Specialty kitchen electrics have a place in effective retail holiday sales strategies, according to NPD Group research. But positioning specialties as gifts for shoppers themselves may be an important element in any promotional initiative.

“Specialty items have become commonplace in recent years,” said Debra Mednick, NPD home business executive director “When it comes to small kitchen appliances, specialty products offer consumers fun gift options but also ways to enjoy something unique and special in their own homes.”

For NPD, specialty kitchen electrics include electric knives, ice cream/yogurt makers, ice shavers/sno cone makers, popcorn makers, tea makers, chocolate fountains, electric rotisseries, fondue sets, jar openers, meat grinders/mincers, pizza ovens and roaster ovens.

NPD pointed out:

• Consumers purchase more than half of all specialty kitchen electrics for themselves.

• Specialty products represent 5% of all small kitchen electric sales, and dollars have increased 10% compared to the 12 months ending November 2011.
• Online purchases generate 19% of specialty kitchen electric dollar sales.
• Holiday purchases constitute 13% of specialty kitchen electric sales.

• The top selling specialty kitchen electrics are popcorn makers, ice cream/yogurt makers, roaster ovens and tea makers.
• Chocolate fountains, ice cream/yogurt makers, pizza ovens, meat grinders/mincers, and ice shavers/sno cone makers each experienced significant double-digit dollar growth compared to last year.