Consumers are shopping for glassware withquality rather than quantity on their minds,which pushes manufacturers to step up theirgame. One result of that is that productsthat are made in America are becomingmore important to the marketplace. Thetrend for American-made products has beena big one in recent years and seems to becontinuing to grow. Everything made byAnnieglass is hand-signed with a “Madein America” insignia, while both Rolf Glassand Dartington Crystal manufacture herein the U.S. as well.

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Gift Basket Makers Opting for Classic, Well-Made Products

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S E RV I NG K I T CH ENWAR E , HOU S EWAR E S AND TA B L E TO P MA RK E T S

Glassmakers are also seeing a trendfavoring nature and wildlife imagery.According to Rolf Glass Director ofDesign Paula Sansone-Johnson, designsfeaturing owls, feathers, birds and evenspiders are selling strongly this year. Shesaw the trend at a Frankfurt show this yearand responded with a beautiful tumblerwith an owl and mouse design.

Michael Jeansson, Vice President of

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

Retailers need to be ready to discuss thenew nonstick coatings for cookware andbakeware with customers who are morecareful about their spending decisions,and Whitford Corporation, the makers ofthe world’s largest and most complete lineof fluoropolymer coatings, has launcheda website to help you do just that. Thewebsite is the brainchild of FranGroesbeck, Worldwide Retail MarketingManager for Whitford, and it offersanswers to just about any question thatyour customers are likely to ask about the

One Stop on the Web for Everything youNeed to Know about Nonstick Coatings

cookware and bakeware you want to sellto them.

Exciting new cookware and bakewareproducts are coming onto the market thisyear as manufacturers respond to the recoveryof the American economy—however slowlythat’s happening—and to a new generationof consumers who have purchasing powerbut are very sensitive to the value of thosedollars. “For this new consumer, you have tomake a product that works. If it’s stylish only,

BY LUCAS WITMAN

Over the past several years, many peoplehave made concerted moves towardsimplifying their lives. People are not onlyeconomizing in their day-to-day activities,but they are actually taking greaterpleasure in the simple, the classic, thehomemade and the repurposed. This trendhas impacted not only the ways in whichindividuals shape their own lifestyles, butalso the gifts they give one another.

The gift basket industry in particular has

Consumer Trends In Glassware ShiftTowards Functionality and Quality

certainly evolved over the past few yearsin response to this larger trend towarddownsizing and simplifying.

Jennifer Simon, founder and owner ofonline gift basket retailer Simon & Co.said that whereas a few years ago, the mostpopular gift baskets were those withelaborate and kitschy themes, today hercompany has the most success in marketingsmaller, more simple baskets, full of higher

VOLUME 18, NUMBER 7 JULY 2012

REVIEWS: LSARTS, BELLA TAVOLA..10

COOKWARE COATINGS...............17

MADE IN THE U.S.A.........................26

DALLAS MARKETPLACE .................19

http://www.parrishsmagicline.com

GENERAL NEWSwww.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW

The just-completed wave of shopperresearch on private label usage, conductedby Perception Research Services shows thevast majority of shoppers still purchasesome private label products on a regularbasis. Of those surveyed, 86 percent said that they purchase private labels. This is on par with the 84 percent whoreported doing so in a November 2010survey. In addition, the survey revealedthat private label purchases are consistentacross income groups and other types of classification.

This latest data shows more types of private label products being purchased,as significantly more shoppers claim tohave bought more private label productsin 2011 than they did in 2010 (38% vs.32%). Fifty-four percent of respondentsreported purchasing private label goods inmore product categories over the past year.(7.4 categories versus 4.8).

High levels of private label purchases

continue for paper products, cereals,cleaning products and canned and frozenvegetables. And for the first time, cookiesand salty snacks have now moved into thetop tier of regularly purchased private labelproducts as well.

Overall, the largest gains seen for privatelabel penetration were for soft drinks(carbonated & non-carbonated), saltysnacks, frozen meals, vitamins/medicinesand cookies.

Importantly, shoppers report feeling good about buying private label products.Over half (51 percent) say they feelsmart/savvy when they buy private label goods, and very few (11 percent) say they feel self-conscious doing so.Almost none (3 percent) say they feel embarrassed purchasing private label products.

In fact, in some cases, shoppers are willing to go out of their way to buy

Private Labels Get Thumbs Up from Consumers

some private label products. This isespecially true at specialty stores knownfor high quality, distinctive offerings, such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.This suggests that with the appropriatelevel of product innovation, private labelproducts can turn a retail chain into ashopping destination.

However, within typical channels, thereare some categories for which shoppersare resistant to buying private label.Roughly one third stated they would not buy private label versions of personal products, vitamins/medicines and frozen meals.

These types of products represent a bitmore risk to consumers if the quality issub-par. And in grocery, warehouse andother stores, the perceived quality of private label products seems lower in these categories.

“In the major economic decline of the late1920s, the rallying cry was ‘a chicken inevery pot.’ In these days of ongoingfinancial difficulty and uncertainty, it ’smore like ‘a private label product in every cupboard,’” said Jonathan Asher,

Executive Vice President of PRS.

“It used to be that buying private labelproducts was a way to save a little money during the grocery trip, with manyof these products bought by those in severe economic straits, or just a handfulof them bought by many. Now, theseproducts offer both cost savings andproduct quality across many categories,increasing their penetration and frequencyas shoppers feel good about buying them,even if they don’t feel the need to do sofor economic reasons.”

Asher added, “It seems as if creating product innovations is the key to success—for retailers to achieveadditional growth in those categories that have been met with some resistance,and for national brand manufacturers, who must give shoppers a meaningfulreason to pay more for their offerings. In the long run, increased innovation willbe a winning formula for all.”

This latest wave of research was conductedin April 2012 across the United States,and involved roughly 600 primaryhousehold grocery shoppers aged 18-64.

General News3

Marinela Luminita Dragan of Portland,Ore.’s Dragan Concepts, LLC is using twocrowdfunding platforms to launch EZMaster, the first double boiler attachmentfor stand mixers. Dragan's invention is theonly temperature-controlled double boilerthat universally attaches to stand mixersand cuts required cooking time in half.

“I love the stand mixer. It saves me a lotof work and time, when I make a cake, Ihave to stand over the stove with thedouble boiler for a half hour to make myown frosting,” says Dragan, Founder ofDragan Concepts, LLC. “On 2007Christmas Eve, after too much time at thestove, a voice told me what I needed todo. Now, EZ Master is getting a ton ofpositive response. I am excited to usecrowdfunding and reward the newest fans.”

EZ Master was invented for use in homekitchens, though it would benefit bakeries andcommercial kitchens, too. MSRP is $149.95

and the product is available for pre-productionorders at swww.mallbrandnation.com orthrough www.kickstarter.com. Contact Draganby email at draganconcepts@gmail.com, orcall 503.788.8380 for more information.

Celebrated Businesswoman Crowdfunds Cookware Invention

CBS has signed an agreement to bring aline of “The Good Wife” home decorproducts to the market, thematically basedon the hit television drama series. “TheGood Wife” set decorator Beth Kushnick

will work with design company MitchellGold + Bob Williams to create a line ofhome accessories, lighting and accentfurniture. Interlude Home is set to produceand market the line later this year.

CBS Moves Forward with “The Good Wife” Home Décor Line

GENERAL NEWS4 www.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW

A growing number of U.S. consumers arecooking at home more often, as well as tryingnew and more nutritious foods, in an effortto both reduce food bills and their waistlines.These findings are among the results of arecent DuPont™ Teflon® brand Be CookAware consumer survey, conducted in aneffort to understand how the past year’strends have impacted America’s cooking andeating behaviors at home.

“Societal and economic shifts such as thefluctuating economy, combined withevolving national demographics and theintroduction of new nutritional guidelines,are likely to have heightened people’sawareness of the need to evolve eating andcooking behavior,” said Christa Kaiser,global segment manager, Teflon nonstickcoatings systems. “Consumers are livingsmarter and healthier, and having more funin the process while seeking out resourcesto help them make these changes.”

Compared to this time last year consumershave changed how they cook and eat intheir home. Seventy-two percent indicatedways in which they have changed how theycook and eat in their home. Thirty-sevenpercent reported they are cooking moreoften. Twenty-six percent are experimentingmore with food at home. And 23 percentare eating more natural or organic foods.

In addition, 89 percent of consumers arepaying more attention to price andnutritional value when making fooddecisions, with 73 percent naming priceas a factor in grocery shopping

In comparison, 52 percent reported freshingredients are at the top of the list ofwhat’s important to them, and 49 percentsaid foods with less fat

The DuPont Teflon brand Be Cook Awaresurvey also indicates that increasedattention to health and price are notlimiting consumers’ imagination in thekitchen. Fifty-nine percent have soughtcooking inspiration from online recipes,cookbooks, recipes from family and friends,cooking shows and mobile apps.

The survey also indicated several othertrends among today’s home cooks. Fortypercent of respondents said cleaning upafter cooking is their biggest kitchenchallenge. This was followed bypreparation time (26 percent)

The most commonly used cookware isnonstick (66 percent), followed by stainlesssteel (48 percent) and cast iron (23 percent).

For more information, visitwww.teflon.com.

Survey Shows U.S. Consumers Taking to their Kitchens to Cook More Frequently

Project Decor, the new social homedecorating web platform for designenthusiasts, recently launched its invite-only beta test. Through the new program,users can visualize their personal designstyle for each room in their home, share itwith their friends and then shop forfurniture and accessories to create theirdream home.

Interactive boards allow users to browsedesigner rooms, “tear” items they love,upload photographs of their room orfurniture and easily combine them to createtheir own personal design. Project Decor will also be offering consumers away to get products that are ofteninaccessible, as they are typically onlyavailable to the trade.

Project Decor has recruited over 40 of theleading design brands for the launch includingKnoll, Richard Schultz, Jonathan Adler,Bernhardt Design, Orrefors, Kosta Boda,Area, Gaia & Gino, Merida, ChristopherFarr, ducduc, Emeco, Stephanie OdegardCollection, Offecct, Mirror Image, Jan Kathand Studio Printworks. Additional partnerswill be announced in the coming weeks.

“It’s difficult for consumers to envision howvarious items from different brands willlook together in a room,” said Project Decorco-founder Cliff Sirlin. “Project Decorsolves that problem and empowers users to

easily create beautiful designer rooms thatthey can share with their social circle.”

“Decorating a home is an inherentlycollaborative process,” said Project Decorco-founder Andy Appelbaum. “SocialDesign with Project Decor makes it easyfor consumers to share and collaboratewith friends and family. Then, when usersare ready to buy, there is a seamless e-commerce experience so they no longerhave to run around to different stores orweb sites to make their purchases.” Torequest an invitation to the beta launch,visit www.projectdecor.com.

Project Decor to Launch Social Home Decorating Web Platform

Consumer Reports’ latest 26-page kitchenpackage confirms that consumers don’tneed a bottomless budget to get a kitchenthat looks and feels expensive. The reportfeatures expert tips, test ratings and brand-reliability results to help homeowners savethousands of dollars.

Consumer Reports rated almost 350ranges, cooktops, wall ovens andmicrowaves, almost 200 dishwashers,almost 350 refrigerators, 14 countertopmaterials, and more than 40 flooringproducts, helping to ensure that everydollar in the average homeowner’s $15,000

to $30,000 kitchen renovation budget goesfurther. Consumer Reports also polledmore than 18,000 of its savvy subscribersto see which brands held up over time andwhich didn’t.

“Manufacturers and retailers are workingharder than ever to earn your business,creating a market that’s ripe with savingsand deals for those who know where to look,”said Bob Markovich, home and yard editorat Consumer Reports. “Our annual kitchenpackage is like a personal GPS for findingthe best kitchen products with the bestfeatures at the best stores at the right price.”

That means consumers don’t have to paytop-dollar for high-end appliances, flooring,countertops and cabinets that still end upbreaking down, or quickly degrading inappearance. Instead, Consumer Reportsrecommends consumers not be lured in bysleekness alone and work to recognizepotential spending traps. Some pitfalls towatch out for include not visiting showroomsor talking with pros before buying, skimpingon labor, paying more for little-used orneeded features, choosing fragile (and pricey)stone countertops and more.

