By Andrea Lillo
NEW YORK–Though many stars shine in Las Vegas, inside the Sands Convention Center it was all about color, as companies included a vibrant range of hues in their product lines at the recent Gourmet Housewares Show.
While many companies highlighted collections they previously introduced, a number also took advantage of the show’s specialty retail audience to show products and lines for the first time.
Trudeau, for example, looks to court the “young and trendy consumer” with its new Fusion line of wine and cocktail accessories, said Charles Harari, vice president of product development. In this new line, there are anti-skid coasters with a raised design that prevents the glass from sticking to the coaster and pop-out charms that people can put on the stem or rim for easy identification. Vibrant colors and fun packaging are part of the mix, Harari added.
The line’s cocktail shaker has been updated to include recipes for newer drinks, such as margaritas and cosmopolitans, which include information on which type of glass to use. The decanter stopper is made of silicone and fits most decanters. The Typhoon Wine Glass Funnel aerates the wine, as well as provides visual effects. Other items include waiter corkscrews, a flipper jigger, a wine pourer and wine stoppers. With a ship date of September, products in the line will retail from $5.99 to $29.99.
The collection works because “you have a continuity of a look,” added Joe Hodorowicz, vice president of sales for Trudeau. “It’s on trend with the youthful market.”
Trudeau also showed new packaging for its Elite series of mills, which allows people to open the box to look at the mill without ruining the box, Hodorowicz said. A magnet secures the box closed.
Designer Karim Rashid put his mark on a new line of housewares from Slice that includes “anything to do with cutting,” said T.J. Scimone, founder and chief executive officer of Slice. Stemming from its original iSlice, a cutting tool that uses a ceramic blade, the new line includes a Y peeler, a precision cutter, a vegetable peeler, a grater and more. In sleek shapes and colored in green, “They are like little pieces of art for the table,” he said. Retail prices will range from $5.99 to $15.
Kitchen Art launched a line from Swedish designer Jesper Ståhl. The line is comprised of 15 tools and gadgets made of a mix of blended glass with nylon for durability and high-heat tolerance. The glass adds rigidity to the structure of the tools so they can withstand heavy use while remaining lightweight.
“They’re of a simple design but have neat design elements,” said Kurt Zanner, vice president of sales and marketing, and come in three “sophisticated” colors of olive, tomato and black. Products include a can tab opener, a lettuce knife, a peeler and a whisk.
Cookware company Regal Ware showed its conceptual American Kitchen line, which emphasizes that it’s made in the United States. Like its new Marcus line, from chef Marcus Samuelsson, the American Kitchen line will also have a non-stick coating that is made without PFOA. Initially, it will include three sizes of fry pans and a 10-piece set, and the cookware will have measurement lines inside the pans. With so many products being recalled from China, “People are getting more discerning when they shop,” said Cherie Bolt, brand manager. In addition, Chinese product is getting more expensive, she added, making U.S.-made products price-competitive.