kitchenware news v16i04

Today’s wedding registry is not your grandmother’sregistry. Experts agree that couples are breakingthe rules and personalizing their wedding registriesto suit their interests and entertaining styles.

“In the past, it was more register for the things mymom and my grandmother registered for—tableware, maybe a blender,” said Joanna Kartalis,director of The Registry for Bloomingdale’s. Whilebrides and grooms are still registering for tablewareand blenders, they’ve strayed away from the idea ofmatching place settings and have expanded theirregistries to include more specialty items.

“It started probably more with a more traditionalmindset,” said Renee Glotzbach, bridal director forWaterford Wedgwood Royal Doulton, “and now Ithink couples are really creating their own registry andmaking it unique to them. They’re not really followingthe rules per se, they’re mixing and matching,branching out and tailoring it to their lifestyle.”

The New York Tabletop Show, April 13 to 16,continues to evolve as the industry it serves goesthrough myriad changes.

Both Laurie Burns, senior vice president anddirector of 41 Madison, and Su Hilty, vicepresident—marketing for 7 W New York, saidthat having fewer department store buyers hasbrought about a change in who attends the showsand what types of products are being sought out.

Burns said 41 Madison, which has 80 tenantscovering 100 brands, caters to buyers at both thehighest end of the spectrum as well as thoseinterested in the more casual side. “What has reallyevolved,” said Burns, is the growth of “smart casuallines,” which appeal to high-end shoppers who arelooking to continue to entertain with style, but inmore casual settings, such as outdoor dining.

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

Tabletop Market Ready to Lure Buyerswith Latest Designs

by Joanne Friedrick

VOLUME 16, NUMBER 4 APRIL 2010

Continued on 5

Personalizing the Wedding Registry:Couples Use Registry to Reflect Their Style

by Carrie Bui

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:NY TABLETOP SHOW

SEE PAGE 1

BUYERS’ GUIDE:TABLETOP & BARWARE

SEE PAGE 16

SPECIAL FEATURE:BRIDAL UPDATE

SEE PAGE 1

INSIDE:RETRO IN

THE KITCHEN

http://www.robinsonknife.com/oneida/gallery.html

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

O N T H E C O V E R

{ s h o r t s }

6 GUEST COLUMN

8 RETAILER PROFILE

10 PRODUCT REVIEW

16 BUYERS’ GUIDE

22 AD INDEX

Traffic Up at Chicago Marketdisplay created by Chicago-based designerMick Santiago.

“The Chicago Market: Living and Givinghad an incredibly successful market thisJanuary,” said Joan Ulrich, senior vice president,MMPI, in prepared remarks. “Buyers andretailers were extremely impressed with thebreadth of exhibitors, resources and productlines offered. We are excited to continue thisgrowth in our upcoming markets.”

The Chicago Market is a buying venue for theindependent and specialty gift and home store.The Keynote Presentation drew more than700 attendees who gathered to hear Segal

share the story on how he started a successfulretail business and grew it over the years.

New vendors to The Chicago Market wereoffered an opportunity to pitch their productsto more than 80 buyers during the SpeedNetworking event. Vendors were given threeminutes per table to do their best sales pitch asbuyers enjoyed lunch. Exhibitors walked awaywith new contacts while buyers got the latestscoop in product news direct from the source.

Future events include Chicago Market: Livingand Giving, with showrooms open July 22 toJuly 28 and temporaries and Beckman’sHandcrafted Show July 24 to July 27.

The Chicago Market: Living and Givingsaw a traffic increase of 22 percent over lastJanuary, along with 50 percent growth in thenumber of temporary exhibitors offered.

In addition to product resources, TheChicago Market offered retail-driven businessseminars to help buyers and retailers.Highlights included a keynote seminar withGordon Segal, chairman and co-founder ofCrate and Barrel, and retail seminars withtopics ranging from Fair Trade, branding,customer service, website design and more.Additional highlights included a SpeedNetworking lunch, a Chicago Market Twittercampaign, and a 1st Floor Lake Living

Best in Show Awards Given at Chicago MarketBest Exhibit Display Award Winners were:Aesthetic Movement, a think tank for creativecollaborations and a harbinger of style; SaucyGirl Aprons, which offer aprons with avintage flair, handmade and unique designs;Billabee’s, which offers a cookie mix madefrom a special family cookie recipe; S.D.GArtistry, which offers prints of originalartwork and letters mounted on birch thenhand finished and sealed with a deep umberstain and satin; Rinse Bath & Body, whichoffers a wide range of natural bath and bodyproducts; and Peacock Park Designs, a

wholesale supplier of “euro-chic” home andgarden décor.

Best Showroom Award Winners were:DEMDACO, Suite 13-117, which specializesin gifts and décor; Sullivans, Suite 1418, asupplier of artificial flowers, foliage andChristmas trees, gifts, ribbon and tabletop items;Willow Group Ltd., Suite 13-634, the parentcompany of Willow Specialties, Avery Importsand Skalny Basket Co; and Michele S. Levitt& Associates, Suite 1467, which specializes ingifts, home accents and personal care.

Leading exhibitors and showrooms werehonored with Best Display Awards at theChicago Market: Living and Giving located atthe Chicago Merchandise Mart, Jan. 21–27.Winners were selected by an internal panel ofjudges made up of designers, showrooms,exhibitors, members of the media and othermerchandising professionals. Winners werejudged on innovation, design and creativity. Theaward winners below exemplify the best and thebrightest at this year’s market. The awardsthemselves were conceived to spotlightoutstanding exhibitors and showrooms.

april 2010contentsby Irv Zakheim, Zak Designs

ROBINSON HOME PRODUCTSOneida Contra Stainless Steel Flatware[tel] 800.245.2433www.robinsonus.com

ZAK DESIGNS INC.Kingswell Dinnerware[tel] 800.331.1089www.zak.com

BONJOUR BAKEWARESix-Cup Linking Popover Pan[tel] 800.326.3933www.bonjourproducts.com

US ACRYLIC Clarus Beverageware[tel] 800.232.2600www.usacrylic.com/clarus

RECO INTERNATIONAL INC.Romertopf Clay Baker[tel] 800.221.5356www.reco.com

BIA CORDON BLEU INC.Pod Place Setting[tel] 866.553.2800www.biacordonblu.com

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MAYSmall Electrics

Best New Designs in KitchenwareMajor Appliances

Kitchen Clock Buyers’ Guide

futurefeatures

http://www.kitchenwarenews.com

http://www.robinsonknife.com/oneida/gallery.html

4 Kitchenware News & Housewares Review • APRIL 2010 www.kitchenwarenews.com

Welcome Spring! With luck, the storms that pelted the Eastern seaboardwith torrential rain and snow measured in feet, not inches, are well behindus and we can look forward to the colors and blooms of this new season.

April means New York Tabletop Market and we look forward to seeing what’s ahead for fall indinnerware, glassware, flatware and giftware. We’ll give you a preview in this issue of Kitchenware

News & Housewares Review. Also, our editorial team will be looking at the continued trend of whatmore entertaining at home means to consumers with products such as the classic gear-driven canopener and, for consumers who want the freshest ground meat, a hand-cranked meat grinder, as partof our review of back-to-basics as a product category.

The bridal category continues to be a strong one for retailers, and we examine the types of productson a couple’s registry these days and how the Internet has changed the process of registering andshopping for wedding gifts. Also, we’ll see how mixing and matching tableware has become popularand gives couples more casual dining options.

This month’s guest column is written by Irv Zakheim, president and CEO of Zak Designs. In 1985Zakheim saw an untapped market in children’s melamine dinnerware and licensed products and filleda product niche that had previously been underserved. In his column, Zakheim discusses the casualdining trend and how families are spending more time together over meals and how people seeentertaining at home as a way to reconnect with friends and family rather than to impress.

With consumers looking for simplification in their lives during these stressful times, convenient,functional, durable and versatile have replaced elegant, delicate and single-purpose.

Coming up in May, we’ll be reporting on small electrics, best new designs in kitchenware, and what’snew from the IHA show with a buyers’ guide on kitchen clocks.

Karen Taylor, Publisher

[email protected]

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

Remember all the old fashion rules: Don’t wear white after Labor Day, avoidwearing socks with sandals, never mix black with brown or red with pink,your purse and your shoes should match. Anyone who deviated from these edicts was looked uponas a fashion misfit.