Finding a retailer that offers low prices,good service, and top quality is another areawhere consumers can save time and money.In Consumer Reports’ exclusive appliance-buying survey of more than 18,000

subscribers, respondents named independentonline retailer Abt Electronics out ofChicago as the top choice for majorappliances. www,amazon.com was amongthe best for small appliances, whilerespondents also praised Costco, Kohl’s andSam’s Club for their prices. About a thirdof survey respondents tried negotiating downthe price on a major appliance in store, withsuccess more than 70 percent of the timeand an average saving of nearly $100.

The full survey results also include topretail choices for selection, service and easycheckout. The comprehensive, fact-filledguide is featured in the July issue ofConsumer Reports, already available atnewsstands. Additional product ratings and more will be available online atwww.consumerreports.org.

Consumer Reports Releases 2012 Kitchen Remodel Guide

GENERAL NEWSwww.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW 5

Slow Food USA announced that it isjoining forces with Slow FoodInternational to build A ThousandGardens in Africa. A Thousand Gardensin Africa is part of a global initiative tobring the Slow Food network together toensure African food security, as well as toraise awareness of native plant varietiesand medicinal herbs. The community andschool plots are being developed acrossthe continent, particularly in places thathave become dependent on foreign aid andimported commodities.

To date, A Thousand Gardens in Africa hasraised funding for 567 gardens, provided bydonors from across the globe. The initiative

is already starting to bolster local economiesin 25 countries from Egypt to South Africa.The project is community-driven and basedon a training-of-trainers model under theguidance of Slow Food coordinators andhorticulturists. Communities have to applyfor and want to maintain the gardensthemselves. Improving farmer autonomymakes certain that knowledge is passed downfor future seasons, and it helps farmers growfood for their communities rather than forexport and at the expense of their ownnourishment. Through a more sustainableuse of soil and water, and a safeguarding oftraditional recipes, villages are also gaining asense of pride for the natural resources thatthey share and that they want to protect by

Slow Food USA Building A Thousand Gardens in Africa

not using harmful chemicals.

The movement towards a more sustainableapproach to agriculture is happeningworldwide. In the United States,consciousness is increasing, as evidenced bya number of Slow Food USA’s recentprojects. This year alone, the volunteer-runorganization engaged more than 150,000children in school food and gardenprograms. In Florida, Slow Food Miamiplanted 66 gardens in 66 days. And inColorado, Slow Food Denver’s Seed toTable program organized more than 900parents and teachers to bring gardens andreal food to cafeterias in more than 60percent of the city’s public schools.

“Slow Food volunteers are working totransform food and farming nationwide. Now,they’re stepping up to support their colleaguesin Africa who are working to do the same,”

said Josh Viertel, President of Slow FoodUSA. “Historically, in the U.S., we’ve foughtglobal hunger by growing cheap grain anddumping it on foreign markets. In the end,we’ve just displaced farmers in developingcountries and created more poverty andhunger. We need solutions that give peoplethe resources they need to feed themselves.We are helping to build One ThousandGardens in Africa that prove it’s possible.”

“By supporting A Thousand Gardens inAfrica, one isn’t just supplying thematerials necessary to set up a garden, andguaranteeing a daily supply of fresh andhealthy food to local populations, they’reencouraging young people to be farmers.And that’s a very special thing,” said Paolodi Croce, Executive Director of Slow FoodInternational. “It’s an ambitious project,but every donation—whether financial ortime—goes a long way.”

Terrysmegamall.com Enters Online Retail MarketMichigan-based Internet Company,Liberty Ave. Enterprise LLC, recentlyintroduced the new affiliate e-commercewebsite, www.terrysmegamall.com.

As an affiliate marketer of major e-commerceretailers including www.amazon.com,

www.terrysmegamall.com offers a great selection of top-selling products for its visitors, all customer-reviewed andcarefully priced.

“Our goal is to limit the amount of timeonline consumers have to spend shopping

on the Internet. We bring the best productsto you, so that all you have to do is click, review, and purchase,” said awww.terrysmegamall.com representative.

Terrysmegamall.com strives to offereverything a brick and mortar shoppingmall would offer, and currently sells avariety of consumer products in a numberof categories, including apparel, watches,jewelry, baby, beauty, health and personalcare, books, movies, music, cameras,consumer electronics, home and garden,

kitchen, outdoor living, pet supplies, PC hardware, office products, sportinggoods, games, grocery & gourmet food,automotive supplies, industrial items and tools.

The company continually updates itsproducts and categories as new productsenter the market or special pricing becomesavailable. All items purchased through thewebsite's affiliate partners can be shippedanywhere in the United States and Canada,and all major credit cards are accepted.

GENERAL NEWS6 www.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW

The U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency has launched a program calledTeam ENERGY STAR®, intended toeducate American youth and their familiesabout saving energy in the home.

Team ENERGY STAR teaches kids tohelp protect the climate through easy-to-implement, money-saving actions andprovides them with an outlet for sharingtheir passion for preserving ourenvironment. And, with Dr. Seuss’ theLorax as the engaging theme for TeamENERGY STAR, kids can learn and have fun at the same time.

DoSomething.org, one of the largestorganizations in the U.S. for teens and socialchange, and LG Electronics USA, havejoined EPA in this effort by running theirown Team ENERGY STAR challenge. Kids are encouraged to share their energy-savings stories and are recognized by the EPA and provided additional rewardsfrom DoSomething.org and LG.

“Team ENERGY STAR is a great way toinvolve young people in two critical issuesof our time—saving energy and protectingthe climate,” said Sarah Dunham, Directorof EPA’s Office of Atmospheric Programs.“Engaging our country’s youth in makinga difference today will make a bigdifference in securing a cleaner, moresustainable future.”

“Besides rocking a sweet moustache, theLorax is an outstanding protector of theenvironment—just like our young people,”said DoSomething.org’s CampaignsManager, April Wright. We’ve seen overand over again that our teens really careabout the environment, which is why wewere more than excited to help supportTeam ENERGY STAR.”

James Fishler, Senior Vice President,Marketing, LG Electronics USA, said, “Team ENERGY STAR is aninnovative initiative that will help familiesfind creative ways to save energy andmoney while helping to save the planet.LG is proud to join forces withDoSomething.org on this fun challengein which kids can earn the chance to wincool LG products like smartphones, TVsand computer monitors.”

Kids can join Team ENERGY STAR by visiting energystar.gov/team where they will get easy-to-download educationaland interactive materials, such as acomprehensive Action Kit, the ENERGYSTAR Home Check-Up, a Lorax activitybooklet and a Lorax moustache-makingkit. Kids are also encouraged to come back and share their stories aboutprotecting the environment by savingenergy; they will be showcased on energystar.gov/changetheworld andthroughout social media.

New Federal Program Teaches Kids to Save Energy at Home

Viking Range Corporation has expandedits palette of color finishes to include fourexciting new colors: cinnamon, dijon, kettleblack and wasabi.

“The addition of these finishes will giveconsumers, architects and designers moreoptions to coordinate with personal tastes,”said Brent Bailey, Director—IndustrialDesign, Viking Range Corporation. “Thesenew colors reflect in-depth research intocolor trends for the foreseeable future, whilealso paying homage to our culinary heritage.”

These four colors add to the existing Vikingcolor finishes: stainless steel, black, white,graphite gray, stone gray, taupe, biscuit,cotton white, sage, mint julep, sea glass,

iridescent blue, Viking blue, cobalt blue,lemonade, racing red, apple red, burgundy,plum and chocolate. Now consumers have24 color options when choosing theirViking appliances. These four new colorsare available now throughout the line-upof Viking kitchen appliances.

Viking Range Corporation is a culinarylifestyle company that originated ultra-premium commercial-type appliances forthe indoor and outdoor kitchen. Viking isheadquartered in Greenwood, Mississippi.Viking major appliances are sold througha network of premium appliancedistributors and dealers worldwide, andViking culinary products are sold througha network of premium gourmet retailers.

Viking Expands Color Palette

Leading appliance manufacturerWhirlpool Corporation has become the first company in the marketplace toachieve certification of its products toUnderwriters Laboratory’s AHAM7001/CSA SPE 7001-12/UL 7001,Sustainability Standard for HouseholdRefrigeration Appliances.

Developed collaboratively by ULEnvironment (ULE), the Association ofHome Appliances Manufacturers(AHAM), and the Canadian StandardsAssociation (CSA), this new sustainabilitystandard requires that refrigerators meetlifecycle-based environmental performancecriteria across five categories: materials,energy consumption during use,manufacturing and operations, productperformance and end-of-life. The firstproducts to meet these criteria and achieveUL Environment certification to thestandard are Whirlpool Corporation’sFrench Door-style, bottom-mounthousehold refrigerators.

“The home appliances industry has aremarkable opportunity to help advancesustainability in new and exciting ways, and we applaud Whirlpool for takingthis leadership role and pursuing

certification to the AHAM-CSA-ULstandard,” says Sara Greenstein, President of UL Environment. “We areconfident that Whirlpool Corporation’sforthcoming certification will set the stagefor other refrigerator manufacturers tofollow suit, spurring positivetransformation toward environmentalstewardship across the home appliancesindustry.”

Based on a 100-point system, AHAM7001/CSA SPE 7001-12/UL 7001requires that a product earn a minimumof 60 points, with at least one point fromeach of the five categories, to comply. Abonus category for innovation awards upto 10 additional points, though projectsmay not exceed 100 points.

“Whirlpool is proud to be the first to offerrefrigerators that meet the new AHAM-CSA-UL Sustainability Standard,” saysJB Hoyt, Director of Sustainability andRegulatory Affairs for WhirlpoolCorporation and Vice Chair of theAHAM taskforce. “We worked on the taskforce to advance an extremely broad viewof sustainability that fits with whatconsumers are looking for when shoppingfor appliances.”

Whirlpool Refrigerator Certified Under New UL Sustainability Standard

GENERAL NEWSwww.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW 7

Dallas Market Center announced thatDesign FINDS, Fashion FINDS and RedHaute FINDS doubled in size this year tooffer a wide range of new productsthroughout the FINDS Dallas Temp Show.Design FINDS was open Wednesday, June20 – Sunday, June 24 and Fashion FINDSand Red Haute FINDS from Thursday,June 21 – Sunday, June 24.

“FINDS has grown overall by more than30 percent since its launch in 2006,” saidBill Winsor, President and CEO, DallasMarket Center. “Our team works yearround to bring in new products and growcategories with increasing demand.”

“The Design FINDS move to the TradeMart atrium allowed the product categoryto expand tremendously and created greatgrowth in the fashion categories on the13th floor,” said Cindy Morris, COO,

Dallas Market Center. “Market afterMarket the show continues to expand andoffer fresh lines for our buyers.”

“The move to the Trade Mart has beengreat for us—the exposure was terrific,”said Donna & Darlene Stevens, d. stevensin Design FINDS. “The space allows usto better display our lines and get creativewith our designs. Our business grew somuch because of the location!”

“At the last FINDS show we received a great reception from buyers and we look forward to June’s Market,” saidStewart Prosser, Stewart Prosser in RedHaute FINDS.

This growth is in addition to the newFINDS categories debuting this June: FoodieFINDS and Table & Houseware FINDS,both located on the WTC 12th floor.

Dallas Market Center Expands FINDS Shows

Tervis is going “Greek” with theannouncement of a new license agree-ment with 19 national sororities andfraternities. The “Greek” collection ofdrinkware will be initiated this summer ata variety of Tervis retail partners including gift stores and college bookstores.

“The sorority and fraternity commu-nity aligns well with our brand,” said Rich Kaplan, President and Chief Brand Officer at Tervis. “We are proud to partner with organizationsthat share a commitment to leadership,friendship and service, along with a fun outlet to express your personality and interests.”

With more than 12,000 chapters on 800 campuses and 9 million past and present members, the Panhelleniccommunity is a brotherhood—or

sisterhood—Tervis, too, shares a loyalfollowing … and with good reason. Tervis fans, or Tervo-maniacs, as they’re affectionately called, know thatTervis drinkware keeps cold drinks coldand hot drinks hot, whether walking to class or heading to a chapter meeting.This American-made drinkware is backedby a Tervis lifetime guarantee, is safe in the microwave, freezer and dishwasher,and is virtually unbreakable—ideal for the fraternity house. And as with all Tervis products, consumers have the ability to personalize their Greekdrinkware too. The emblem designs areavailable in all drinkware sizes, as well asthe new water bottle.

