By Andrea Lillo
CSB Commodities has created new versions of the Ex, the literally eye-catching knife set and holder.
The latest versions include an Ex pen holder and an Ex food tray. The Five Finger Fillet, also designed by the same designer, Raffaele Iannello, also has joined the line.
The original Ex “is one of the hottest giftware products all over the world,” said Bob Schmeizer, who co-owns CSB Commodities with his son Scott. Since it arrived in the market about two and a half years ago, the Ex has found devoted fans and has appeared in movies and on talk shows.
“Big stores wanted to buy the Ex, but felt its message might not be too good for kids,” Schmeizer said. “They asked us to come out with something less threatening.”
The original Ex is in 1,500 gift stores across the U.S., and these latest versions will expand the brand into new distribution channels, he said. The company has a long-term manufacturing and worldwide licensing agreement with Iannello.
At the New York International Gift Fair in August, CSB Commodities showed the Five Finger Fillet, along with the new Exes. With either pens, steak or kitchen knives, the Five Finger Fillet features a chrome hand shape on top of a log that is either red, black or white.
“It went over very well,” Schmeizer said. Iannello is “off-beat and cutting edge.” The Five Finger Fillet pen set will retail for $49.99, the steak set for $59.99 and the carving set for $79.99.
The Ex food tray uses the same figure as the original Ex but has 10 skewers instead of knives and a well for dips. Made of ABS plastic, it stands about 10 inches high, Schmeizer said, and will be available in December. The Ex pen holder holds six “classically designed” aluminum pens, and contains two compartments for office supplies such as paper clips or rubber bands. Both will retail for $59.99, and are available in red, white and black.
And even more Exes are planned for the future, as “we want to come out with a voodoo for every room,” Schmeizer said.
A recent addition to CSB’s line solves the problem of how to open clamshell packaging easily. Zip It came about when Steve Fisher saw his mother struggling to open some packaging, and decided he would invent something to solve that.
“It’s almost like an automatic can opener,” Schmeizer said, as the battery-operated Zip It can easily and automatically cut through clam packaging. “There’s no straining,” which is especially helpful if someone has arthritis. It’s now available and retails for $19.95.