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Headline News
The Gift Fair That Keeps on Giving
By Andrea Lillo
NEW YORK–With the majority of housewares shows and product introductions for the year behind them, the housewares manufacturers headed to next month’s New York International Gift Fair still feel that this gift show offers them a number of opportunities—and some plan a few new releases as well.
With vendors positioned by aesthetic, such as design, craft and trend, rather than product category, buyers can discover products they may not have been searching for, as well as pick up items for the fourth quarter, if needed. And it doesn’t hurt that most vendors see this show as an order-writing one, too.
The NYIGF is “one of our more successful shows,” said Tom Sullivan, co-founder of Totally Bamboo, with his wife, Joanne, even though it’s an expensive one. “It’s a very stable show,” he added, and the same people attend every time, while other shows are affected by what’s happening with the economy.
Having “housewares mixed in with other categories may even help us since a buyer may wander down our aisle looking for other categories of product and stumble across us,” said Michael Karyo, chief executive officer of SiliconeZone, which is in the Tabletop & Housewares section. “We have pretty unique product that transcends housewares into general gift and design.”
Between Catamount Glass, which it now distributes, and SiliconeZone, it has been showing at NYIGF for 12 years or so, Karyo said. “This has always been a good order-writing show,” he said. “The buyers who come to the show want to do business.” And in this business environment they are looking for opportunities, whether it be show specials or extended dating for payment.
First-time exhibitor Pacific Market International is coming to the show to introduce its Aladdin product to the specialty retailer, said Ken Mitchell, vice president of marketing and product development. “We wanted to develop product for a variety of markets,” he added, and the specialty retailer arena is one of them. Launching in North America for the first time, the Adesso and Novo collections of mugs “has international flair and unique styling,” he said. Adesso features graphic-printed travel mugs and bottles made from stainless-steel vacuum and plastic, while the Novo group is double-wall ceramic mugs. The company will also show its Sustain line of travel mugs made of recycled polypropylene.
This will be WMF’s second time exhibiting at the NYIGF, said Peter Braley, vice president of sales and marketing for WMF’s USA retail division. “At the last show, our first, we did write orders and also were able to meet many new accounts,” he said. “Even many existing accounts had not seen us at a show before, so it was well worthwhile.”
Based on previous success at the show, Totally Bamboo will be introducing a number of products, Sullivan added. One line of “baby-boomer-sized” handled kitchen tools help for that aging demographic, and will consist of eight 100 percent bamboo tools. It will also introduce bamboo bowls with a transparent colored stain on the outside, in three colors.
Five-year exhibitor Pillivuyt USA added that this show is its “absolute best for writing orders,” said Alice Tuttle, vice president of marketing and logistics, and in August the company will be introducing some glazes.
“Every show needs to be an opportunity to find new accounts,” said Jonathan Pearson, vice president of sales and marketing for Revol. The company will be showcasing its goods differently than the previous show, he added, plus have new promotions and a focus on its Eclipse porcelain cookware line.
This will be L’Atelier Du Vin’s third time exhibiting at the show, and it finds the show a chance to meet with U.S. retailers. Georges Richard, sales and marketing director, said the company will introduce about eight products for wine, design-oriented corkscrew, decanters and pedagogy books such as a wine quiz. The whole wine category is “growing worldwide since it is an ‘art of vivre,’ ” he added.
Alessi, which is exhibiting in the Accent on Design section, has shown there since the January 2003 show. Alessi is “modern and unique, and so are our fellow exhibitors at Accent on Design,” said Paolo Cravedi, managing director of Alessi USA. “It wouldn’t help any of us if we were mixed in with brands that are less creative just because we are in the same product category.”