Tervis proudly accepted bids from 19different Panhellenic organizations. Formore information, please call Tervis at 941.441.2310.

Tervis® is Going “Greek” with its New Collection

GLM® has announced the promotion ofJohn Kelly to the position of Sales Managerfor the General Gift division of the NewYork International Gift Fair®, effective June1. In his new role, Kelly will be responsiblefor developing and executing sales strategiesfor NYIGF’s largest division, whichincludes some 750 exhibitors. He reportsto Christian Falkenberg, NYIGF Directorand GLM Vice President.

“John’s eight years with GLM has provideda solid foundation of experience withtradeshow sales, marketing, managementand operations,” said Falkenberg. “He has a proven record in setting andexceeding sales goals, which will serve him well in his new responsibilities forGeneral Gift.”

Since June 2004, Kelly has held sales and

operations positions with several showsowned or operated by GLM, includingsales manager for The Licensing Gallery@ NYIGF, an annual business-to-businessforum presented at the winter 2010 andwinter 2011 editions of NYIGF. Mostrecently, Kelly worked on SURTEX, aswell as several GLM-managed events inthe hospitality industry (InternationalHotel/Motel & Restaurant Show; LasVegas Hotel & Restaurant Show and theUpper Midwest Hospitality, Restaurant &Lodging Show).

A resident of Yorktown Heights, NY, Kellygraduated Siena College in 2004 with aB.S. in Marketing and Management anda Minor in Psychology. He is a member

of IAEE (International Association ofExhibitions and Events™).

NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift, homeand lifestyle marketplace, with 2,800+exhibiting companies featuring anextraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products andcomplementary giftware. The summermarket takes place Saturday, August 18,through Wednesday, August 22, at NewYork City’s Jacob K. Javits ConventionCenter and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers92 and 94. Some 35,000 attendees fromall 50 states and more than 80 countriesworldwide are expected. Information andregistration is available online atwww.nyigf.com.

GLM’s John Kelly Promoted to Sales Manager of NYIGF’s General Gift Division

To date, 62 companies representing 18countries have confirmed their participationin Artisan Resource™—a new tradeshowdirected to U.S.-based volume importers,direct import retailers and wholesalers—which debuts this summer during the NewYork International Gift Fair®. Artisanalcraft producers and production resourcesfrom Afghanistan, Bolivia, Chile,Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti,India, Kenya, Madagascar, Mexico,Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan,Peru, the Philippines and South Africa willbe among nations showcased at the first semi-annual edition, August 19-21,at New York City’s Passenger ShipTerminal Pier 92.

“Artisan resource provides these overseasartisan enterprises with a valuableproduction-sourcing venue in the U.S. andoffers attendees an unparalleled one-stopsourcing access to quality handcrafts fromacross Africa, Asia, Central and SouthAmerica and the Middle East,” said

Christian Falkenberg, NYIGF Directorand GLM Vice President. “This newevent—directed to volume import buyers—is a perfect complement to NYIGF’sHandmade® global design offerings.”

The debut of artisan resource will featuresignificant representation from theCaribbean, Central and South America,including: Artisan Business Network, Haiti (crafts from paper-mâché, foundobjects, natural materials, and ceramics);Artesanias Chilenas, Chile (jewelry in horsehair and metals); Asoc. Gutemalteca deExportadores, Guatemala (textiles, kitchenaccessories, toys, Christmas products andjewelry); American Chamber of Commerceof Peru, Peru (high quality handmadeproducts); Belart and Propueblo, Colombiaand Ecuador (crafts from sustainablematerials, including tagua, agave, horn,bone, silk, gold, and silver); CaribbeanCraft, Haiti (recycled paper-mâché andsteel sculptures made from used drums,soapstone sculptures, sisal/vine baskets);

Ecuador Trade Office, Ecuador (highquality handmade products); Haiti Projects,Haiti (embroidered linen and cottonclothing and accessories); La Casa CotzalS.A., Guatemala (textiles, wood, ceramicsand metal furnishings, folk art, and homeaccessories); Sapia, Colombia (sustainableproducts using natural plant material); andTalentos, Bolivia (alpaca fiber handcrafts).

Africa, Asia and the Middle East will alsobe well-represented at the launch, withconfirmed exhibitors including: Afrikiko,Kenya (handcrafted soapstone products);Carana Corporation—Artisans ofMorocco, Morocco (home décor, jewelry,clothing and accessories); Eco Tasar SilkP Ltd., India (hand-loomed silk scarves);Federation Sahalandy, Madagascar (silkand cotton home textiles and accessories);Get Paper Industry, Nepal (paperstationery, books and accessories);Greenarte—Artesanato Sustentável deMoçambique, Mozambique (modern anddistinctly Mozambican designs); Noah’s

Ark, India (recycled forged ironhandicrafts); Source, South Africa (highquality handmade products); Friends ofTilonia, Inc., India and Mexico (wild silktextiles, black pottery home décor andaccessories, natural fiber textiles, and hand-blown glass); Umeed, India (wool andthread crochet products); and ZardoziMarkets for Afghan Artisans, Afghanistanand Pakistan (embroidered gifts,accessories, home furnishing and clothing).

Beyond exhibits, Artisan Resource willoffer a comprehensive series of seminarsfor exhibitors and attendees. Attendeeprogramming includes a daily “importing101” seminar, addressing importing basics, FOB pricing, customs, warehousingand distribution. This free session will be presented at Pier 92, at 9:00 am, onAug. 19, 20 and 21. Exhibitor sessions willhelp to orient overseas artisans to U.S.business practices, as well as gift and home industry trends. An opening nightreception is planned on the exhibit floorat Pier 92 for all market-goers, on Sunday,Aug. 19, from 5pm–6pm. Information andregistration are available online atwww.nyigf.com/theshow/nyigfdivisions/arseminarsevents.aspx.

Artisanal Producers from 18 Countries Confirm Participation in New Show During NYIGF

IN THE ISSUE8 www.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW

O N T H E C O V E R

LSARTSToscano Beaded Collection[tel] 954.722.1750www.lsarts.com

KAVALIER GLASSStylish casserole dishes[tel] 800.400.5084www.simax.cz

AMERICAN FEITIANHandcrafted Glass Gifts[tel] 909.987.6354www.aftglassware.com

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Road, Tucson, AZ, 85715 (520) 721.1300. Publisher as-

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PUBLISHER Lee M. Oser EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lorrie Baumann lorrie_b@oser.com

EDITOR Renée Purdie renee_p@oser.com

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Ana Venne ana_v@oser.com

Lucas Witman lucas_w@oser.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR A.J. Flick aj_f@oser.com

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

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PRESIDENT Lee M. Oser

As we go to press with this July issue of Kitchenware News & Housewares Review, we’ve justreturned from New Orleans and the annual Dairy-Deli-Bake show sponsored by the InternationalDairy-Deli-Bakery Association. The show provided yet more evidence of a confluence of thefood service and food retailing industries that seems set to outlast the current economic recession.

People are simply eating and entertaining at home more often, partly because it’s a more affordableoption, but all the market research agrees that they’re enjoying the experience and plan to continueeven when it’s no longer an economic necessity. Judging by what we saw at the show, the deliindustry is benefiting too. It turns out that the person who wants to save money by eating at homedoesn’t necessarily always want to cook at home and deli counters offer that option.

Conversations at the show point to a number of other factors that may be feeding into this. Oneof them is that any number of people have food sensitivities that can be more easily dealt with athome. Also, many people want to know exactly what’s in the food they are eating and that’s notalways possible at a restaurant, where the diner is at the mercy of the information available fromthe menu or a server who may not be knowledgeable.

Another commenter suggested that perhaps strict DUI and anti-smoking laws may contributealso. If you’re dining with a friend, you can usually count on that friend either to cut you off whenyou’ve reached your limit, or failing that, to let you hang out until you’re sober enough to drive.The same can’t be said of a pricey restaurant. And if you smoke, it’s usually easier and less of aninterruption to step outside to light up when you’re visiting a friend than it might be to take alonger walk outside the restaurant’s dining room.

All of these reasons suggest that eating at home may be a trend that stays important. Of course,that’s great for the housewares industry. As one of the folks who attended the show with menoted, one of the nice things about owning a great set of new pots and pans is that when you’reentertaining at home, you can invite your friends into your kitchen, where they’ll happen to seeyour stuff. It’s just fun to have a shiny new pan, make something wonderful to eat in it, watchyour friends enjoy the food, keep them safe from allergens and road hazards, and also get anopportunity to gloat a little. Selling the wherewithal to do all that is just pure public service.

Lee M. Oser, Publisher

publisherfrom the

from theeditor

Phew! I made it through the first two editions and everyone is still standing! Seriously though, Iactually cannot believe I’ve been with Oser Communications Group nearly two months. Timehas flown and I’ve learned a lot, especially on this edition as it is packed to the brim with “newsyou can use.”

From the insightful Marketwatch on coatings to the Trade Show Buzz confirming that the trendsexplored last month in our “Made in the U.S.A.” feature are here to stay, we have brought theindustry’s pulse to your doorstep. In fact, demand for products made in the good, ole U.S.A. isexpected to continue growing for the foreseeable future—probably in response to the economicpressures many people and companies are facing, as well as recent product scares from certainoverseas markets that will remain nameless (in this piece at least). Also, according to the TradeShow Buzz, there’s apparently an upside to unemployment. There are increasing numbers of“creative people with time on their hands”, time they are spending creating innovative productsso get your purchase order books ready!

On a lighter, more delicious note, we have a giftware food gifts feature that will leave your mouthwatering, and a glassware feature that will have you seeing your way clear to stocking up on moreeco-friendly and unique glassware with “creature” imagery.

We are also already seeing a huge amount of excitement and new products in time for showseason. With the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market right around the corner, there simply isn’tenough space to contain all of the products that have been sent our way, but we look forward togiving it a try!

So, fill up your favorite container of choice, relax, enjoy and get ready to shop and ship!

Renée Purdierenee_p@oser.com

july 2012contents

3 GENERAL NEWS

9 ONE ON ONE

10 PRODUCT REVIEWS

11 SPECIAL FEATURE GLASSWARE

21 BUYERS GUIDE SERVEWARE/BUFFETWARE

24 GIFTWARE FOOD GIFTS

26 AD INDEX

26 UPCOMING EVENTS

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

S E RV I NG K I T CH ENWAR E , HOU S EWAR E S AND TA B L E TO P MA RK E T S

One on OneONE ON ONEwww.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW 9

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

Q: Tell us somethingabout your organi-zation and its goals.

A: The Cookware ManufacturersAssociation is in its 90th year. The CMAseeks to promote the optimal andappropriate design, manufacture, sale, useand servicing of cookware and bakewarethrough quality standards development,information sharing, education andimpartial communication to members ofthe association, their trade partners and consumers.

Q: And your role in it?

A: As the Executive Vice President, myrole is to care for the day-to-day operationof the association under the direction ofour board. This includes service programsfor our members, communications withboth our members and the retail partnersof our members and education of buyersand consumers of cookware.

Q: At this year’s housewares show, there seemed to be a lot of interest inpressure cookers. Can you tell us what’sbehind that?

A: Pressure cookers seem to have about aten year life cycle of consumer interest.Each new generation of cooks rediscoversthese time-saving pans. Over the pastseveral years, newer features, designs andeven colors have reintroduced theseproducts to another group of consumers.They are particularly useful to the time-stressed consumer who often only has halfan hour to prepare a family meal.

Q: Many of these new pressure cookerswere proclaimed to be “induction ready.”Have induction cooktops really penetratedinto many home kitchens yet or are weahead of the curve there?

A: Induction seems to still be in the “earlyadoption stage” of its life cycle. It has beenthere for a number of years. Costs havenot declined and consumer uncertaintyabout not being able to use their traditional(aluminum) cookware also mitigatesagainst broad adoption, although theappliance industry’s pricing of productscontaining induction is also a factor.