And when it came to entertaining, there were similar rules that all good hostesses followed: Use yourgood china for holidays and special occasions only, don’t mix the everyday silverware with thesilverplate or sterling, if your china or glassware has a gold rim, you can’t use silver on the table.

Fortunately, as time has moved on, both the fashion rules and the entertaining ones have been relaxed.The result is that people are more comfortable in all aspects of their lives. For the majority of folkstoday, formal entertaining just isn’t how they live their lives. Yet, they’ve either invested in or haveinherited from moms and grandmothers beautiful china, glassware and silver that they want to use.And so they are breaking those old rules and using whatever works for them, whenever they wantto use it.

That might mean that the everyday dishes are also the ones used for company. Or the “good china”gets placed on the table every night, whether they are serving filet mignon or Spaghetti-Os. Hostsand hostesses today see themselves as a combination of Don and Betty from “Mad Men” with a littleGeorge and Jane Jetson thrown in. It’s martini time, while watching the latest installment of“American Idol.”

As a result of this morphing of formal and informal, old and new, tabletop companies are presentingretailers and consumers with a lot of options. There are still opportunities to invest in the next generationof heirloom china and glassware, but there are just as many options that fit with a more casual lifestyle.

Look at most bridal registries today and you’ll see a mix of high-end and mainstream, fancy andfunky, cultured and kitschy. When there are no hard-and-fast rules, it can be a lot more fun to makechoices. The limits are only set by the creativity of the designers and the desires of the end users.

So I say go ahead and mix patterns on your next “formal” table, put your best tablecloth on the picnictable and serve those mojitos in your dad’s vintage barware. But as to wearing socks with yoursandals…well, maybe there are some rules we shouldn’t mess with.

Joanne Friedrick, Editor

[email protected]

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

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http://www.mastrad.us


Casual Dining Brings Families and Friends Together

There was a time when Americansgathered around the dining room tableevery night for family meals. At somepoint, however, that tradition somehowbecame outdated and seemed to fade intoobscurity. Today, the practice of sharingmeals together is slowly regaining itsimportance in the daily routines of familiesacross the country, but these criticalgatherings are no longer taking placewithin the confines of the dining room.Whether it’s on patios, around the kitchensink, or even on couches in the living room,there is a growing trend among Americanfamilies to eat dinner where it’s the mostconvenient and the most comfortable.

One of the main factors contributing tothis trend is the increased awareness we allhave that, given the hectic lives today’ssociety demands, time has truly become ourmost precious commodity. Today’s familiesaren’t eating together out of habit ortradition, they’re eating together becausethey recognize the importance of spendingtime with each other as a family. They’reeating together not because they have to,but because they want to.

This renewed appreciation Americans havefor spending time with the people in ourlives who mean the most to us is not onlyinfluencing how we eat our family meals,but how we entertain our friends. It usedto be that people felt the need to hostparties as a way to showcase their homes,or new furniture, or even the latest recipesthey picked up from the high-class chefsfeatured on the newestcooking shows. More andmore, though, peoplearen’t throwing parties toimpress their neighbors,they’re having get-togethers as a way toreconnect with thefriends who they knowthey don’t have toimpress. Instead of fancysoirees with eveninggowns and cateredcuisine, today’s parties aremore likely to mean tanktops and burgers aroundthe backyard grill.

Nowhere is this trend in casual diningand entertaining more apparent than inthe prevalence of the outdoor living rooms

in homes across the country. Whetherit’s a covered patio with a makeshift firepit or screened-in addition that coversthe entire length of the backyard, peopleare discovering how enjoyable it is to eatand entertain in rooms unrestrained bywalls. These areas are no longer justafterthoughts, either. As people givemore attention to these rooms and spendmore time eating and entertaining inthem, they also spend more moneycustomizing their outdoor living rooms forcomfort and convenience.

While some critics might say this trendtoward the casual is an indication thatAmericans no longer have an appreciationfor the tradition of fine dining, I believeit’s exactly the opposite. Instead of viewingformal dinners as commonplace, thesegatherings are, once again, being given therespect they deserve and treated as eventsthat should be reserved for specialoccasions. By doing so, Americans aregaining a greater appreciation for thesedining experiences precisely because theyaren’t everyday occurrences.

For proof that Americans still value theireveryday dining experiences, look nofurther than the kinds of products they’repurchasing to complement their newattitude. It isn’t the cheap, the ordinary orthe mundane casual dining products thattoday’s consumers are drawn to, it ’s theexceptional. They are looking for casualwithout ordinary, classy without elegant,fashionable without flashy. They still care

about the products theyuse. They’re just placing lessimportance on where theproducts are used, and moreimportance on the familythat’s using them.

Irv Zakheim is president and

chief executive officer of Zak

Designs, Spokane, Wash.

Zakheim has been importing

goods from other countries

and distributing them to

consumers around the world

for more than 30 years. Zak

Designs specializes in

children’s dinnerware, but has diversified

to provide trend-setting tableware and

kitchen prep products for adults and on-

the-go mealtime products that fit today’s

active lifestyles.

columnguest

by Irv Zakheim, President and CEO

Zak Designs

http://www.kyoceraadvancedceramics.com

http://www.lindensweden.com/


After a lengthy legal battle with a Chicago-based manufacturer, German design companyreisenthel prevailed against the marketing ofknock-off products. The U.S. case focusedspecifically on reisenthel’s carrybag, whichwas granted a design patent in 2005.

The U.S. District Court for the NorthernDistrict of Illinois entered a consent orderwhereby the Chicago-based manufactureracknowledged the validity of reisenthel’scarrybag patent and agreed to ceaseproduction, importation and marketing ofproducts with the unique and distinguishedreisenthel look. The knock-offs already

reisenthel Prevails Against Knock-Offs in U.S. Courts produced were surrendered to reisenthel,which is taking efforts to destroy the knock-offs and recycle the discards. Important toreisenthel, as a foreign company, is theChicago District Court retained jurisdictionover the case to enforce the terms.

“Although in the U.S. we do not have the longhistory we have in Europe, we nevertheless didnot shy away from the prospect of a lengthylegal battle,” said Peter Reisenthel, thecompany’s founder and managing director, ina prepared statement. “The outcome of thiscase was a huge success for us and will defineour future strategy in the U.S.”

This case also covers claims of trade dress ofall reisenthel products with the same designconsisting of a partially exposed frame withintermittent straps whereby the exposed portionof the frame has the appearance of aluminum.

This is not the first time reisenthel hasinstituted an action in a U.S. court. OtherU.S. court actions have been resolved byconfidential settlement agreements betweenreisenthel and other manufacturers,wholesalers and retailers. Outside the UnitedStates, the company has successfully protectedits products on a broad scale in Germany aswell as in Denmark.

Representing reisenthel in the U.S. wasCatherine Hoffman, who is also a member ofthe Coalition Against Counterfeiting, a businessgroup led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’sGlobal Intellectual Property Center. “Regardlessof the retail value of a product, its patenteddesign must be protected in all areas of trade.I applaud reisenthel for pursuing thisinfringement action in the U.S. as it shows notonly how strongly they feel about the brandworldwide, but it also demonstrates the respectthey have for the U.S. retailer and consumer,”Hoffman said in prepared remarks. reisenthelis a 39-year-old German company that designsproducts for everyday mobility and storageneeds. Its products have received designawards, including the prestigious internationalred dot design & Design Plus honors.

CAPRESSO PROGRAMMABLE COFFEE MAKERThe new Capresso CM200programmable coffee maker brews 10cups of coffee in less than nine minutes,and it can be programmed to brew atthe time of your choosing, for the brewstrength and number of cups. Forincreased ease of use, this coffee makerfeatures a push-button swing-out filterand a see-through removable watertank. To ensure full coffee flavor, theCM200 comes with a charcoal waterfilter, which removes up to 82 percent ofchlorine and other impurities found intap water. An electronic filter indicatorshows when to replace the filter. Easy-to-push buttons located on the glossyblack panel make it simple to operate.A special 3-5 cup brewing settingensures maximum aroma and flavorextraction, even for small amounts. Thedrip stop feature allows the user to poura cup of coffee in the middle of thebrew cycle. The glass carafe features anergonomic handle, brew-through lidand drip-free pouring spout. Thecoated, nonstick warming plate keepscoffee at the right temperature afterbrewing. Other features includeconcealed cord storage and two-hoursafety shut-off. The unit also comes withan easy-to-clean permanent goldtonefilter, which eliminates the need forpaper filters. Suggested Retail Price: $79.99

Jura-Capresso[tel] 201.767.3999www.capresso.com

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http://www.sighouse.com


While The Extra Ingredient does have atraining program for new hires, the truthis most employees have been with thecompany a long time. Depending on theseason, the store employs 15 to 25 people,but just one of them is full-time. The restare part-timers who cover the seven-day,day and evening schedule dictated by theshopping center.

