?
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 A “We are
constantly searching for new and innovative products
that are both beautiful and practical. We focus our
attention on contemporary/modern products that encourage
people to interact with our products, touch the products
and explore their different uses. This year we are
targeting our kitchen and bath products because this is
the line that seems to drive our store traffic most
consistently. Our kitchen lines include Joseph Joseph,
Umbra and ittala; these lines offer our customers the
quality and attention to design that they expect from
us. Although we both expect a certain attention to
detail with our products, we still expect them to be fun
and practical. A big part of our small success is that
we also sell modern furniture. The growth in furniture
has given our store new life but we're always searching
for new products that will give us that next boost of
energy in the store.”
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—David
Friday & Lindsay Herman, Owners, Hipster Home,
Philadelphia,
PA | | | |
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 A “I will be
looking for easy-care linens because I find these are lacking
in my area and people want a green solution to throw-away
napkins but not more work like ironing. I also will be looking
for different ways to serve appetizers and small plates to
make entertaining easy and stylish. I will be specifically
watching for dishes and serving pieces that are elegant but
not precious so they can be used every day and are again easy
to care for. I think people love the look of fine china and
silver—especially the Downton Abbey lovers—but need
easy care, since time is at a premium. I am new to retail but
have always loved entertaining and setting a great table. The
tag line for my store is ‘Conjure Up Old World Entertaining,’
and a kitchen witch is an old European symbol that ensures
safety and productivity and counteracts any ill will directed
toward your home—a good luck charm.”
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—Donna
Cole, Head Witch, The Kitchen Witch, Dundas, Ontario,
Canada | |
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A “Ours
is a small specialty gift shop in the heart of the wine
country. We specialize in bed and table linens and are always
looking for charming items to dress up a table or bed. We
believe in color in the country as it complements the
outdoors.”
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—Toni
Rothschild, Co-Owner, The Corner Store, Sonoma,
CA | |
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 A “The way I
shop for my store is that every item must have a purpose—it
must enhance your life, make things more convenient, smarter,
or delight you with whimsy. This can be anything from a
great chopping block to a wonderful potato peeler to a fun
margarita glass. I love items that combine housewares with
home entertaining; products that are multi-purpose—a salad
bowl that can become a centerpiece, for example. As a
small business owner, I like to buy from other small companies
that made the leap to entrepreneurship; I am always looking
for new vendors that have a great idea. I love to work with
people who are happy and love their jobs, because I believe
passion translates into great product.”
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—Tara
Riceberg, Owner, Tweak, The
Original Giftery, Los Angeles,
CA | |
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 A “We are
constantly looking for simple pieces that are multi-functional
and beautiful; handmade or rustic tableware pieces that have
simple color palettes and minimal or no patterns so that they
can be mixed with other pieces that our customers may already
own. We strive for a high level of quality so elegant, solid
pieces that can be used again and again is what we will be
searching for this year. Having grown up in a small town, we
know the importance of small businesses and we try to find
unique pieces that are made by artisans in small productions.
In addition, our customers are always looking for pieces that
are American made. This year we will be looking for kitchen
tools and tableware that are made in the USA. We strive to be
the Ina Garten one-stop-shop. We sell select specialty
cookware and bakeware items, accessories and cookbooks
developed and utilized by Ina Garten, cookbook author and host
of Food Network's Barefoot
Contessa.”
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—Cassandra
Schultz (left) & Cintia Parsons (right,) Owners,
Cassandra's Kitchen, Fort Washington,
PA | | |
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NYC
Feature—Shop,
Eat And Enjoy At Manhattan’s Gastronomie
491
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 Foodies—and their friends—searching for
an intimate gourmet shopping experience on Manhattan’s upper
West Side need look no further than Gastronomie 491, a unique specialty
food market and dine-in café located at 491 Columbus Avenue.
Gastronomie 491 was founded by Nicole Ahronee, who identified
an unmet need for a neighborhood gourmet market. “We lacked a
place to shop for specialty items like a good baguette, a
birthday cake or a traditional Italian cappuccino; I once
walked 20 blocks on Columbus Avenue looking for a pack of
dried fruit for my father,” Ahronee recalled. “Gastronomie 491
was designed as both a shop to find delicious and unique
specialty foods, and a gathering place for the local
community. Our motto, ‘Prepared in Good Taste,’ dictates
everything we do, from the foods we prepare to the convivial
atmosphere we strive to create.”
Gastronomie 491
specializes in bringing the best of New York to the upper West
Side, according to Cecily Wong, director of marketing. “By
selecting the best artisan products from around the
city—Billy’s cupcakes, Il Laboratorio del Gelato, Francois
Payard cookies, Tom Cat Breads—we create a convenient, curated
shopping experience for our neighbors who might otherwise have
to travel considerable distances to find these items,” Wong
explains. “In house, we specialize in preparing simple, fresh
food with seasonal ingredients and a Mediterranean flair. We
have a very extensive prepared foods case that rotates
regularly and caters to our neighbors in need of a quick,
healthy meal.”
 Ahronee points out that there
has been a huge growth in the gourmet movement in America over
the past 30 years. “Our ultimate customer is, above all,
inquisitive,” she explains. “Food is an endless path of
exploration and not all tastes will suit your palate. We
aim to tempt our customers with excellent products and the
healthy, tasty food we prepare daily. Especially in New
York, cooking at home can be difficult and time consuming, so
our prepared foods are particularly appealing to an urban
lifestyle.
“Recently, there seems to be a national
fascination with cheese and charcuterie, so our cheese counter
is doing very well,” Ahronee continues. “Other growing
categories include organic produce, imported coffee, craft
beers and local dairy. Our current best seller is our coffee;
we use a unique roast from Italy that is rich and velvety.
From our cheese department, we sell a lot of Aussie Magic,
which is a soft goat’s milk cheese marinated in herbs.
Another bestseller is L’Amuse, a gouda from Holland that’s
nutty and salty with hints of caramel.”
Wong and
Ahronee say they will be eagerly shopping the gourmet
housewares and tabletop aisles at NY NOW this August. “We’ll
be looking for new specialty food items and gourmet trends,”
Wong relates. “We’ll also be shopping for food-related books
with a unique perspective–books that are less driven by
recipes and more about food education.”
Located on
Columbus Avenue between 83rd and 84th Streets, Gastronomie 491
is open Sunday to Thursday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and
Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10. For more information, call
212-974-7871. | | |
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Show at a Glance |
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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, Gourmet In NY editor: donna@dds-enterprises.com or
telephone 845.298.9365.
Click here for previous issues of
Gourmet In NY.
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