Most consumers are much more likely tochoose a glass cooktop than an inductionequipped cooktop in the U.S. Inductionis much more popular in Europe and theFar East than in the U.S.

Q: We were also seeing a lot of interestin the new nonstick coatings. Can you tellus more about that? How well do panswith these new coatings perform?

A: I presume you mean the so-called“ceramic” nonsticks which are in the lineupof a number of brands. When appliedproperly, these coatings certainly—at leastinitially—perform quite well. However, our investigations indicate that the foodrelease qualities of this type of coatingdeclines more quickly than traditionalPTFE coatings.

There are additional comments on thisissue on the CMA blog: www.cookwareandbakeware.org. Our conversations withconsumers indicate about half whopurchase this sort of pan are pleased with it, but about half are not happy with performance.

Q: What’s the normal lifespan of a pan

with a nonstick coating, particularly theolder coatings that contained PTFE?

A: It is entirely dependent on thefrequency of use and the care given to thepan. Generally we find that qualitynonstick PTFE pans that are used weeklyare easily still performing for three yearsor more. Thorough cleaning is the key tokeeping the pan in good shape.

Many people fail to completely clean thenonstick pan which means a residue willbuild up on the pan. Of particular concernis the use of nonstick sprays on nonstickpans. They don’t help at all.

Q: Does this mean that consumers shouldconsider discarding older cookware, evenif it still seems usable?

A: Food release is a subjective thing. Apan that might require some mechanicalhelp to release an egg may still release fishor meat quite easily. So long as theconsumer feels that the pan is performingwell, there’s no reason to discard.

Q: This has been a challenging few years, and although the economy seems a

little healthier at the moment, there are some troubling indicators for the future too. How is the outlook for thecookware industry?

A: One of the positives about the cookwareindustry is that it has experienced slowand steady growth. In good times,remodeling and new home purchases helpdrive cookware sales. When times aretough, consumers tend to stay home andcook more, which is also good for theindustry. We track restaurant visits closelyas they have a visible effect on cookwareand bakeware.

Q: And how is the industry respondingto consumer concerns about the economy?

A: Cookware today is a much greater valuethan it was a generation ago. Evenmoderately priced products have featuresthat were not available except in the mostexpensive pans a few years ago. Nonsticks(PTFE) are remarkably improved.

The ability to use metal utensils, wash ina dishwasher, and lengthier food cyclereleases are all working together to makebetter products for the consumer.

Hugh RushingExecutive Vice President, Cookware Manufacturers Association

Product ReviewsPRODUCT REVIEWS10 www.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW

BY A.J. FLICK

Florida-based LSArts is renowned fordesigning and importing artful glass giftand housewares products—from whimsical,political-themed bottle stoppers to stainlesssteel cutlery decorated with tiny glass beadsto animal-themed ring holders.

LSArts’ Toscano Beaded Collection is astunning collection of stainless steelutensils including cheese knives, mini-cleaver, bottle opener and pie server. Eachhandle is adorned with unique, hand-blown and hand-painted glass beads madeby skilled Asian artisans.

Some beads have playful, colorful glassdots. Others have floralpatterns embedded in oron them. Still others haveswirls of colors inside,reminiscent of themarbles we played withas kids.

Lest you think the glassbeads impede function,these handles are alsocleverly designed so thatthe beads fit well intoyour hand. The bead

patterns vary from utensil to utensil andplayfully complement each other.

Most of all, it ’s the “wow factor” thatmakes the Toscano set so endearing. Infact, I was almost afraid to set the piecesout at a recent wine-and-cheese party forfear that they might be snatched up (whichthey were) and kept (which, luckily, theyweren’t). Expect your guests to inspect anddiscuss each piece as it gets passed around.

Each utensil has an affordable suggestedretail price from $12 to $14, making themgreat hostess gifts as well. For moreinformation, call 954.722.1750, emailinfo@lsarts.com or visit www.lsarts.com.

LSArts Toscano Collection Adds Playful Style to Soirees

BY LUCAS WITMAN

Despite its reputation for elegance, crèmebrulee may in fact be one of the easiestdesserts to prepare. One merely steeps avanilla bean in some heavy cream, whisksin some eggs and sugar, and ladles themixture into ramekins to bake. However,regardless of the dish’s simplicity, manyhome cooks place crème brulee squarelyin the “restaurant-only” dessert category.The reason for this might come down tothe fact that making crème brulee doesrequire some specialized equipment.

Bella Tavola has attempted to help homecooks overcome this equipment dilemmawith its complete crème brulee set. Thekit includes four visually appealing ceramicramekins, a recipe for the dessert and theone necessary accessory most home bakersare least likely to possess: the torch.

The Bella Tavola culinary torch islightweight, smartly designed and easy touse. One starts by filling the torch with

Bella Tavola Crème Brulee Torch and Ramekins Set

butane fuel through a nozzle located onits base. It may look complicated, but thisstep is relatively foolproof.

A safety latch on the torch prevents itfrom being ignited inadvertently, but themechanism does not generally slow downthe user. A quick flick of the safety latchand it is ready to brulee.

The igniter switch itself does require acertain degree of pressure to depress, andit must be continuously held down whilethe torch is in use. This could be potentiallyproblematic for someone with limitedstrength in their hands or for someone whois using the torch for an extended periodof time. However, for the average homecook finishing a handful of crème brulees,there should be little problem.

The light weight of the Bella TavolaCulinary Torch is a particularly beneficialfeature for one making crème brulee, as itenables the cook to hold the ramekin in

one hand and move it around, while sheor he is brulee-ing with the other. Thishelps the cook to achieve a perfectly evenlayer of crunchy sugar on top.

My one problem with the Bella Tavolacrème brulee set concerns the recipeincluded with the kit. Although perfectlydelicious, it is immediately apparent evenfrom just a glance at the ingredients thatit is going to make a great deal morecustard than would be necessary to fill thefour included ramekins. In fact, the recipestates that it fills six six-ounce ramekins,

while the set only includes four. If lookingto make just four crème brulees, Irecommend scaling the recipe down to athird. Otherwise, just find another use forthe remaining custard. I used my leftoversto make a very tasty bread pudding.

For any cook hesitant to make crème bruleeat home, the Bella Tavola crème bruleetorch and ramekins set should put one’smind at ease. By using the includedequipment and following the step-by-stepinstructions, preparing this elegant andbeloved dish is truly a cinch.

VOLUME 18, NUMBER 7 JULY 2012

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

S E RV I NG K I T CH ENWAR E , HOU S EWAR E S AND TA B L E TO P MA RK E T S

glassware

BODUM DOUBLE WALL GLASSESIndividually mouth-blown by expertartisans, the proprietary Bodum DoubleWall Glasses feature two walls ofbreathable glass with air in between,creating a highly effective layer ofinsulation. The result? This innovativedrinkware keeps hot drinks hot withoutburning the user’s fingers and colddrinks cold without the messycondensation. The Double Wall Glassesare the perfect vessels for beer,cocktails, cold drinks and desserts aswell as coffee, tea, hot cocoa and anyhot beverage, forever eliminating theneed for a coaster. It is a stronger yetlighter, high-quality glass. Due to theproperties of borosilicate glass, theDouble Wall Glasses are temperatureresistant, scratch-resistant and dish-washer safe. In addition, these glasseswill not cloud or become dull over time,even after 1,000 dishwasher cycles.Suggested Retail Price: $15-25 a piece;$30-40 set

Bodumwww.bodum.com

GLASSWARE12 www.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW

Glassware(Cont. from Page 1)

Sales for Design House Stockholm USA, says that consumers will be looking for items that are both beautifuland functional. He points to his company’sGIA award-winning Barbara carafe as an example.

“The function of this piece transformsfrom carafe to flower vase, based on wherethe crystal ball stopper is placed,” he says.Orlando Gencarelli, National Sales

Manager of Dartington Crystal, expandson this, saying, “There are collections beingdeveloped that use color as accents in bothdrinkware and serveware … A newcollection of gift and serveware will belaunched in January 2013 that will workwell as a casual collection but can still bedressed up to fit a formal setting.”

The concept of beautiful yet functional designs is not the only thing that will be important to consumers this year.Handmade items as well as eco-friendlyproducts will also be major trends. Annie Morhauser, founder of Annieglass, says that although many customers

want handmade products, which indicates a shiftfrom a disposable societyto one that values quality,manufacturers are slow to respond.

Gencarelli ofDartington Crystal, saysthat in his company,handmade items outsellmachine-made 2 to 1 inthe U.S.; however itreally depends on theproduct. “It appears thatretailers and consumersreally go more towardslifestyle products whenit comes to handmade,”Gencarelli says.

The eco-friendly nature of glass is alsoimportant to the consumer. Rolf Glass,who has teamed up with Refresh Glass,has embraced this trend with theirrepurposed wine bottle tumblers, whichare made by cutting off the bottle’s neckand glazing the exposed edge, and havingdesigns engraved into them. A percentageof the sales of these tumblers go toenvironmental organizations, which makesthem all the more appealing to the eco-conscious consumer.

KUHN RIKON BISTRO OIL& VINEGAR CRUETSDesigned by award-winning Swissdesigner Philipp Beyeler, the Kuhn RikonBistro Oil & Vinegar Cruets are fittedwith a cleverly-engineered adjustablenon-drip spout, allowing oil and vinegarto pour evenly from a drip to flow,adding just the right flavor to your meal.The glass cruets are complementedwith colorful and durable tops. Thecenter handle lifts up the base to holdthe cruets securely in place whenmoving from kitchen to table, and helpskeep countertops and tables mess free.Measuring 6½" tall, these 3-piece setsare available in three colors: black,white and red.Suggested Retail Price: $30

Kuhn Rikonwww.kuhnrikon.com

GLASSWAREwww.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW 13

ARTHUR COURT’S COASTAL BEVERAGE SERVERThe natural wonders of seas, lakes andrivers inspire Arthur Court’s ever-popularcoastal line. Designs embellished withfresh-water fish, crabs, shells and coraladorn any table with style. The elegantcoastal beverage server is carefullyconstructed of hammered glass, witha cast aluminum base and lid with astainless steel spigot. It is designed forcold beverages and hand wash only.Suggested Retail Price: $199.00

Arthur Court[tel] 800.446.7806www.arthurcourt.com

FRANMARA DECANTUS WINE AERATOR CLASSIC SETA must-have for those enthusiasticabout wine, the US and internationallypatented Decantus is the only wineaerator officially endorsed by theCanadian Association of ProfessionalSommeliers! The Decantus Classic hassome serious curves. Sinuous andgraceful, it has two handles for easyhandling while pouring. The DecantusClassic Wine Aerator was designed inthe shape of the classic amphora vaseused by the ancient Greeks andRomans to carry and store wine over3,000 years ago. Decantus WineAerator is the only aerator on themarket proven to reduce sulphites byan average of 56 percent by an

independent laboratory. The setincludes five pieces: Decantus WineAerator with handles, a heavy plasticbase, velvet storage pouch, cleaningbrush and a special stainless sedimentscreen which comes to play whensediment is detected in the winebottle. The Decantus stands 5" highand 4½" wide at the handles. TheDecantus arrives in a beautiful fourcolor box. It can also be customizedwith logos and a stand is available.The Decantus is guaranteed to giveyou greater value and enjoymentfrom your next bottle of wine.Suggested Retail Price: $39.99

Franmarawww.franmara.com

FULL CIRCLE’S WHEREVER WATER BOTTLEFull Circle’s Wherever Water Bottle is agreat way to make your eight dailyservings of water more palatable,without the added sugar, cost andwaste of prepackaged beverages. Thebuilt-in lemon reamer makes it easy toadd flavor and the glass containerkeeps your water healthier and bettertasting. Made of glass, plastic, Triton™and silicone, it is designed to land onthe soft base or lid if dropped. It isavailable in four colors: lime, raspberry,blueberry and blackberry. is BPA-freeand dishwasher safe. The silicone baseand lemon reamer are removable for easy clean-up. Orders are beingaccepted for shipping in August.