Both Nadings work the store floor, which theysaid is an indirect means of training their staff.“Mostly they (associates) learn by hearing usand from example. That’s what sets apart storeslike ours,” he said. “We do everything, we buyeverything, so we know it.”

Trade shows provide one of the opportunitiesfor seeing and buying new products, saidArt. The Nadings attend the InternationalHome + Housewares Show in Chicago, andthe gift show in Atlanta. While they havedivided the departments to streamline thebuying and reordering—Art does cutlery,electrics and cookware, while Martha handlesfood, textiles and gifts—they also team up.

“We’re better together,” said Martha, whoadded that with just a look passed betweenthem, they know whether a sales pitch isworking for them. “We just look at each otherand we know what we want to do,” she said.

New merchandise is the lifeblood of thestore. “We don’t want it to look stale,” saidMartha. And customers, who are attunedto the latest products through magazinesand online shopping, keep them on theirtoes as well.

The Nadings are aware that all kinds ofcustomers come through the door, so they tryto vary the merchandise, having upscale brandsalong with more moderately priced choices.

To reach customers, The Extra Ingredientsends out an email newsletter twice a monthand has a Facebook account. While theywould like to expand their online presence,said Art, “we’re not trying to compete withonline shopping. We’re just trying to serviceour local customer better.”

Martha noted they have an online catalogthrough Gourmet Catalog, but still mailhard copies of the catalog twice a year. “Andit still works very well,” she said.

While many people can walk away from theirjobs at the end of the day, the Nadings saidtheir store is very much integrated into theirlife. “We don’t approach our jobs as ‘I have togo to work today.’ It’s just part of what we do,”said Art. The Nadings raised two sons whilerunning their business, and they noted thatone of them now works for Chantal, thecookware and bakeware company.

“It has added fun for us to see our son inthe business,” said Art. “And,” he addedwith a laugh, “we’ve definitely increasedour business with Chantal.”

In a shopping center that boasts majordepartment stores such as Sears, Macy’s andBelk, along with iconic housewares retailers SurLa Table and Williams-Sonoma, The ExtraIngredient is more than holding its own.

Started 25 years ago in the Friendly ShoppingCenter in Greensboro, N.C., owners Marthaand Art Nading have built a successfulbusiness by focusing on a mix of nationalbrands, local products and specialty itemsnot found at other retailers.

During their tenure at the center, Martha saidthey moved once, from their original 2,100square feet to a larger site a few doors down thatgave them 3,500 square feet and the opportunityto expand their pottery and cookware lines.

Each department within the store is its ownnook, explained Art. As customers enter, theyare met with the cookware section. Movingto the right are the gadget wall and bins ofsmaller items, followed by barware, potteryand stoneware and textiles. Bakeware islocated in the back of the store, and

organizational items, smallelectrics and a coffeedepartment occupy the left side.The center of the store offers

gifts and non-perishable specialty foods.

Well-known brands such as All-Clad andWüsthof are best sellers at The ExtraIngredient, but coming on strong are exclusivelines such as Vietri Italian dinnerware andtableware and Juliska, a European tabletopline. “We’ve concentrated on nice lines thatother stores don’t carry,” said Art.

Because the store offers Juliska and Vietri,they’ve attracted bridal registrants and haveexpanded in that area as well, said Martha,with linens and candles and complementarypieces. “We’ve always had a registry, but latelywe have partnered with Your Registry,” anoutsourced gift registry service that assistswith managing data. As a result, said Martha,the store has acquired more brides.

The registry, which used to be handled by hand,putting information in a card file, is an exampleof how the retailing landscape is changing, saidArt. “Today brides want it (the registry) online,”he said, both for their own purpose in trackingwhat’s happening, but also for guests who wantto shop or at least browse the list.

Most wedding guests still come into thestore to make a purchase, said Martha, butthey still want the convenience of lookingat the list online.

“We have been challenged to keep up withtechnology to hit that certain demographicgroup,” said Art, noting, “we try to reachout to the iPhone people and have evenbecome iPhone people ourselves.”

Yet, said Art, they are aware that not everyoneis high-tech, and most are looking for personalattention. “We like to talk to people, and we givethem a direct line to the market,” he said.

Art said with the economy as it is, andcompetition heating up by the addition of SurLa Table and Williams-Sonoma to theshopping center, he’s glad they are an establishedbusiness with a solid customer base. The ExtraIngredient draws shoppers who travel an houror more to visit the store, he said.

The Nadings are banking on that localconnection to keep them going. In fact, said Art,they are actively involved in Buy Triad First—a business consortium from the Winston-Salem,Highpoint and Greensboro areas that is tryingto convince people to support local enterpriseand keep the money in the community.

by Joanne Friedrick

Retailer ProfileThe Extra Ingredient

http://www.scandicrafts.com


{ h e a d l i n e s }

More than 133,000 buyers made their way toGermany for Ambiente, the world’s largestconsumer goods trade fair, Feb. 12 to Feb. 16.The exhibit halls featured 4,504 exhibitorsfrom 93 countries.

Despite bad weather conditions and heavysnow, there was only a two percent drop intrade visitors, most of them from Germany.Foreign visitors made up more than47 percent of the total, making the 2010event the most international ever. AfterGermany, the top five visitor nations wereItaly, the Netherlands, France, Spainand Switzerland. Double-digit increasesin attendees were registered from countriessuch as the United States, up 22 percent;Turkey, 37 percent; Russia, 39 percent;Brazil, 44 percent; and the United ArabEmirates, 77 percent.

Changes made to Ambiente, includingpositioning porcelain manufacturers in anew hall and making other arrangementchanges, were well-received. ThomasGrothkopp, general manager of the GermanAssociation for Tableware, Housewares andHome Décor, explained that the permanentstands in Hall 10 were replaced by athemed, target group-oriented layout.

Said Nicholas Luc Villeroy, managingdirector—tableware for Villeroy & Boch, ina prepared statement: “At first, I was skepticalabout the timing and the cost of restructuringthe fair. Now, however, I must say that I amvery pleased with the results. We took theopportunity to make a completely newpresentation, and this has been a great successand given us a much-needed boost.”

The overall level of exhibitor satisfactionrose again this year, and on the visitor side,more than 90 percent claimed to be satisfied.Additionally, 75 percent of respondents saidthey considered the economic situation tobe satisfactory to good.

Within the exhibits themselves, there wereseveral key trends. Sustainability and naturecontinued to be important in the diningcategory. The first is reflected by enduringdesign and the use of long-lived materialsor recycled raw materials. The second trend,nature, is seen in designs oriented to naturalprototypes as well as mixed-use materialssuch as glass and stone, glass and wood orstainless steel and wood.

In the area of porcelain and china,manufacturers continued to introduce newshapes without withdrawing classicdesigns. White was a trend color, as weresoft shades of blue and green with darkblue accents. Kitchen items were shown instainless steel, but also intense colors suchas lilac, orange and yellow.

In the home furnishings/living arena, cozyand comfortable were the prerequisites,with materials supporting this in wood,cork, rattan and cotton. When it comes to

Snowy Ambiente Draws International Crowd

color, shades of violet and warm earthtones continued to be popular. Backgroundcolors included pastels, white, light beigeand silver gray.

For gift-giving, wine was the subject ofmany segments, including coasters andbottle-shaped pendants. Pure white, blackcombined with silver and clear shapes arein line with the trend for lifestyle items.

Ambiente, organized by Messe Frankfurt,will next be held Feb. 11 to Feb. 15, 2011.