Full Circlewww.fullcirclehome.com

GLASSWARE14 www.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012

LS ARTS’ 2012 ELECTION YEAR BOTTLE STOPPERSTalk about a conversation piece! Nomatter what your political leanings maybe, we are sure you can all agree thatthese limited edition Democrat Donkeyand Republican Elephant bottlestoppers deserve your vote! Whetheryou lean to the left or the right, impressyour friends and family with not onlyyour wine knowledge, but your politicaltaste as well. Each piece is uniquelyhand-crafted by skilled artisans andindividually gift-boxed, making it theperfect gift for the political junkie onyour gift list.Suggested Retail Price: $12

LSArts Inc.[tel] 877.929.1414 or 954.722.1750www.lsarts.com

MASTRAD TRAVEL MUGMastrad, creator of stylish, functionaland unique culinary products, isproviding customers with newexceptional tools they can use tomake, drink and travel with their favoritedelicious warm or cold tea. Mastrad’slatest additions are items that no teaconnoisseur should live without,including a Tea Hat, Tea Infuser andTravel Mug. Mastrad’s Travel Mug isspecially made with borosilicate glassand has double-walled insulation,which keeps drinks at an idealtemperature for a longer period of timewithout altering their taste. This cleverlydesigned item has a tightly locked lid,a non-slip silicone base and a bandaround the mug itself for optimal grip.Suggested Retail Price: $20

Mastrad[tel] 800.358.0608 www.mastrad.us

HIGHWAVE BREWFISH TEA INFUSERBrewfish is a patented tea infusionbrewing and drinking design. Brewfishuses the entire glass for infusion. Theinnovation simply shuts off the teabrewing 100 percent when you press todrink. The unique design keeps out allsediment by forcing the flow into thecenter of the filter and eliminating thepole found in the middle of all otherpresses. The very fine mesh, stainless filterallows fine teas and is insulated with U.S.and European food-safe silicone. Tilt thetop to drink and vent; tea stays hot untilthe last sip for full enjoyment. The mouth-blown double wall borosilicate glassadds to keeping the heat in the tea andthe silicone base goes everywhere fora long life. It has microwave safe glassand is dishwasher safe on the top shelf.

Highwave [tel] 800.444.4928www.highwave.com

GLASSWAREwww.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 15

STARFRIT’S DOUBLE WALL THERMO GLASSESCanada’s leading purveyor of kitchenpreparation products introduces thewhimsical double wall thermo glasses,a classic glass collection that bringssummer drinks experience to anotherlevel! Made of quality borosilicateglass—a special, sturdy heat-resistantglass—the double wall thermo glassesare supremely stable and perfect forany hot or cold beverages. The isolationbarrier of the double wall thermoglasses keeps beverages at an optimaltemperature longer than any otherstandard glass can—giving a deepermeaning to “long-lasting” summerentertainment. The glasses are perfectfor helping keep desserts or warmappetizers at their ideal temperaturein any climate. The collection offers awide range of glasses, including Swizlsoda glasses, martini glasses, wineglasses, tea cups, espresso cups andbeer mugs, just to mention a few. Thecollection also features a coffee mugwith silicone lid and ring. These coffeemugs are designed for easy coffee-to-go. The silicone ring provides a bettergrip to prevent slipping and breaking.They are currently available in green,purple, blue and red. To add luster totheir shine, these beautiful glasses arealso dishwasher safe.Suggested Retail Price: Starting at $8.99

Starfritwww.starfritusa.com

DURALEX FLUTED RAMEKINSDuralex presents two versatile, elegantramekins that look like tiny soufflé dishesand are designed to be a cook'scompanion for food preparation aswell as individual servings of treats likechocolate mousse. The Duralex glassramekins are made of tempered glassto better withstand temperaturechanges and the demands of heavykitchen use. The tempered glass is non-porous so it does not retain odors,scratch or stain. The four-ounce andeight-ounce sized ramekins aredesigned to bake desserts such as

custard, créme brulee and ricepudding as well as to heat foods in themicrowave. They are extremelydurable and with even a little bit ofcare will last for decades withoutbreaking or chipping. The ramekins aredishwasher safe and because of theirhigh quality, maintain a brand-newappearance for years. The smallramekin, the most popular size, holdsfour ounces and is just under 4" indiameter. Duralex International SAS hasbeen manufacturing glassware inFrance for more then 80 years and wasthe inventor of tempered glass in 1939.It is the only glass manufacturingcompany that manufacturers all of itsproducts in France. The ramekins, likeall Duralex products, are manufacturedin La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin nearOrléans, France.

Duralexwww.duralexusa.com

BANNEX’S LE PARFAIT FRENCH JARS AND TERRINESThe classic French canning jars andterrines known as Le Parfait (theperfect) are widely used for canningfood products in France and otherEuropean countries. The popular LeParfait product line includes six sizes ofjars and six sizes of terrines. The sturdy,well-made, rounded glass jars wereinitially used for canning of fruits,vegetables, pickles, preserves and piefillings. The tapered terrines are usedmostly for canning of meat and fishpates. The jars and terrines aredesigned to maintain a vacuum afterthe canning process is completed. Theyare extremely reliable and easy to use.Le Parfait’s design appeal and functionmakes them ideal elsewhere in thehome for storing sewing supplies, deskneeds or hobby staples. While use astable-top storage containers doesn’trequire a vacuum canning process, LeParfait jars and terrines are an excellentchoice since the air-tight and moisture-tight seal keeps any product safe from infestation and the surroundingatmosphere. The clarity of the glassmakes the product highly visible. Thejars and terrines can be resealed againand again for a lifetime of use with thesimple replacement of the orangerubber gasket when necessary.

Bannex International, Inc.[email] sales@bannex.comwww.bannex.com

TAKEYA ON-THE-GO TEA AND COFFEE TUMBLER Takeya presents the On-the-Go Tea andCoffee Tumbler collections in twomediums: stainless steel and glass. TheGlass Tumbler isdelightful with itselegant rim and its fullview of the beverage.The glass tumblerfeatures a double-walled constructionthat helps to keepbeverages hot andhands cool. The glasstumbler, unlike manyother travel mugs, isdelightful to drinkfrom. The smooth glassrim is comfortable onthe lip and elevates the quality of thedrinking experience. The silicone sleeveensures a non-slip grip and the easy-siplid fits snugly on the tumbler. The glasstumblers are available in green and clearor in black and clear. Reusable and eco-friendly, the 16-oz., BPA-free, tumblers arealso dishwasher safe.Suggested Retail Price: $19.99 each

Takeyawww.takeyausa.com

GLASSWARE www.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 201216

KAVALIER GLASS’S NEW LINE OF STYLISH CASSEROLE DISHESKavalier Glass, one of the world’s fewproducers of genuine borosilicateglassware (SIMAX™), is proud toannounce its new line of stylishcasserole dishes. They represent amajor style change from thetraditional shape of handles andbring a fresh new look to pressedglass cookware. The casserole dishes are manufactured at amodern, 175-year-old factory in the Czech Republic and distributedeither directly or from their U.S.headquarters just outside Chicago.Kavalier boasts both pressed and blown glassware made fromgenuine laboratory grade, uncoloredborosilicate glass. Borosilicate glass isharder, less subject to thermal shockand is the most hygienic cookingsurface available. Many of Kavalier’sglass products can go from the rangeto microwave to oven, presentingversatility to creative cooks withoutthe mess of three different types ofcookware.

Kavalier Glass[tel] 800.400.5084www.simax.cz

AMERICA FEITIAN HANDCRAFTED GLASS GIFTS & DECORATIVE ACCESSORIESAmerica FeiTian is the American divisionof Liao Yang FeiTian, China’s largestmanufacturer of handcrafted glass gifts and decorative accessories. Thecompany has been distributingglassware in the United States since2002. With over 2,000 employees, thefactory produces a wide range ofitems, including glass flowers, vases,plates, bowls, candle holders and glassfigurines. All of the company’s itemsare proudly blown by highly skilledcraftsmen with years of glass makingexperience. Teams of designers inChina, Europe and the United Statesscour the markets in a constant searchfor the latest trends and colors, ensuringthat FeiTian’s products will appeal tothe most discerning consumers in home décor. As a manufacturer, theyare also able to offer products at pricesthat reflect an incredible value. FeiTianalso collaborates with other glassfactories in China, allowing them toaddress the needs for all types ofglassware products.

America FeiTian[tel] 909.987.6354www.aftglassware.com

TIMO TERMO GLASSES BY TIMO SARPANEVATimo glass is now available with anouter, spiral-shaped layer of silicone.The additional layer makes the glasseasier to handle when filled with hotbeverages and also makes it lessslippery when wet. They are alsodishwasher safe. Suggested Retail Price: $69- 4 pack of10 oz glasses

Design House Stockholmwww.designhousestockholmusa.com

MarketwatchMARKETWATCHwww.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW 17

coatings

you’ve lost them,” Groesbeck says. “Everydollar is important to them. If they’re goingto buy a product, it has to work.”

Even with the excitement in the marketplaceabout cookware and bakeware made with thenew nonstick coatings, customers who demandvalue for their dollars also demand moreinformation about the products before they’llbuy. Since the nonstick coating accounts forabout one third of the cost of materials in atypical piece of cookware, and half of the costof a piece of bakeware, it’s a significant partof what the customers are paying for. Retailersneed to be ready to answer questions aboutcoatings. “Stay educated. Make sure you knowall the facts,” Groesbeck urges.

The new Whitford Product KnowledgeNetwork website, at www.productknowledge.com, suggests that when you’re guidingcustomers to the cookware and coating thatare right for them, you start by asking a fewbasic questions: How often do they cook? Dothey enjoy cooking? And how long do theyexpect to keep the pan? Depending on theanswers that customers give to those questions,you can recommend cookware with the nonstickcoating that’s right for them. With nonstickcoatings, as with most products, the buyer getswhat she pays for, so it’s worthwhile suggestingto the customer that they step up to the nextlevel over whatever they’re already using, becausespending a little bit more will pay off in theend, Groesbeck says.

The site also provides answers to many ofthe common myths about nonstick coatings,such as whether they’re safe, or if the cookcan use nonstick cooking sprays with them,or whether a person who eats a bit of thenonstick coating is going to get sick. Theseare all questions that came to Whitford fromactual consumers, so they’re likely to be askedin your store as well.

The most important thing you’ll want to beable to tell your customers is that nonstickcoatings are completely safe to use, Groesbecksays. Responsible manufacturers like DuPontand Whitford go to great lengths to ensurethat every component of the final coatingmeets appropriate U.S. and European Unionregulations. They’ve been around since the1960s. The federal government has inspectedthem and determined that they present nodanger. They provide a healthy way to cook,with less fat, and they’re time-savers becausethey’re easier to clean. “When you buy acoating from a reputable company, it’s comingfrom a company that has dedicated itself tomaking the best possible products,” she says.

Some of those questions are likely to be aboutPTFE or PFOA. PTFE, or polytetr-afluoroethylene, is the very slippery polymerthat’s used to coat cookware, among many

other applications. PFOA is another chemicalthat may be added in very small amounts toPTFE coatings to help disperse the PTFEin the formula.

The federal government has ruled thatmanufacturers have to stop using PFOA incookware coatings by 2015 because PFOAis a suspected carcinogen. However, theindustry has actually been making coatingswithout PFOA since 2008—shortly after thegovernment ruling—and even when PFOAwas being used in the manufacturing process,a finished pan never contained the chemical,Groesbeck says. That’s because PFOA in thenonstick disintegrates very quickly at thetemperatures at which these coatings arecured. By the time the coating has curedcompletely, the PFOA has vanished from thefinished pan, according to Groesbeck.

Even so, retailers and consumers who areconcerned about the safety of their cookwareshould ask about compliance with U.S. Foodand Drug Administration standards. “It’sgreat if it’s made without PFOA, but if allthe other ingredients aren’t FDA-compliant,then the concern over safety isn’t properlyaddressed,” Groesbeck says. “The first thingthat consumers should be asking is, ‘Is itFDA-compliant?’”

Consumers who are still concerned aboutthe safety of PTFE coatings are taking longlooks at the new ceramic nonstick coatings.These are PTFE and PFOA-free, and theceramic coatings survive high temperatures,so the pans can go under the broiler or intothe oven. The drawback to them is that thesilicone release agent in the ceramic coating—the agent that makes it nonstick—can wearaway with use, and so over the long term,the pans don’t continue to perform as well aspans with the best PTFE coatings.

Groesbeck herself is particularly excited bythe new colors for nonstick coatings. Twodecades ago, when she started working inthe industry, cookware was steel and nonstickcoatings were black. But now, the same stylesense that differentiates household decoritems is influencing basic housewares suchas cookware, bakeware and cutlery. The new colored coatings reflect that fashion-consciousness. “Color just seems to beeverywhere,” she says. Consumers are excitedabout nonstick-coated pans such as theWhitford Eterna line that marry metallicfinishes and a wide range of trendy colors.Whitford claims that its Eterna coatingretains its nonstick performance longer thanany other. Cookware with complementarycolors on the interior and exterior are sellingrapidly at retailers across the country,according to Groesbeck. “Everything we’vedone in the past year with color is beingreceived enthusiastically.”

Non-stick(Cont. from Page 1)

Whitford, makers of the world’s largest,most complete line of fluoropolymercoatings, is now offering an app for thosewho design, develop, source and buyproducts that use nonstick coatings. Theapp is available in iTunes, Google Playand the Android marketplace and can bedownloaded to any smartphone or tablet.

The app takes you directly to Whitford’snew mobile site which features itsHousewares Coating Guide. Coaters,retailers and consumers alike can accessinformation by category, brand andapplication, as well as view useful materialsuch as application checklists, regulatoryguidelines and the opportunity to exploreWhitford’s Test Methods and QualityCooperative Program (QCP).

Also available on the app is access toWhitford’s Product Knowledge Network(PKN). The PKN is dedicated to deliveringeasy-to-read, straightforward productinformation—everything anyone needs toknow about nonstick-coated housewaresproducts—as well as how to avoid commonand often costly mistakes. Through the PKNsection of the app, you can view details onsubstrates, handles and fittings, heat sources,application methods and much more.

For more information, visitwww.whitfordww.com.

Whitford offersMobile App toGuide NonstickCoating Purchases

MARKETWATCH18 www.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW

BEKA BLACK CHEF ECO-LOGIC 100%Beka is proud to announce the addition of three new pans to its Black Chef Eco-Logic 100% collection of the world’s first 100 percent green cookware. The paninteriors are coated with Bekadur Ceramica. The bond between BekadurCeramica nonstick coating and Eco-logic’s super hard aluminum construction isso strong that the company guarantees the surface for three years.

Bekawww.bekanorthamerica.com

CAT CORA FRYING PAN BY STARFRITThe Cat Cora fry pan, which is twice as tough as stainless steel, allows for searing athigh temperatures and deglazing like a superstar chef! The pan features a special,textured, nonstick surface that makes cooking and clean up a breeze. Featuring astainless steel handle with secure grip, the fry pan is oven safe, even under broilers.Suggested Retail Price: 8" $32.95, 10" $45.95 and 12" $51.95

Cat Corawww.catcora.com

CIRCULON 10 CONTEMPO HARD ANODIZED SILVER COOKWAREThe Circulon® Contempo Hard Anodized Silver cookware set is distinguished byits warm silver exterior, which complements professional-style modern kitchens,and provides busy cooks with the convenience and confidence to serve foodsstraight from the oven to the table. The Contempo set is crafted from durable,heavy gauge hard-anodized aluminum, a material that is twice as hard as stainlesssteel and a superior conductor of heat. The cookware's fast and even heatingeliminates hot spots for perfect cooking results every time. The cookware featuresCirculon's signature Total® Nonstick Food Release System. The cookware's durablenon-stick surface on both the inside and outside makes cleanup a snap! Thesubtle dome-shaped lids, made of clear, break-resistant glass, allow for easymonitoring of the cooking process without losing heat or flavor. The cookware isalso oven safe up to 400°F. The set includes two covered saucepans, a coveredsauté pan, a covered stockpot, and 8" and 10" skillets.

Circulonwww.circulon.com

DALLAS MARKETPLACEwww.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW 19

Anne Di Franco, Founder and President ofAnne Koplik Designs, brought three newlines and her popular existing range to thisyear’s Total Home & Gift Market. She satdown with Kitchenware News to tell us what’shot—and cool—in costume jewelry.

KN: Can you tell us a bit about the newlines for fall/winter2012?

AD: We are showcasing several new collec-tions this season: a selection of long metalchains designed to be layered; next, a groupof unadorned beaded necklaces with complementary earrings which can beworn for everyday; also, a small group oflimited-edition necklaces, earrings, pinsand rings with vintage stones, sourced fromthe 1920s through the 1960s. The stonesused in the vintage collection are not repli-cas; they are the real thing.

I think the unadorned necklaces and ear-rings are going to be really hot this season.They are wearable for every day; you can

throw them onfor yoga and thesupermarket, orwhen you dressup to go out todinner. All piecesare available insilver or gold fin-ish, with andwithout glass beads. I am very excitedabout this new look!

KN: What larger trends do you see in thejewelry and gift industry?

AD: I see costume jewelry looking classic,reverting from using unusual fabrics andother bizarre materials in big, complicatedpieces. The trend is returning to traditionalmetals and stones, which provide the ap-pearance of being designed and made by anexperienced professional. Metal is favor-able because there is a utility. It is easy to

Steve Spatz, CEO, of Homecooked Shortcuts sat down with us to talk about theCorn-n-Tater® Microwave Cooking Bag.

KN: Tell us about the Corn-n-Tater Microwave Cooking Bag.

SS: Crafters and home makers have beenmaking potato bags for years. What we’vedone is some exhaustive laboratory test-ing and we discovered the exact blend ofmaterials that retain the maximumamount of food’s natural nutrients duringthe cooking process––even better than onthe stove-top or oven, and definitely withless energy consumption.

KN: How is that?

SS: How long you cook food significantlydetermines the food’s nutritional value.Foods cooked in the microwave using the Corn-n-Tater bag retain the maxi-mum amount of their nutritional value.It’s reusable, which makes it a green

product. It’s alsoBPA-free, mak-ing it safer thanusing plastics ina microwave.

KN: How did youget started in this business?

SS: My wife Suzy, the President of Home-cooked Shortcuts, Inc., had been makingpotato bags for years. When she decided tostart a business, together we evolved theproduct and started selling it. We startedthe business from our home in Wichita,Kansas, and now we’ve recently located toa 3,500 square-foot facility. The businesshas 12 employees. We’ve polished ourpackaging, created a cookbook includedwith the bag and completed our researchand testing of our materials. The currentmaterials are custom-made for us (in the

Continued on Page 20 Continued on Page 20

Anne Koplik Designs:Handmade in the USA

Retailers Welcome Corn-n-Tater®

Microware Cooking Bag

Dallas Marketplace

DALLAS MARKETPLACE20 www.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW

U.S.A.). The Corn-n-Tater has been a bigseller at regional markets, and a major re-tailer has picked up the product, to reachtheir shelves early next year.

KN: It sounds like the product is really tak-ing off in the market. Why do you thinkthat is?

SS: Well, I think it has something to dowith the ease of use along with its versa-tility, NO cleanup, and most of all, howgreat food tastes when it’s cooked in thebag. Moms have really picked up on theproduct because it makes great natural

baby food. You can actually hold a cryingbaby in one arm and make cooked carrotsfor the baby with the other––as long asyou have the Corn-n-Tater bag to help.No risk of burning the baby on the stove-top or getting splattered by boiling water.

KN: Is the Corn-n-Tater Microwave Cook-ing Bag your only product, or do you haveothers on the market?

SS: Other products are in the planning stages, and we’re excited aboutlaunching them.

For more information, visit www.homecookedshortcuts.com.

Homecooked Shortcuts (Con’t. from p. 19)

Anne Koplik Designs (Con’t. from p. 19)

maintain. Moreover, of course, it shines!Especially these days, when you need a lifta little “bling” goes a long way. It turns outthat ‘what’s new’ isn’t so new after all!

KN: What else sets Anne Koplik Designs apart?

AD: Our jewelry is completely hand-made in the USA; designed, manufac-tured and distributed in Brewster, N.Y.We exclusively use Swarovski Elementsfor our crystal and pearls. In addition, itis a family-owned, female operated busi-ness: successful for more than 30 years.I have kept it onshore because I believein supporting American workers and

quality manufacturing in this country.

Our friends in the business should alsocheck out our new website. We created thee-commerce site for both retail and whole-sale customers. It’s very user friendly, withmore than 1,600 items which you canbrowse and shop 24/7, and order whole-sale directly. There is also a monthlycoupon to check out. We are also very ac-tive in social media, like Pinterest, Twitter,Facebook and LinkedIn, to engage thefashionable customer.

See the full range from Anne Koplik Designsat www.annekoplik.com. For information,please call 800-542-3134, e-mail info@annekoplik.com or visit them on Pinterest,Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

TRAVELER ZITA BY FINUMThe Traveler Zita is a double-wall tumblerfor cold and hot drinks. It includes theworldwide patented Tea Control™ Kit(as well as further pending patents),avoiding the weak tea of over-packaged tea bags. By simply screwingthe lid on the tumbler, the tea is trapped,thereby containing the brewing of thetea and keeping taste uncompromised.Traveler Zita’s exceptional and appealinglook is largely owed to its lid, whichresembles a tea cup. This durable andelegant tumbler is made from BPA-freeTritan™ (FDA approved material). Itsbrand new Corkmec™ closes the spoutwith a silicone cork. As a result, tea leavescan be re-brewed just by adding hotwater! Delicious tea is now made toeveryone’s personal taste and the wasteof over-packaged tea bags is avoided.

Finum by Riensch & Held[tel] +49.40.734.240.183www.finum.com

MEASURYOSHKAAdd a touch of culture to the kitchenspace with Measuryoshka. This is truekitchen “eye candy” that adds vibrantcolor and fun––no need to hide it in acluttered drawer. Traditional, hand-painted designs in four color variations,and packaged in a beautiful gift box,it is the perfect gift even for the cookthat has everything. Suggested Retail Price: $34.99

Kitchenista Corp.[tel] 305.400.4992www.ekitchenista.com

ZOKU INTRODUCESCHOCOLATE STATIONFollowing up on the bestselling QuickPop Maker, Zoku’s Chocolate Stationlets home cooks easily add chocolateshells and sprinkles to create chocolategourmet pops. Designed specifically towork with the Zoku Quick Pop Maker,the chocolate station allows you to dipand drizzle chocolate without mess. Usethe dipping cavity to evenly coat thepops with chocolate, the drizzle spoonto create fun designs and patterns and the provided Sprinkle Trays to toppops with sprinkles and nuts. Thechocolate station is available now atWilliams-Sonoma, Sur La Table and atwww.zokuhome.com. Includes: 1chocolate station, 1 drizzle spoon, 2sprinkle trays, a cover to store unusedchocolate and a recipe booklet forpop bases and chocolate shells. Suggested Retail Price: $19.95

Zokuwww.zokuhome.com

GOURMAC’S SNACK ATTACK LINEGourmac’s new Snack Attack line is allabout a healthy lifestyle. The new Apples& Dip To-Go, Carrots & Dip To-Go andCelery & Dip To-Go take healthfulsnacking to a whole new level. Each looksjust like its namesake, while incorporatinga container for cut apples or baby carrotsand a sealable container for a favoritecoordinating dipping sauce. Nutritioussnacking is a lot more fun when you caneasily combine apples and peanut butter,or carrots and hummus. The combinationsare endless! Grapes To-Go is a similarcontainer to protect your grapes andkeep them fresh for snacking, while KiwiTo-Go lets you transport, slice and eat akiwi. It even includes a spoon. Perfect forschool, office and road trips, Snack Attackcuts down on packaging waste and aredishwasher safe, BPA-free and lead-free. Suggested Retail Price: $6.00 each

Gourmac, the gourmet division ofHutzler Manufacturing Company[tel] 800.243.7700www.hutzlerco.com

BUYERS GUIDEwww.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW 21

BUYERS GUIDEserveware/buffetware

The natural wonders of seas, lakesand rivers inspire Arthur Court’sCoastal Beverage Server. Designsembellished with fresh-water fish,crabs, shells and coral adorn anytable or buffet with style. Theelegant coastal beverage server iscarefully constructed of hammeredglass, with a cast aluminum baseand lid with a stainless steel spigot.It is designed for cold beveragesand hand wash only.Suggested Retail Price: $199.00

Arthur Court[tel] 800.446.7806www.arthurcourt.com

Arthur Court’s Coastal Beverage Server

Core Bamboo’s classybamboo-ceramic enter-tainment sets are theperfect way to display youredibles and make yourtabletop design chic andfunctional. Crisp whiteceramic bowls sit atop ahandsome 100 percentbamboo tray, creating asimple contrast that adds elegance to any occasion. Designed as aspace to divide and display your favorite foods, these entertainment setsare the perfect design for parties and buffets. With ceramic bowls, smallbamboo spoons, and a bamboo tray, there are endless ways in whichthese serving pieces can be used. Perfect for dips, hors d'oeuvres, candy,vegetables and snacks alike, these entertainment sets are somethingyou can’t live without.