BENDY FLEXIBLE CUTTING BOARDSBendy Flexible Cutting Boards are anew addition to the Daloplastproduct line from Linden Sweden Inc.These handy, flexible cutting boardsmake food preparation easy andmore efficient. Bendy is designed tobe used flat on the counter and willbend to transfer cuttings into anydesired container. It is 2 millimetersthick, yet flexible. Bendy measures11.5" x 14.5" and comes in sets of two.Colors available are: white/sage,red/black, blue/purple, lime/pink andyellow/orange.Suggested Retail Price: $9 per pack

Linden Sweden[tel] 952.465.0052www.lindensweden.com

http://www.starfrit.com


If you like the idea of fresh homemade juice,I think this would make a terrific machinethat you can use to prepare a pitcher of freshjuice to last the week. Overall, Kitchenware

News & Housewares Review thought theOmega Big Mouth Juicer was impressivefor its quickness, its ability to handle largerfruits and vegetables and the volume of juiceit was able to produce.

The Omega Big Mouth Juicer comes with a10-year warranty and is available at asuggested retail price of $270. For moreinformation, visit www.omegajuicersdirect.com or call 717.561.1105.

Omega touts the extra large feed chute andthe powerful motor on its Big Mouth Juicer,and Kitchenware News & Housewares Review

gave it a test run to see if the juicer livedup to its promise. The Big Mouth Juicer isa pulp ejector juicer with a stainless steelbowl and blade, and its extra large chute isdesigned to take whole apples and otherlarger fruits and vegetables.

Before testing out the juicer, I watched aYouTube demonstration (www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSvos7abVxo) to give me an idea ofhow the juicer worked. The video ended upproviding us with the very useful tip to linethe pulp receptacle with a small plastic bag,like the one used to hold produce at thegrocery store. This made clean up after juicingjust a little bit easier.

We tested out the juicer’s big mouthcapabilities with a variety of fruits andvegetables including apples, carrots, celeryand a head of cabbage. The first afternoonwe tested out the machine, we decided to seewhat it could do with some vegetables anda couple of apples and pears. We wereimpressed by the machine’s ability to juicethe vegetables quickly, even when we tossedin four carrots at once or five celery hearts.The extra large chute makes juicing more

convenient since you don’t have to spend alot of time cutting and prepping your fruitsand vegetables. One thing to note is that youshould probably wear an apron while juicingbecause the juice does splash a bit as itcomes out of the spigot. A member of ourproduction staff thought a splatter guardwould enhance the machine’s design.

We gave the juicer a second spin around onanother day with a small selection of fruits—medium-sized red and green apples, a fewsmall oranges and a small chunk ofpineapple. We followed Omega’s instructionsand removed the rinds from the orangesand the pineapple skin. It was impressive towatch the machine juice the apples andoranges whole with no issues. They wenteasily into the feed chute and through themachine with just a light pushing of thefeed plunger. One of my favorite featuresabout this juicer was the speed at which itjuiced. It took us less than 10 minutes to feedour fruit into the Big Mouth Juicer andproduce about a gallon of juice.

Omega’s specifications sheet for the Big MouthJuicer describes the machine as “ultra quiet.” Inactuality, our production staff agreed that themachine was a little loud, comparable to thatof a blender or food processor. The juicer’s

noise level can be attributed to the machine’s350 watts, ½ horsepower motor. The machineproduced about a gallon of juice each time weused it. Given the amount of fruit andvegetables used, we considered this animpressive volume of juice. And, as promisedby Omega, there was no pulp in our juice.

Clean-up took about 10 minutes or so,partially because I had a little difficultydisassembling the machine. Now, Omega’sinstructions just say to lift out the bowl,coupling and strainer basket/blade assemblytogether, making sure to lift from the bowl.The YouTube demonstration video suggestedto wiggle the bowl slightly to lift it out. Oneof my colleagues noted that I seemed to havedifficulty lifting the bowl out of the base, butit lifted after about two minutes of wiggling.I would hope this gets easier with a bit ofpractice. Clean-up of the machine itself wassimple, as everything rinsed away quickly andthe aforementioned plastic liner tip proveduseful for this stage. Pulp can get stuck inbetween the fine mesh of the strainer, butfollowing Omega’s advice to gently scrub thestrainer under running water made it easier.

I found the machine to be a little on thelarge side at 9 pounds with a width of 9inches, a 12 ½ inch diameterand 15 inches tall, but sizeaside, not much beatscreating your own juiceto ensure its freshness andlack of preservativesand chemicals.

by Carrie Bui

Product ReviewOmega Big Mouth Juicer

http://www.reco.com


&H o u s e w a r e s R e v i e wS 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 4 APRIL 2010

KITCHENWARE NEWS

retro in the

kitchen


retro in the kitchen

Flirty Aprons: Going Coast to Coast With Kitchen FashionAfter two years of business, Flirty Aprons continues to see impressivegrowth despite a national recession. In the fourth quarter of 2009,wholesale revenues grew twelvefold, as compared to 2008. CEOJoseph Hansen stated, “Our investments of time, money andpersonnel into the wholesale market are just beginning to show theirpromising returns.”

Flirty Aprons has also recently launched an additional line ofwomen’s and girls’ aprons. The new “Scalloped Apron” line reachesa new demographic of women. Focus group tests and mall intercepttests revealed a significant portion of women that love the originalline but wanted additional choices, including another line withmore daring and bold designs.

Plans for 2010 also include expansion through a nationwide salescampaign. Forecasts for this year anticipate an overall increase of 400percent in wholesale revenue from 2009. With rave reviews and highexpectations for the future, the company says households across the nationcontinue to be proud to announce that they are “getting their Flirty on.”For more information on Flirty Aprons, call 888.283.8154 orvisit www.flirtyaprons.com.

ZAK DESIGNS CONFETTI PRODUCTSZak Designs offers a line of tabletop and kitchenprep products in its bold Confetti line with plenty ofretro color options. The recycled melaminedinnerware and serveware is offered in a fun andeco-friendly design. Colors include white, red, black,yellow, magenta, kiwi, orange, turquoise and orchid.Suggested Retail Price: $2.99-32.99

Zak Designs[tel] 509.244.0555www.zak.com

GOOD COOK CANNING COLLECTIONThe Canning Collection includes the necessaryfunnels, jar lifters, tongs and lid removers for thehome preserver—everything but the jars themselves.Bright red accents give the tools a modern and funlook. Quick tips on the back of the products offergeneral canning tips. The Canning Collectionincludes canning funnel, tongs, candy thermometer,jar wrench, jar lifter and lid lifter.

Bradshaw International[tel] 800.421.6290www.goodcook.com

CHANTAL LOOP TEAKETTLEChantal’s stainless steel LoopTeakettle has a 1.8-quartcapacity and is functional for allstove types. A trigger pullwhistle prevents thepotential of burning yourfinger once the kettlehas come to a boil. Theenamel-on-steel finishof the kettle isguaranteed not tofade, and the kettlefeatures a comfortable,ergonomic handle. TheLoop Teakettle is available infour colors: cobalt blue, onyx, chili red and white.Suggested Retail Price: $49.99

Chantal Cookware Corp.[tel] 800.365.4354www.chantal.com

JESSIE STEELE APRONSJessie Steele stylish hostessaprons offer vintage nostalgiain bold patterns and colors.Aprons are available insizes from 0 to 18 as wellas coordinating adultand children designs formothers and daughters.Coordinating patternsinclude the cherrycupcakes, brown andpink dot, 50s kitchen andred and pink polka dot.Suggested Retail Price:$22.95 for children’s$32.95-34.95 for adults’

Jessie Steele[tel] 877.953.7743www.jessiesteele.com

BACK TO BASICS 4500 MEAT GRINDERDo-it-yourself with Focus Electrics’ Back to Basics4500 Meat Grinder. Grinding meat and makinghomemade sausage is easy with the grinder’sstainless steel cutting blades, available in threesizes, and three sausage-stuffing attachments. Suggested Retail Price: $89.99

Focus Electrics[tel] 866.290.1851www.focuselectrics.com


retro in the kitchen

SWING-A-WAY CAN OPENERAn enduring classic, the Swing-a-Way can openerfrom Focus Products features a patented gear-driven cutting wheel and rubberized handles tocushion your grip. Since 1938, Swing-a-Way canopeners have been a staple in kitchens, and wasa Good Housekeeping award winner as well asthe first can opener approved by NASA for outerspace travel.Suggested Retail Price: $6.99-7.99

Focus Products[tel] 877.310.9102www.focuspg.com

LE CREUSET STONEWARE HERITAGE COLLECTIONLe Creuset expanded its Heritage collection to includenew stoneware pieces. Pieces available include therectangular dish, square dish, covered casserole, pateterrine with press and oval au gratin dish. Available ina variety of sizes and the company’s signature Flamecolor as well as cobalt, white and cherry.Suggested Retail Price: $10-80

Le Creuset[tel] 877.273.8738www.lecreuset.com

TRIBEST Z-STAR MANUAL JUICERThe Tribest Z-Star Manual Juicer is a compact,portable juicer that offers a convenient way forconsumers to juice wheatgrass and fresh fruits andvegetables at home. The juicer can be clampedonto most tables or countertops for quick andconvenient use. The single-auger designincorporates a gentle yet efficient process to extractmore juice, without the use of electricity.Suggested Retail Price: $109

Tribest Corp.[tel] 888.254.7336www.tribest.com

http://www.flirtyaprons.com


http://www.tribest.com

http://www.lsarts.com

http://www.highwave.com


to consumer purchase motivators and theevolving age factor.