Core Bamboo[tel] 646.845.6000 www.corebamboo.com

Core Bamboo Entertainment Sets

Kavalier Glass, one of the world's fewproducers of genuine borosilicateglassware (SIMAX™), is proud toannounce its line of stylish casseroledishes. They represent a major stylechange from the traditional shape ofhandles and bring a fresh new look topressed glass cookware. Kavalierboasts both pressed and blownglassware made from laboratorygrade, uncolored borosilicate glass. Borosilicate glass is harder, less subjectto thermal shock and is the most hygienic cooking surface available. Manyof Kavalier’s glass products can go from the range to microwave to oven,presenting versatility to creative cooks without the mess of three differenttypes of cookware.

Kavalier Glass[tel] 800.400.5084www.simax.cz

Kavalier Glass’s Casserole Dishes

Snapi® is the single-handed server byKitchenHappy which enables theeasy serving of salad, chips, pasta,fruit, cut vegetables, ice and more.The list is endless. It features aconvenient open/close lockingmechanism for easy storage. Snapi isBPA-free and dishwasher safe. It iscurrently available in pink to honorits commitment to The Pink Fund, apublic charity founded in 2006 bybreast cancer SurThriver™ MollyMacDonald. In addition to the limited edition pink, Snapi also comes in 7other cool colors: kiwi (green), ice (white), watermelon (red), berry (blue),grape (purple), tangerine (orange) and mango (yellow). Snapi is made inAmerica and retails for under $10.

KitchenHappy[tel] 248.453.5177wholesale.kitchenhappy.com

Snapi Single-Handed Server by KitchenHappy

The Linden Sweden Party Platefeatures a built-in cup holder thatallows a one-handed hold so you canmingle with ease at any party, buffet,convention or picnic, all while stillenjoying your meal and wine. Thesturdy, reusable, 7¼" plastic luncheonplate features a built-in cup holder fora can, bottle or stemmed glass. It alsosports a generous rim, ideal for holdingfood without spilling. The Party Plate isdesigned for use anytime guests areserved at an indoor or outdoor buffet. Made of a stain resistant material inblack or white, the Party Plate is microwave and dishwasher safe. The LindenSweden Party Plate is made in Sweden.Suggested Retail Price: $15.95 for a pack of 10

Linden Sweden[tel] 952.465.0052www.lindensweden.com

Linden Sweden Party Plate

Franmara’s Seven-Bottle Cooler is onethat will last for years. Made ofpolished stainless steel, this extra-largecooler keeps bottles in direct contactwith ice for hours. The seven-cavitylid positions all bottles equidistant fromone another, allowing for excellentpresentation and an even chill. Thestainless steel hinged handles makeit easy to carry and store, and thedouble-walled design preventscondensation, meaning no water marks on your table. The base of thecooler is perfectly flat, and at only 7¾" high with a 20¼" diameter, it fitsperfectly in almost any kitchen. Suggested Retail Price: $199.00

Franmara[tel] 800.423.5855www.franmara.com

Franmara Celebration Seven-Bottle Double Wall Cooler with Lid

BUYERS GUIDE www.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW22

BUYERS GUIDEserveware/buffetware

Prodyne has brought a refreshing chillto summer with the new Server OnIce, which keeps cheese, cold cuts,fruit, sushi and other food delightschilled and fresh, served over a bedof ice. The BPA-free, three-piece setfeatures a crystal clear, ventilatedupper food platter, a lower ice trayand a dome lid, keeping the cold inand unwanted visitors out. Simply fillthe bottom tray with ice and positionthe food tray over it to allow the chill from the ice to flow through to thefood above. The lower tray can also be used without ice as an attractivethree-compartment server. Perfect for both indoor and outdoor entertaining,the platter measures 10½" in diameter and 6" in height.Suggested Retail Price: $24.99

Prodyne Enterprises[tel] 800.822.4776www.prodyne.com

Prodyne Server On Ice

Entertain with ease and style usingthe Island Bamboo EntertainingTrio. Designed to look beautiful forany occasion, this trio includes theexpandable flatware tray, crumbboard and Laguna Sunrisecrushed bamboo utility board,which are sold separately.Available in two sizes, theexpandable flatware tray goesfrom the pantry to the buffet for presenting flatware and serving utensils.The crumb board is an ideal way to slice and serve bread, allowingcrumbs to fall through the removable slotted tray into the lower reservoirrather than the table. The 12" x 8" crushed Bamboo utility board may beused as a cheese board or reversed to reveal gravy grooves to cutgarnishes including: cherries, mint or limes.Suggested Retail Price: $19.99-29.99

Island Bamboo[tel] 949.492.9921www.islandbamboo.com

Island Bamboo™ Entertaining Trio

Starfrit’s Double Wall Thermo Glasseswill give a classic twist to any summerentertaining experience. Whenserved in these beautiful glasses,desserts, drinks, or fruit will entice theeye and the tastebuds. Made ofquality borosilicate glass, a special,sturdy heat-resistant glass, theDouble Wall Thermo Glasses will helpchilly desserts or warm appetizersmaintain their ideal temperature inany climate. The Starfrit collectionfeatures a wide range of glasses,including Swizl soda glasses, martiniglasses, wine glasses, tea cups,espresso cups and beer mugs, aswell as a coffee mug with siliconelid and ring. The Double Wall ThermoGlasses are currently available ingreen, purple, blue and red. Thesebeautiful Starfrit glasses are alsodishwasher safe. Suggested Retail Price: $8.99

Starfrit[tel] 800.361.6232www.starfritusa.com

Starfrit Double Wall Thermo Glasses

Talisman Designs announced newcolors for its popular Butter Baby™corn pick set. These cute little cornholders look just like their daddy,Butter Boy™, and have similaraspirations: to make your corn-on-the-cob experience fun and easy.Butter Baby Corn Picks are not onlycute but are practical as well. Eachpair is made to interlock, keepingsharp points concealed and pairstogether when not in use. Their rounded shape provides an easy grip forchildren and adults alike. Match with Butter Boy™ and Butter Girl™ for acomplete Butter family your kids will love. They are also dishwasher safe.Suggested Retail Price: $7.99 for 4 pairs in assorted colors

Talisman Designs, LLC[tel] 952.681.2866www.talismandesigns.com

Talisman Designs Butter Baby™ Corn Picks

BUYERS GUIDEwww.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 23

BUYERS GUIDEserveware/buffetware

Alessi’s Ape Aperitivo Set

Designed by Giulio Iacchetti, Ape is thefirst completely customizable setreleased by Alessi. It consists of abowl and spoon for mixed nuts,a container for olives, a toothpickholder, a bowl for chips, a bowlfor pits and toothpicks and awooden cheese board. The individualcomponents can be used on their own orplaced into and around one another forpractical and compact use. Suggested Retail Price: $50-68.

Alessiwww.alessi.com

Dexas Watermelon Cutting & Serving Board

Watermelon is a heavyweight when it comesto health and nutritional benefits and Dexashas innovative, new kitchen tools that addeven more benefits to the experience. Dexashas created the new Watermelon Cutting& Serving Board and the new Melon Slicer,adding a creative touch to healthier eatingat home. The propylene surface isdishwasher safe and like all Dexas cuttingboards, it won’t warp, crack or peel.

Dexas[tel] 469.635.8100 www.dexas.com

Revol’s Belle Cuisine Collection

Revol, the leading manufacturer of Frenchculinary-grade porcelain, introduces itstimeless Belle Cuisine collection. This versatile,cook-and-serve bakeware is inspired by thepurest French culinary tradition, blended withmodern originality. The iconic design makesit a reliable go-to piece for all sorts of culinarycreations. The extremely durable blockhandles and dish are made in a single piece,producing vessels that are very sturdy andeasy to carry. Belle Cuisine is available in whiteand in a modern cast-iron-style look for a trulyunique cooking and serving experience.

Revolwww.revolporcelaine.fr

GiftwareGIFTWARE24 www.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW

food gifts

quality gourmet snacks and desserts. “Forus what’s most important is the quality ofthe food. We never skimp,” said Simon.“There’s nothing that we carry that doesn’tmeet our taste test, our taste standards.”

“We carry a lot of higher end brands, andI’ve noticed that other companies are sortof doing the same thing,” Simon added.For example, she pointed out one high-end item in particular that her companyfirst began including in gift baskets severalyears ago, and which she has since seenexplode in popularity across the industry:

Creminelli gourmet salami. When she firstmade the move toward including thispricey gourmet snack in her baskets, shewas not sure how consumers wouldrespond, but the item not only becamepopular with her customers, she noticedother retailers including the item in theirown gift baskets.

Simon also said that she has noticed an

increase in retailers including organic andall-natural products in their gift baskets.Simon herself seems to be innovatingwithin the larger industry in relation toincluding more fresh and homemade itemsin gift baskets. “We have a bakery sectionthat’s constantly growing because of itspopularity,” said Simon. “Not every giftbasket place deals with perishables. For me it all goes back to the quality ofthe food and what people want. People would rather get something that’sgood and that’s homemade. That’s whatmakes us different.”

Simon also shared another popularcharacteristic of today’s gift baskets: the move toward turning the

baskets themselves intohigh quality, reusablecontainers. Consumerspurchasing gift basketstoday want to know thatthe baskets themselveswill have a continued lifeafter the tasty contentshave been devoured.

Regarding the overallpopularity of gift baskets,and the occasions forwhich people arepurchasing them, theclassic occasions continueto be the most popular.“The popularity of giving and receiving gift baskets is groundedin traditional occasions,from new births and

birthdays to bereavements, and holidayssuch as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, andMother’s Day,” said Shirley George Frazier, Author and Gift Basket Industry Expert at www.giftbasketbusiness.com.Like Simon, Frazier agrees that it is notnecessarily giving occasions that arechanging within the industry, but ratherthe quality and diversity of products thatgift baskets contain.

In addition, Frazier identified the growingrole of gift baskets as a corporate gift asimportant to the continued growth of theindustry. “Thankfully, corporations andinstitutions are now on board as part ofthe industry’s expansion, as both entitiesfully recognize gift baskets as the gift ofchoice when a wrist watch or gift card istoo small or not as tasteful to expressappreciation to clients and benefactors,”she said.

Gift Baskets(Cont. from Page 1)

BEACH PLUM SPECIALTIES OF CAPE MAYFor anyone who has spent time on theNew England or mid-Atlantic coast—where the colorful shrubs pop up alongthe sand dunes all along the shorefrom Maine to Maryland—the beachplum is a popular and tasty sign of latesummer. Now people everywhere can enjoy this distinctive regional fruitthrough the unique foodstuffs offered by Beach Plum Specialties ofCape May. Beach Plum Specialtiesproudly produces delicious jam, jelly,wine vinegar and vinaigrette, all made from the tasty little Beach Plum.Beach Plum Specialties’ products aremade from hand-picked, local wildand cultivated beach plums. The taste is unique, with flavors reminiscentof cherry and traditional plum, with justa hint of cinnamon. This product hasbeen locally famous not only in Cape May, NJ, but across the entirenortheast coast for decades, withlocals devoting a great deal of timeto foraging for the plum and findingthe best spots for the fruit. Now youdon’t have to take to the dunesyourself for a taste of beach plum jellyor jam. Contact Michael Craig formore information on the companyand its products.

Beach Plum Specialties of Cape May[tel] 609.425.9057beachplumspecialties@gmail.com

PAPA BEN’S KITCHENIf you’re looking for a delicious delicacythat’s all-natural, low calorie and greatto give as a gift, you’re in luck, as PapaBen’s Kitchen brings you five deliciousoptions to choose from. Papa Ben’ssweet, crispy twice-baked Mandelbreador Mandelbroyt, the Eastern Europeancousin of biscotti, is a delectable anytimetreat. This is a gift that your friends andfamily will relish. These scrumptiousdelicacies are prepared using simple,fresh and natural ingredients and arebursting with mouthwatering flavor. That’swhy they are an ideal addition to anygift basket. How could anyone ever turndown a scrumptious gift? All of thedelectable Mandelbroyt are Kosher andPareve (non-dairy) and will satisfy anysweet tooth no matter what the dietary

restrictions may be. Flavors include theoriginal family recipe, lemon blueberrywith poppy seeds, minty dark chocolate,chocolate espresso bean and spicychipotle with ginger and dark chocolate.Papa Ben learned the art of baking as ayoung boy while helping his father in theirfamily kitchen in Eastern Europe. Usingthe ancient stone oven in their cottage,they worked together to prepare thefinest baked goods for family, friends andtheir surrounding village. At the age of80, Ben rediscovered his passion forbaking and is excited to share hischerished family recipe with families allover the country.

Papa Ben’s Kitchen[tel] 888.233.1072www.papabenskitchen.com

GiftwareGIFTWAREwww.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW 25

food gifts

AROMA RIDGE GIFT BASKETSOffering a slate of creative gift optionsfor coffee lovers, artisan coffeecompany Aroma Ridge’s gourmet giftbaskets feature Jamaica BlueMountain Coffee, Wicked Jack’sTavern Jamaican Rum Cakes,handmade biscotti and a wide varietyof freshly roasted coffees that havebeen harvested from around theglobe and conveniently packaged in2 oz. single pot sizes. Aroma Ridge willalso private label coffees and biscotti.Call for samples.

Aroma Ridge[tel] 770.421.9600www.aromaridge.com

Whimsical disaster-themed packaginghints at the whirlwind of fresh flavorinside. All five sauces are great forvegans. What can you use them for?Anything! Add some chopped onion,cilantro and a splash of VolcanoItalian Sauce to ground turkey; thenfire up the grill for terrific turkeyburgers. For a quick and easy stir-fry,toss some freshly grated ginger andMonsoon Chinese Sauce with yourfavorite seasonal veggies—you can’tgo wrong. Short on time andingredients for a weeknight dinner?Squeeze fresh lemon on salmon, coatwith Tornado Dijon Sauce, grill andtop with capers—outstanding!

Carolyn Saucier[tel] 510.336.9403www.carolynsaucier.com

CAROLYN SAUCIERCreate magic in your kitchen! CarolynSaucier offers five, all-natural, gourmetsauces and marinades that are bold yet versatile: Tornado Dijon,Earthquake Garlic, Monsoon Chinese,Volcano Italian and Wildfire Hot Sauce.

SIERRA SOUPSSierra Soups are vegetarian, vegan andgluten-free and taste fabulous. Theyare simple to make and will serve alarge family. Recipes are on the backof each package, along withadditional options to enhance themeal. The soups are made followingrecipes from the Robert Sorrenti familyof Fresno, Calif. These convenient soupmixes come complete with vegetables(dehydrated) and a flavorful spicepacket. They are nutritious, healthy anddelicious. The mission at Sierra Soups isto provide a wholesome product withexceptional food value and a heap offlavor that is also easy for the averagecook to put together. With the spicesand vegetables already included inthe bag, no trip to the grocery store isnecessary before cooking this heartymeal. The hardest thing to do is sautéan onion—and some Sierra Soupsvarieties do not even require that. With a growing number of consumerssearching for gluten-free food optionsto include in their diets, this has becomeone of the most important qualities ofthe soup mixes. In addition, onceprepared, the soups can be frozen forfuture meals, retaining their marvelousflavor and nutrition for a later date.

Sierra Soups, Inc.[tel] 800.397.6887www.sierrasoups.com

JAVA FROST’S SEASONAL GIFT CANISTERSLook no further than Java Frost’s seasonalgift canisters filled with gourmet holidaydrink mixes. Usher in fall with the peren-nial favorite, Pumpkin Cheesecake.Made with real pumpkin and aromaticspices, this ultimate indulgence is sureto please. Then, capture the nostalgiaof the holiday season by adding CandyCane Crème. Experience the delightof your first candy cane, in a cup. AllJava Frost products are carefullycrafted with quality and value in mind.

Java Frost[tel] 800.676.3661www.javafrost.com

WABASH VALLEY FARMS 14" TALL JUMBO SIZE PARTY-IN-A-BOXFrom the company that’s beendelivering premium popcorn poppersfor over 30 years, Wabash Valley Farmsis now introducing their new ready-to-give, Jumbo Size Party-In-A-Box. Theproduct was created to allow customersto be great gift givers while still shoppingwithin their budget. Retailing at only$19.99, this 14" tall gift set really popsand is priced to sell. The reusablepopcorn container is jam-packed withall your favorite movie night essentials,including delicious buttery popcorn,movie-sized Skittles®, movie-sized Mikeand Ikes® and Twizzlers®. Every jumbopopcorn tub comes packaged with asnap-on lid, designed for convenientstacking. Decorative, sturdy and ready-to-give, it is the perfect gift for thepopcorn lover on anyone’s list.

Wabash Valley Farms Inc[tel] 877.888.7077www.wfarms.com.

Upcoming EventsUPCOMING EVENTS26 www.kitchenwarenews.com n JULY 2012 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW

Trade Show Buzz

JULY 201211-18 Atlanta International Gift,

Home Furnishings & Holiday MarketAmericasMart Atlanta

Atlanta, GA, 800.ATL.MARTwww.americasmart.com

17-23 CMC Gift & Home MarketCalifornia Market Center

Los Angeles, CA, 213.630.3600 www.californiamarketcenter.com

19-25 Chicago MarketMerchandise Mart

Chicago, IL, 800.677.6278www.shopchicagomarket.com

22-25 Philadelphia Gift ShowGreater Philadelphia Expo Center

Oaks, PA, 678.285.3976www.philadelphiagiftshow.com

25-31 California Gift ShowL.A. Mart

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

www.californiagiftshow.com

30-Aug. 3 Las Vegas MarketWorld Market Center MarketLas Vegas, NV, 866.229.3574www.lasvegasmarket.com

AUGUST 20123-6 Kansas City Gift ShowGift Mart of Kansas City

Kansas City, KS, 913.687.8059www.giftmartofkansascity.com

12-15 CGTA Gift ShowToronto International Centre &Toronto Congress Centre

Toronto, Canada, 800.611.6100www.cgta.org

18-23 New York International Gift Fair + Gourmet Housewares ShowJacob K. Javits Convention CenterNew York, NY, 800.272.SHOW

www.nyigf.com

19-22 Alberta Gift ShowNorthlands Agricom

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 877.281.0005www.albertagiftshow.com

26-29 Montreal Gift ShowPlace Bonaventure

Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 877.281.0005www.montrealgiftshow.com

SEPTEMBER 20128-10 Dallas Total Home & Gift Market

Dallas Market CenterDallas, TX, 800.DAL.MKTS

www.dallasmarketcenter.com

21-23 Atlanta Fall Gift, Home Furnishings & Holiday Market

AmericasMart AtlantaAtlanta, GA, 800.ATL.MARTwww.americasmart.com

21-23 Chicago MarketMerchandise Mart

Chicago, IL, 800.677.6278www.shopchicagomarket.com

30-Oct. 2 Fall Gift & Home Market

L.A. MartLos Angeles, CA, 800.LAMART4

www.lamart.comwww.californiagiftshow.com

OCTOBER 20125-8 Kansas City Gift ShowGift Mart of Kansas City

Kansas City, KS, 913.687.8059www.giftmartofkansascity.com

9-12 New YorkTabletop Market

New 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.com,www.230fifthave.com

13-18 International HomeFurnishings Market

High Point, NC, 336.869.1000www.ihfc.com

JANUARY 20139-16 Atlanta International Gift,

Home Furnishings & Holiday MarketAmericasMart Atlanta

Atlanta, GA, 800.ATL.MARTwww.americasmart.com

20-22 Winter Fancy Food ShowMoscone Center

San Fransisco, CA, 212.482.6440www.fancyfoodshows.com

Jordan, Buyer Relations Director for Urban Expositions.

These new companies that are popping upall over the place are part of what ’sbringing buyers in flocks to the UrbanExpositions shows, where attendance hasbeen up, sometimes way up, at Urban’s 25shows all across the country. “People arecoming back because the dollars arecoming in,” Jordan says.

A lot of giftware retailers are finding thatthese smaller regional shows are greatplaces to find items that are different from what’s on display at the shop downthe block from them. That ’s whatconsumers are looking for too—thingstheir friends and family members can’t just buy for themselves at their local Targetor Walmart.

“Made in the U.S.A.” isn’t all that ’s selling these days. Although color doesn’t seem to be quite the driver for the kitchenware market that it was lastyear, buyers are still excited about items

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

Seems like these days we’re all keeping oureyes peeled for the “Made in the U.S.A.”signs when we’re walking the aisles at tradeshows. There are a couple of good reasonsfor that. Good old-fashioned patriotism isone of them, of course, but beyond that,we trust that American products are safeand made with high-quality materialswithout raping the environment. We don’tfeel that same assurance when we’re lookingat items shipped in from countries whereit seems like quality control isn’t held insuch high esteem. The trend is so strongthat we’ve started to see retailers who arestocking their shops entirely withAmerican-made goods.

On top of all that, we have Americanunemployment rates that have left somesmart creative people with time on theirhands and ideas in their heads. They’restarting businesses to make products—inthe U.S.A.—that they’re bringing to themarket now. “A lot of them are driven byyoung people—young people coming up with these great ideas,” says Jhana

in the vibrant oranges and reds. “No onewants to go back to a black and whitekitchen,” Jordan says.

Products to help consumers control theirfood portions are selling strongly also. Inparticular, there’s a new generation ofpeople in their 20s and 30s who are bakingnow, and they want to bake tiny treats theycan enjoy without too much guilt. Thecupcake craze isn’t necessarily over, butnow home bakers are eagerly adopting theidea of cake-on-a-stick, so they’re buyingthe pans for that.

The same folks who are looking for “Made in the U.S.A.” labels are alsolooking for all-natural and organicproducts, sometimes with the idea ofprivate-labeling them for their chain ofretail shops. “Fair trade” is important tothem too, Jordan says. “They don’t want itif it isn’t fair trade.”

Altogether, it ’s a pretty exciting time forthe giftware industry. Americans aretraveling and buying souvenirs, andalthough they’re being careful about how they spend their money, they’ll part with it when they find products thatoffer quality and line up with their moral compass.

C A L E N D A RTRADESHOW

Anne Koplik Designs........................................20

America FeiTian.................................................15

Arthur Court ......................................................14

Epic Products Inc...............................................13

Fire Wire/Inno-Labs.........................................18

Franklin Chef USA ...........................................10

Full Circle............................................................15

Hewlett Manufacturing ......................................6

Highwave Inc......................................................16

Homecooked Shortcuts ...................................19

Howard Products Inc........................................17

Kavalier Glassworks ..........................................14

KitchenHappy ....................................................25

Lancaster Colony...............................................23

LSArts Inc. ..........................................................12

MÜkitchen..........................................................27

Parrish’s Cake Decorating Supplies ..................2

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

Regent Products Corp. .......................................5

Starfrit ..................................................................16

Talisman Designs .................................................4

Tribest Corp. .........................................................5

Vinaroz Cookware.............................................18

Vita Craft ............................................................22

Wabash Valley Farms.........................................24

Weston Products/Pragotrade..........................23

Wilshire Industries ............................................27

Wüsthof..................................................................3

ADVERTISER INDEX

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