Burns said as buyers get ready to visit theTabletop Show, she encourages them tothink about how best to use their time.While it’s important to spend time withexisting vendors, Burns said buyers shouldset aside at least 15 percent of their timeto seek out new vendors and different lines.

“This is still very much an appointment-driven show,” said Hilty, who said whilemany appointments are programmed forreorders and the like, “there’s still a touchy-feely aspect that is important,” includingthe opportunity to see new products andfind new vendors.

showcasing fixtures that are sold in someof the building’s showrooms. The originaland vintage prints at Printsource arelikely inspirations for textile and tabletopdesigners, said Hilty in explaining thesynergy between the shows.

On the opening day of the show, therewill be a keynote presentation at 7 W NewYork, called “Serving It Up On Line,” at1 p.m., April 13, discussing the digitalrevolution and how it applies to thetabletop industry. Kathleen Cella, senioraccount manager of NPD, a global providerof consumer and retail market researchinformation, will address various aspects ofhow digital media plays a role in tabletopfrom online shopping and bridal registries

TABLETOP MARKET (cont. from 1)

Because the department store industry hasconsolidated over the past several years,Burns said that has given rise to a newcategory of shoppers at the TabletopShow, including restaurants and hotels,specialty stores and designers, andarchitects. The latter group, she said, arespecifying not only interior designelements, but also accessories down toplace settings and cutlery.

Hilty has also noticed a trend toward newbuyers coming to the Tabletop Show asgrocery stores, gourmet shops and smallretailers expand their product categories toinclude dinnerware, glassware, linensand the like.

“We’ve been on a roller coaster of mergersand bankruptcy,” she said of the retailindustry, which has opened the doors toother retailers to enter the category. 7 WNew York has about one-third of itstenants participating in the TabletopShow, said Hilty, with most of them fallinginto the home entertaining and casualdining sector.

Hilty said she was buoyed by the responseto the New York International Gift Fair inJanuary, which experienced a 25 percentincrease in attendance, about 40 percent ofwhich were new attendees. She said afterthe holidays, many vendors replenishedtheir shelves with new products and,consequently, “the ones who did the best (atthe gift fair) had new products. It’s thenewness that gets people talking.”

Burns echoed that sentiment, noting thatduring her recent visits to Europe, she sawmany new products. And the differencethis time around, she said, is that ratherthan expanding an existing line with anew color or pattern, “what I’m seeing istruly new,” with companies looking intothe future with innovative products anddesign ideas.

Both 41 Madison and 7 W New Yorkwill feature inspirational designs in theirlobbies with displays created specificallyfor the show. Lobby displays, explainedBurns, help create a marketplace feel forattendees as well as inspires them withideas they can take back to their stores.

At 41 Madison, editors from severalMartha Stewart publications, includingMartha Stewart Weddings and Martha

Stewart Living are showing tabletopdisplays related to special events such as awedding shower, banquet and outsideentertaining, said Burns. In addition,Antony Gormley, a contemporary artist,will show 31 of his statues at the nearbyMadison Square Park as well as one on therooftop at 41 Madison.

At 7 W New York, displays will reflectthe synergy of the Tabletop Show withthe Printsource New York event alsogoing on in the building, said Hilty. Thelobby displays created by the building’sstylist, Nancy Alusick, will use four printtrends as the theme, said Hilty, as well as

Laurie Burns Su Hilty

“It’s the newness that gets people talking.”

Su Hilty

Vice President—Marketing

7 W New York

http://www.prodyne.com


CHEF LALA SERVEWAREChef LaLa Serveware by Wilton Armetale is bothfashionable and functional, and featuresmetalware and glassware items for cooking, servingand entertaining designed by Latin chef, LaLa.Metalware items include a 12" round tray, 14" squaretray, 16" divided tray, 13.5" square bowl, 11" largebowl, 16" rectangular serving tray, small chip ‘n dip,9" bread tray, 13" sunburst chip ‘n dip and servingtray with handles. Glassware includes a 13" largebowl, 8.5" oil decanter and 4.5" dipping bowl.Suggested Retail Price: $24.99-69.99

Wilton Armetale[tel] 800.553.2048www.armetale.com

TAKEYA’S SWIRL TUMBLERSTakeya introduces Swirl Wine & Cocktail Tumblers forcasual and elegant outdoor dining. Swirl, shaped forthe proper swirling of red and white wines in a crystal-like shape, is made from a shatterproof, reusable,recyclable material that makes Swirl the ideal tumblerfor poolside, dockside and any outdoor gatherings. The16-ounce tumbler with its wide base for stability is less

delicate to handle than stemware. The tumbler sitsnicely in the hand with a curved lip for comfort. It isavailable in sets of two, four and six.Suggested Retail Prices: $3.99, $7.99 and $11.99

Takeya USA[tel] 714.374.9900www.takeyausa.com

BUYERS’ GUIDE

PLANETARY DESIGN TABLE TOP FRENCH PRESSESThe Planetary Design Table Top is the evolutionof the French press. Unlike its glass counterpart,this stainless steel press is incredibly durableand retains heat for hours while stillincorporating a sleek design. The durability andheat retention capabilities are due to thevacuum-insulated, double-walled, 18/8restaurant-grade stainless steel construction.Add to that the patented double-filtrationsystem designed with ultra-fine mesh screensand you now have the perfect brew of coffeeor tea. The Planetary Design Table Top FrenchPresses are available in four striking colors andthree sizes: 20-, 32- or 48-ounce. Suggested Retail Prices: $31.95, $41.95 and $49.95

Liquid Planet[tel] 800.697.5792www.liquidplanet.comwww.planetarydesign.com

ARC’S UPTOWN BAR GLASSESARC’s Uptown is a trendy wheel-cut pattern onpopular bar glass shapes that will kick the party up anotch and guests will know exactly which glass istheirs. The glasses are available in assorted shots,double old fashioneds, coolers, balloons, tulips, martinisand flutes.Suggested Retail Prices: $14.99 for shots$19.99 for glasses

ARC International N.A.uk.arc-intl.com

EXPERIENCE SERIES BY STOLZLEThe Experience Stemware Series by Stolzle maximizesthe full potential of flavor and aroma in each pour.Each stem is 100 percent lead-free crystal anddishwasher safe. The contemporary design of theExperience Series, with its wider base and narrow rim,gives a unique decanting effect that allows wine toproperly breathe. Suggested Retail Price: $29.99-34.99

Anchor Hocking[tel] 800.848.7200www.anchorhocking.com

NAMBÉ BARWAREA new barware line from Nambé extends thecompany’s wood and metal collection first introducedin 2008. All the items are made of Nambé metal andacacia wood and have a special Nambé look. Includedin the barware collection are the Joust Wine Rack,designed by Lou Henry and the Cradle Wine Chiller,Cradle Wine Coaster, Cradle Cocktail Shaker and CradleIce Bucket and Tongs designed by Steve Cozzolino.Suggested Retail Price: $50-175

Nambé[tel] 800.443.0339www.nambe.com

tabletop & barware


LIBBEY’S PETALS COOLER SETPleasing to the eye and comfortable in the hand, thePetals Cooler from Libbey evolves from a round baseand recedes to the rim with a gentle taper, makinga suitable vessel for water, cola or any tall beverage.Suggested Retail Price: $14.99 for eight

Libbey Inc.[tel] 419.325.2100www.libbey.com

ZYLISS CHAMPAGNE OPENERStop flying corks with the Zyliss Champagne Opener.Open a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine inthree easy steps. First, insert the hook tip through thefoil and wire eye, lower the jaws of the opener overthe cork and pull down firmly to break the wire. Thelast step is to hold the handles horizontally, squeezeover the cork and rotate the cork with the opener untilthe foil breaks. The cork will pop, but remain securewithin the Champagne Opener.Suggested Retail Price: $19.99

Zyliss USA[tel] 949.699.1884www.zylissusa.com

US ACRYLIC CLARUS BEVERAGEWAREUS Acrylic’s new Clarus beverageware offers theclarity of glass, but is also safer, greener and moredurable. Clarus is made from a copolyester, a BPA-free polymer that can withstand extreme use andrepeated dishwasher use without visible or structuralwear. The new line features tumblers, rocks glasses,pitchers and more, all available as open stock. Theinitial launch collection will be offered in clear. Thecollection is made in the United States.

US Acrylic[tel] 800.232.2600www.usacrylic.com/clarus

BUYERS’ GUIDE

tabletop & barware

http://www.tervis.com


barbecue,” said Glotzbach. She said couplesare responding well to Wedgwood’s VeraWang line of dinnerware and Waterford’sLismore Essence dishwasher-safe stemware.

The bridal directors also described howbrides and grooms are experimenting withtheir tabletops through mixing andmatching of pieces. Glotzbach said in thepast, couples usually registered for completeplace settings in matching patterns, butnow, she often comes across couples thatmix and match to their needs. “They usedto register for a more formal place setting,and now we see them registering for a lotof dinners, salads, mugs, not as much theformal five-piece place setting,” she said.

Consultants have begun encouraging thismixing and matching of settings. Tabletopneeds reflect a couple’s entertaining style,and it is recognized as another place in whichthe couple can personalize their registry.Couples who register at Polly DuPont areencouraged to think outside the box. Mixingand matching patterns can make the tablevery interesting, Hintze said. She shared astory of a bride who registered for 12different place settings, then sent a photo ofher table afterward to Polly DuPont. Hintzesaid the table was beautiful and really workedwith the mixed place settings.

The casual entertaining trend can be observedin the type of glassware couples are includingon their registry. Kartalis said Bloomingdale’s

has noted an increase in its housewaresglassware, such as the Riedel line. “You mightregister for your stemware with Waterford orBaccarat, but when you’re just having thegirls over, Riedel has such an extensiveassortment,” she said. “It really plays to thebride just in a way that’s fun and the way thatshe entertains. We try to make the brideunderstand she wants to be prepared forhaving her mother-in-law over for sit-downThanksgiving dinner and for when she’shaving her friends over for Sunday brunch.”

Glotzbach said Waterford Wedgwood RoyalDoulton has definitely noticed a movetoward a more casual lifestyle. As anexample, some of its collections are areflection of that move, including theRobert Mondavi varietal wine stem anddishwasher-safe Wedgwood china, she said.

The registry process itself has also evolved formany couples. The Internet has proved to behugely useful to couples for planning andmaintaining their registry. Many stores,including Polly DuPont and WaterfordWedgwood Royal Doulton, have includedonline registries on their Web sites. “It’s allabout online,” said Glotzbach. “They canstart online, they can come in and add to theregistry in the store and access their registryonline day to day. ...The online experience hasreally changed the bridal registry.”

However, personalized service endures andconsultants are often available to assist thebride and groom in the registry decision-making process. Couples are still choosingto go in store and register for items, andmany might make multiple trips to fine-tune their registry. Kartalis said, “Theyshould really love and be excited aboutwhat they register for.”

Network has inspired a lot of young brides.I see a lot of young bridal couples that aremuch more savvy than in years past inknowing what they want,” Hintze said.“They just really seem to have their handon the pulse of what’s going on with trends.”

Because couples are spending more time athome, Kartalis encourages brides and groomsto think of their registry as a way to makeevery day special. “She should make her homeas fun as her everyday life,” said Kartalis.

Popular registry items range from tablewareand cookware to more fun gadgets and smallappliances. Hintze said she’s seeing couplesregister for specialty items such as the cordlesswine opener, a strawberry huller and a nutmeggrinder. Popular small appliances include slowcookers, waffle makers and juicers. Cookwareis a mainstay on most wedding registries,including Le Creuset’s enamel cast ironcookware pieces, said Hintze and Kartalis.Bloomingdale’s has seen the biggest increasein electrics, said Kartalis, with the mostpopular items being the Cuisinart foodprocessor and hand mixer and the KitchenAidstand mixer and blender.

Another notable component that couples arelooking for from products is items thattransition easily and add convenience andease to their lives. “When they look at thingsit matters whether or not it’s dishwasher safe,can it go in the microwave, can they use itfrom the dining room table to the deck for a

WEDDING REGISTRY (cont. from 1)

Wedding registry consultants are helpingcouples personalize their registries to reflecttheir personalities and their personal lives.Consultants often ask the couple abouttheir interests, how they entertain and whatthey enjoy doing in order to help themdecide what items to request on theirregistry. Kartalis describes the registry as achance to help the bride think and plan forher life after the wedding.

Tiffany Noell Hintze, bridal director forPolly DuPont in Dallas, said she encouragescouples to imagine how their life willchange over the years and how they’ll beable to use pieces from their registry in thelong-term. “I always tell every couple, ‘we’rehere, don’t register if you’re not going to useyour crystal, your silver. You want to, whenyou pass that down, for it to tell a story.’ Iwant it to tell a story.”

In the current difficult economy, couples arefocusing their stories on at-homeentertaining. “I’ve never seen such an interestin being back to basics,” Hintze said. She hasworked with numerous couples that haveexpressed their interest and efforts to preparemeals and focus on presentation whileentertaining at home.

That effort is part of what Hintze andKartalis referred to as today’s “foodieculture,” which has influenced what couplesare adding to their registry. “The Food

CUISINART RECHARGEABLE SALT & PEPPER MILLS Cuisinart presents an easy and elegantway to serve freshly ground salt andpepper. The stainless Rechargeable Salt& Pepper Mills sit in a sleek power baseto ensure the mills are always fullycharged and ready to grind. Adjust forfine to coarse grinds, and light up foodwith the units’ LED lights as it’s beingseasoned for perfect results.Suggested Retail Price: $69.95

Cuisinart[tel] 800.726.6247www.cuisinart.com

http://www.rsvp-intl.com


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

VACU VIN GRATERThe sleek new Vacu Vin Grater is akitchen and tabletop grating toolfeaturing a sharp grating blade on a9.5" long tool that fits comfortably inthe palm of the hand. An inside reservoiror storage compartment catches thegrated food for easy dispensing. TheVacu Vin grater is constructed fromwhite plastic and stainless steel and isdishwasher safe.Suggested Retail Price: $14.99

Vacu Vin[tel] 704.882.3521www.vacuvin.com

POURFECT PRODUCTS’ WHISK-A-BOWLDesigned to fit KitchenAid standmixers, the Whisk-A-Bowl utilizes aunique, stainless steel spiral designthat has a longer length than thestandard stand mixer whisk soingredients at the bottom of the bowlare more likely to be incorporated.Its spiral design whips ingredientshorizontally and vertically to ensuremore aeration and a fluffier, frothierfoam. Whisk-A-Bowl is ideal forwhipping egg whites. It is available inthree sizes designed to fit KitchenAidtilt-head mixers and 5-quart bowl liftand 6-quart bowl lift models.Suggested Retail Prices: $42-46

POURfect Products[tel] 480.699.6458www.pourfectbowl.com

CROCK-POT MANUAL PLUSAs part of its new Designer Series,Crock-Pot offers the Manual Plus inthree models. All three versionsfeature easy-to-use, knob-shapedcontrols with high, low and warmheat settings and a digital timerthat counts up the cooking time inone-minute increments. The 6-quartManual Plus slow cookers areavailable in a stainless steel finish withdishwasher-safe stoneware andgasket lids. Shapes available aresquound, rectangular and oblong.Suggested Retail Price: $49.99

Jarden Consumer Solutions/Crock-Pot[tel] 800.323.9519www.crock-pot.com

http://www.zak.com


{ h e a d l i n e s }A groundbreaking new “Degrees ofSustainability” initiative—the gift and homeindustry’s first comprehensive environmentalcriteria, ranking and recognition system—debuted at the winter 2010 New YorkInternational Gift Fair in connection with thefair’s SustainAbility: design for a better worldexhibit and educational program. Seven of thewinter 2010 display participants also weredesignated as achieving the highest levelof sustainability for their products, productionprocesses and business practices.

This initiative outlines criteria forenvironmentally friendly and socially responsibleproducts and production methods, andestablishes a three-tiered ranking system foradherence to these criteria. This initiative wasdeveloped by NYIGF in cooperation with itsrecently formed Sustainability Council, anadvisory board of green leaders in gift and homedesign, manufacturing, retail and consulting.

“The gift and home industry has embraced themovement toward sustainability, but until nowthere has been no uniformity in the definitionor application of ‘green,’ ” said Dorothy Belshaw,NYIGF director and GLM senior vice presidentin a prepared statement. “Through developmentof this ‘Degrees of SustainAbility’ criteria andranking system, we have developed a commonframework for industry consideration of both‘green’ products and producers.”

NYIGF Unveils Industry’s First Green Criteria and Ranking InitiativeNYIGF’s Degrees of SustainAbility initiativeoutlines industry-specific criteria to identifygreen products and producers, and a three-tieredranking indicating the extent to which aproduct/producer complies to these standards.From lowest to highest, the rankings are:

• SustainAbility1—products that are manufac-tured or constructed with only recycled,recyclable and/or sustainable materials; andwith “zero tolerance” for VOC; lead (for baby,children and food-related products); anilinedyes, formaldehyde and chlorine (for textiles);and PVC, without recommendation for useand disposal.

• SustainAbility2—products meeting abovecriteria, plus use of environmentally friendlyproduction processes, such as renewable oralternative sources of energy in production,including wind, sun and alternative fuels.

• SustainAbility3—products meeting abovecriteria, plus adherence to socially responsiblebusiness practices and/or Fair Trade productsmade by indigenous peoples which createviable, sustainable trades and markets inpoverty-stricken and needy communitiesworldwide, and a donation of percentages ofsales to not-for-profit organizations.

NYIGF’s SustainAbility: design for a betterworld exhibit featured some 220 gift, home and

lifestyle products that met the SustainAbility1criteria. This winter, seven of the companiesparticipating in the display have been designatedas attaining SustainAbility3, the highest ranking.These industry standard-bearers are:

80 Acres of McEvoy Ranch: These products areproduced in small batches in northern California,using organic ingredients. The products containUSDA-certified organic olive oil grown andmilled on the company’s organic ranch inPetaluma, Calif. Also included is jojoba oil andbeeswax, and they are scented exclusively withessential oils of lavender, ylang ylang, lemonand lime. Recycled packaging is used whereverpossible. McEvoy Ranch operates a wind turbineon site that is designed to meet 100 percent ofits energy needs.

bambu: This renewable ideas company and itsproducts are made from excess organic renewableor reclaimed materials that normally are thewaste by-product of other production. Allmaterials are harvested without harming treesor the surrounding habitat and every part of theplant is utilized with no waste. This product isproduced under Fair Trade policies that supportcommunity artisans in developing countries.The production and work conditions areoverseen by bambu principals who work and live“at the source” in China. A member of theGreen America Business Network, they donateproceeds generated by the sale of this product

to not-for-profit organizations 1% For ThePlanet, NRDC and 3rd Millennium Alliance forrainforest protection in Ecuador.

Ecojot: Ecojot is a manufacturer of journals,notebooks, gift wrap and other finished paperproducts made with paper produced in aCanadian mill powered by bio-gas off the grid.The paper is made from 100 percent, post-consumer paper and board without the use ofbleach. It is reusable and recyclable and can befed back into the resource loop, cradle-to-cradle.This product has a “Zero Tolerance” for anilinedyes, formaldehyde and chlorine. Ecojot’s “Buy1, We Give 1” campaign delivers workbooks tochildren in need where many families cannotafford schooling costs for their kids. Ecojot willdonate one workbook for each of the selectedproducts sold.

Fab Habitat: Fab Habitat products are madeunder strict Fair Trade principles from plasticrecycled from bottle caps and containers. Theyare woven on energy-efficient looms usingrecycled polypropylene and are fully recyclable.The scraps from the manufacturing process arealso reused, and no waste is left. Rugs arepackaged in earth-friendly jute bags and areshipped in lightweight shipping material.Production creates employment opportunities forlocal artisans and individuals with special needs.Fab Habitat donates a percentage of annualprofit to the Navjeevan Society, a local charity.

Fire & Light Originals: Craftspeople createthis glassware one by one, preserving thetradition of American hand-pressed glass, usingpost-consumer recycled glass. Fire & Lighthas recycled more than six million bottles andjars purchased from their community recyclingcenter and tons of other glass. Recycled glass uses30 percent less energy than virgin glass and canbe recycled repeatedly. Recycled cardboard isused as packing material.

Jonathan’s Spoons: These spoons are madefrom solid cherry wood, mostly grown andprocessed within the same state of manufacture,and purchased from a supplier certified by theForest Stewardship Council. The spoons arefinished with food grade oil and contain notoxic glues or finishes. The waste is used to heatthe homes of many of the company’s employeesand neighbors. The sawdust is mixed withother natural materials to fertilize a local farm.The company supports the Hardwood ForestryFund, American Forests and the PennsylvaniaForest Association, whose efforts help to protectnative forests through tree planting andeducational programs.

The Green Glass Company: The Green GlassCompany purchases “green energy” from itsenergy provider. This product is made by re-purposing bottles—a process that uses onepercent of the energy compared to melting andforming glassware from recycled glass culetsand this glass can be fed back into the resourceloop (cradle-to-cradle). The bottles are cut, edgemelted and annealed. Recycled packaging isused. The Green Glass Company follows FairTrade policies closely, including a fair wage andworking conditions.

http://www.planetarydesign.us


{ n e w p r o d u c t s }ARGEE CORP.’S LUV THAT TRAYArgee’s Luv That Tray is a placemat-type product that sports ½" raisedsides to keep items on the tray fromspilling over. It is made from FDA-approved plastic with a safetycertification and also flexes to form aneasy funnel guide that allows items toslide off. Luv That Trays are versatileenough to double as a tray for snackand meals, keeping crumbs andliquid spills in control.Suggested Retail Price: $12.99

Argee Corp.[tel] 800.449.3030www.argeecorp.com

OBH NORDICA RADIO TOASTERThe Scandinavian-designed NordicaRadio Toaster combines a two-sliceelectronic toaster with an AM/FMradio. The toaster features variablebrowning control, defrost and reheatfunctions, high-rise option and aremovable crumb tray for easycleaning. The radio has a five-stationmemory and an equalizer withpresets for flat, jazz, rock, pop andclassic. It is available in black or white.

OBH Nordica[tel] 913.825.2615www.obhnordica.com

AMERICAN METALCRAFT TASTING PLATESAs the mini-serving trend continues,these American Metalcraft TastingPlates fit the bill for casual or upscaledining and banquets. They elegantlydisplay individual portions. New to theAmerican Metalcraft line in 2010, theymeasure just 4½" x 3¼" x ½" high. Inhammered or brushed stainless steel,triangular or oval shapes, they featurea convenient built-in tab for easy pick-up and transport.

American Metalcraft[tel] 800.333.9133www.amnow.com

http://www.santecookware.com


Dydacomp.......................................................... 14

Flirty Aprons ..................................................... 13

Fusion Brands .................................................... 22

Italian Trade Commission .............................. 24

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

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

LSArts Inc. ......................................................... 14

Mastrad Inc. ......................................................... 5

Parrish’s Cake Dec. ........................................... 23

Planetary Design .............................................. 20

Pragotrade Inc. .....................................................4

Prodyne .............................................................. 15

Reco International Corp. ............................... 10

Robinson Home Products Inc. ........................ 2

R.S.V.P. International ...................................... 18

Sante Cookware .................................................21

SCI Scandicrafts.................................................. 8

Signature Housewares ....................................... 7

Starfrit ................................................................... 9

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

Tribest .................................................................14

Zak Designs ....................................................... 19

ADVERTISER INDEX

{ n e w s i n b r i e f }Tramontina USA, a leading cookwaremanufacturer and supplier, announcedJuliana Bainum and Timothy J. Morganhave joined its sales and marketing team.Morgan is the new vice president andnational sales manager, responsible fordeveloping new business channels forTramontina including working to placeproducts with selected online retailers.Morgan brings extensive sales managementexperience to the company. He served asvice president of sales for the wholesaledivision of Le Creuset of America Inc.,regional manager and military salescoordinator for Panasonic ApplianceCompany Group and director ofsales/department stores for SunbeamOster. Morgan has a bachelor of businessadministration/marketing from theUniversity of Missouri. Bainum joinsTramontina in the newly created positionof marketing and project manager. Herresponsibilities include developing newproducts, managing and expanding theTramontina website and consumermarketing communications. Prior tojoining Tramontina, Bainum planned andexecuted yearly marketing plans as onlinemarketing manager for Lancôme, a L’Oréalbrand, and served as the internationaloperations manager for iBest, an Internetservice provider and entertainment contentportal. She has a bachelor of journalismfrom the University of Kansas and anMBA from Fundação Getulio Vargas inRio de Janeiro, Brazil. Both Morgan and

Bainum report to Antonio Galafassi,president and CEO of Tramontina USA.

Vita-Mix Corp. has announced winners inthree categories for its PITCH ME!Contest: Best Overall, Best Gourmet andPeople’s Choice. The contest was anationwide search for a new TVpersonality to demonstrate the Vita-Mixblender. Contestants were judged basedon artistic merits, selling skills includingon-camera persuasive ability andentertainment value. Winning the $10,000cash grand prize and the possibility ofstarring in future Vita-Mix advertisingwas “Humboltheather,” submitted byHeather Jade Theil. “Her video showcasinghow to prepare a delicious cashew creamembodies the total Vita-Mix experience,”said Dan Koch, Vita-Mix sales manager ofthe Retail/Dealer Division in preparedremarks. Brooke McLay won the BestGourmet video with “BeCheeky,” takinghome a $5,000 cash prize. The People’sChoice winner was “3sisters,” and alsoreceived a $5,000 cash prize. The Vita-MixCorp. was founded in 1921 and continuesto distribute its line of innovative blendersin more than 45 countries.

David Rippentrop joins Vinturi Inc., homeof the original wine aerator, as executivevice president of global sales and marketing.Rippentrop will oversee Vinturi’s globalsales and marketing initiatives, includingbuilding a retail and on-premise sales force,

planning for the company’s future growthand identifying marketing opportunitiesand strategy. Rippentrop reports to RioSabadicci, founder and CEO of Vinturiand the inventor of the Vinturi EssentialWine Aerator. “David brings a wealthof sales and channel managementdevelopment,” said Sabadicci in a preparedstatement. “His experience and leadershipstyle will enhance our success.” With morethan 30 years of experience in the beverageindustry and retail, Rippentrop has workedin sales, marketing and executive salesmanagement for top beverage companies,including Pepsi, Diageo NA, RemyCointreau USA, Constellation Brands andYoung’s Market Co.

Wilton Brands Inc., based in Woodridge,Ill., announced that Jerry W. Levin, thecompany’s chairman and interim CEO,was appointed as the company’s permanentchief executive officer. Levin will continueon as chairman of the board. “Since servingas chairman and interim CEO I have beenimpressed with Wilton, and its greatproducts, brands and people,” he said in aprepared statement. “I am enthusiasticabout the opportunities that exist atWilton. I am looking forward to workingwith the board and the company’semployees to continue Wilton’s successes.”Wilton Brands’ product portfolio includesfood crafting, scrapbooking and other craftproducts. It offers a comprehensiveselection of baking, cake decorating, candy

making, cookie making, wedding andseasonal products.

Chef Kevin Gillespie has signed on with

The Lisa Ekus Group LLC. The agencyis representing Gillespie for literary,spokesperson and endorsement deals. AGeorgia native, Gillespie is executive chefand co-owner at Woodfire Grill in Atlantaand was voted “Fan Favorite” of Bravo’sEmmy and James Beard Award-winningseries “Top Chef ” for the show’s sixthseason in Las Vegas in 2009. Proving to bea top contender by winning the greatestcombined number of “QuickfireChallenges” and “Elimination Challenges,”he stood out as one of this season’s finalthree cheftestants who competed for theTop Chef title in Napa Valley. “Kevin hasbegun work on a yet-to-be-titled cookbookreflecting his unique cooking philosophy.We are excited to be bringing the proposalto publishers in the next few months,tapping into the celebrity and talent ofsuch a respected young chef,” said LisaEkus-Saffer, principal and founder of TheLisa Ekus Group LLC in a preparedstatement. Gillespie was named one ofMother Nature Network’s top “40 ChefsUnder 40” in 2009 for promoting the “farmto fork” concept. The chef, known for hislocally-sourced, seasonal, “progressiveAmerican” style, is also a 2010 James BeardRising Star Chef of the Year semifinalistand one of Gayot’s Top Five Rising Chefsin the U.S.

http://www.fusionbrands.com


Trade Show BuzzA monthly update on the goings-on at industry-related shows

{ t r a d e s h o w b u z z }2010 TRADE SHOW CALENDAR

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, 800.698.5617

www.41madison.com, www.7wnewyork.comwww.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

23-29 Dallas Total Home & Gift MarketDallas Market Center

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

Directions: Going Green program. Also newto IH+HS this year—about 500 exhibitors.The expected number of first-time exhibitorswas up to about 500 companies, as of presstime. “Retail buyers should be looking forwardto a lot of ‘new’ at the show this year,” saidPhil Brandl, International HousewaresAssociation president. “Our retailer audiencetells us that these more than 500 newexhibitors along with the thousands of newofferings from long-time exhibitors make theshow innovation headquarters for our industry.We will have nearly 100 more new exhibitorsthan last year, covering all show categories.”

The first quarter of 2010 has us all feeling abit more confident when it comes to theeconomy. It may still be a shaky confidence,but the high turnouts at the winter tradeshows certainly helped to up that level ofconfidence. With spring upon us, trade showorganizers are hopeful that the on-flooroptimism will continue throughout the year.

At SIAL Canada in Montreal April 21-23,our neighbors to the north are expecting 530exhibitors from 30 countries and 12,000visitors from more than 60 countries. “SIALCanada has become a reference in the foodindustry. The show not only affords privilegedaccess to the North American market, butalso serves as the yearly meeting point ofAgrifood professionals manufacturing ordistributing food products,’’ said TamarKantarjian, SIAL Canada’s communicationsmanager. SIAL, which is held at the Palaisdes Congres de Montreal, takes a uniqueapproach to organizing its show floor. Tomake visiting easier, as well as more efficient,SIAL has created themed paths within theshow floor that join similar products makingthem more accessible and giving themenhanced visibility. In addition to the organicand foodservice paths presented at the lasttrade show, the 2010 edition brings forwarda Halal and a Kosher path, giving specialattention to these fast-moving sectors.

Across the pond in Vienna, Austria, the 2010Tea and Coffee World Cup is expectingaround 4,000 visitors and 200 exhibitors,according to Alicia Riley of the Tea andCoffee World Cup. The focus of the showthis year is on sustainability and recoveringfrom the economic crisis, with events likeEffects of the Financial Crisis on the TeaTrade presented by Kalle Grieger of Haelssen& Lyon GmbH and a Panel on CoffeeCertification & Sustainability.

David Heilbrunn, marketing director for CoffeeFest, a trade show for the specialty coffeeindustry, said that as green initiatives grow,retailers coming to Coffee Fest are looking foroptions that are organic or Fair Trade certified.

The coffee and tea retailers aren’t the onlyfolks focused on going green—the gourmetfood and housewares industries especiallyhave embraced eco-friendly tactics at trade

shows. Last month at Natural Products ExpoWest in Anaheim, Calif., a show directorymap was produced in place of a buyers’ guide,which saved 487 full-grown trees, accordingto New Hope Natural Media, the show’sproducers. The producers of Expo West alsoopted to not mail out badges before the show,in an effort to limit the environmental impactconnected with transporting 50,000 badgesto exhibitors and attendees. This move savedan estimated four tons of carbon.

In an effort to educate industry professionals

further on eco-friendly practices, TheInternational Home + Housewares Showin Chicago in March featured a series of TalksWith Green Experts as part of its Design

by Ellen Ranta

http://www.parrishsmagicline.com


http://www.italiangiftware.com

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