NEW YORK— The tabletop category was energized in 2017, including acquisitions, new brand partnerships and new ways of marketing the category to the online-focused consumer.
Vendors positioned elements to add an entertaining lifestyle theme to marketing efforts with a retail e-commerce platform. Vendors developed web-specific experience based marketing video content for the e-commerce channel, as well as brick and mortar retailers’ online business. Responding to the needs of consumers who are shopping on their mobile devices is also an important part of the retailer and vendor relationship today. A key element is working to make sure that shopping through a store’s app, for example, is a seamless experience, with vendors needing to make themselves accessible for drop shipping.
From a trend perspective, organic shapes and softer hand paint looks could be seen at market. Pastels and watercolor decals also added a more feminine look to the table. The soft looks were contrasted with more edgy, masculine looks. Gray also continues to be prevalent, and vendors presented the hue in marble or marble-like looks, and in tableware that resembled stone.
Creating signature cocktails, crafted outside of a bartender’s book, has become a hospitality industry art, and many consumers are seeking to create an individualized cocktail experience in their home. Setting up a home bar is important for consumers moving into their first dwelling, and vendors are reaching out with fun assortments that can help them get that first start.
Outdoor dining continues to evolve, beyond just the traditional summer barbecue. Patios have become an extension of the consumer’s living space, and as such, they are looking to extend a sense of presentation and hospitality indoors and out.
Moving & Shaking
• Fitz and Floyd celebrated its first New York Tabletop Market this fall under the ownership of Lifetime Brands. In the brand’s Forty One Madison showroom, the company showcased new holiday designs, including Wintry Woods, which followed on the growing market trend of rustic looks.
• Forty One Madison’s director Laurie Burns exited her role after nine years at her post, and Kristi Forbes, previously of AmericasMart in Atlanta, took the helm on December 4.
• Libbey Inc. gained an exclusive retail and food service distribution partnership for the Viva Scandinavia brand in the U.S. and Canada. The new initiative brings tea-specific beverageware assortments to the company’s product offerings.
• O2Cool’s purchases of the Zing Anything and Bobble hydration brands are part of an overall company growth strategy based on business integration and acquisition. The appeal of both brands to the active consumer, particularly from the healthy lifestyle angle, was important to O2Cool, for example, with Bobble focusing on water filtration and Zing Anything focusing on infusion.
• Bormioli Luigi S.p.A., parent company of Luigi Bormioli glassware, partnered with Triton to purchase the pharma and tableware business divisions of the Bormioli Rocco group from current owner Vision Capital. Both business divisions will be owned and run independently of each other, as Bormioli Luigi will acquire the tableware division and Triton will acquire the pharma division.
• Thermos LLC has acquired Lifefactory, Inc., a privately held housewares company known for its reusable glass beverage and food storage products.
• Zak Designs launched Design Direct Global, a subsidiary company dedicated to incorporating the latest global fashion trends into a complete assortment of dinnerware, drinkware and serveware.
Brand News
• Arc International refreshed its Cristal d’Arques glassware brand. As Cristal d’Arques has stood for in the past, it is accessible, yet the design aesthetic is more elevated. The new glassware under the brand is made with Arc’s new proprietary formula of European crystalline called Krysta. Arc simultaneously launched Éclat by Cristal d’Arques, a brand with patterns that have a more traditional to transitional aesthetic.
• Boelter Brands developed its first in-house brand, H2X. The company decided to target the hydration segment because it has a strong licensed sports collection.
• Bradshaw International brought its Good Cook brand into the hydration segment with a line called GoBottle.
• Civil Stoneware made its market debut with new tableware, handmade in Birmingham, AL. The stoneware pieces are crafted by a team of artists led by potter Katherine Tucker. Civil Stoneware uses high fire black stoneware clay that is fully vitrified, so it is both food safe and dishwasher friendly, the company said.
• Elleffe Design, a made in Italy luxury boutique home accent brand, had the official launch of its brand in North America. The brand has an expressive modern aesthetic, with highlighted collections including giftware, home accent and serveware.
• Filament Brands rolled out its first branded hydration collection, d.stil,
at Target.
• Fiskars teamed up with Ellen DeGeneres to debut an ED Ellen DeGeneres Crafted by Royal Doulton tableware collection.
• Igloo Products Corporation got behind an extensive launch of its namesake brand into the personal hydration segment.
• United Kingdom-based Aydya partnered with Reaction Retail to launch its ion8 hydration brand in North America. Water bottles in the ion8 line have a vented liquid flow intended to provide smoother movement of water that allows for “no glugging, no squeezing, no painful suction,” the company said.
• Jay Companies partnered with Elle Décor on lines of tabletop, candles, and fun, girl-themed giftables.
• Lenox Corporation partnered with architect and designer Luca Andrisani to debut his first licensed line for the home, inspired by the waters of the Mediterranean and the tiles and pottery of Italy.
• Newell Brands expanded its Coleman brand, which the company added when it acquired Jarden, into the portable beverageware segment. The company called it a natural extension for the outdoor focused brand, which the consumer may already associate with products such as beverage jugs and coolers, tents, portable grills, chairs and lanterns.
• S’well moved beyond bottles, debuting its S’well Traveler and S’well Tumbler beverageware assortments. Both the traveler and tumbler are made of triple-walled, food-grade stainless steel.
• TTU expanded on its best-selling Mason branded assortment, including storage items in new colorways frosted white and gray. The company is bringing the brand into various segments, such as dinnerware, textiles, cutlery and wire organization.
Product Pipeline
• Fortessa Tableware Solutions partnered with hospitality tableware designer Amber Kendrick’s Cloud Terre studio for the brand’s first retail launch. The collection can appeal to both professional and home chefs, as well as those interested in handmade tabletop.
• Fiskars Corporation’s Wedgwood brand brought a tea experience to the U.S. with its Wonderlust collection, an eclectic gifting collection. To complete the experience, Wedgwood launched Wonderlust Tea, its own bespoke collection of six unique tea blends.
• The Homer Laughlin China Company unveiled its Fiesta color of the year for 2017: Daffodil, a vibrant golden yellow.
• Libbey celebrated the theme “Come Together” at its booth at Housewares Show. “Come Together” takes a brand stance of advocating for community and celebrating a social lifestyle, and in presenting products that make hosting a get-together more approachable. The company is broadening its reach into new categories and expanding its presence in others, including new collections in bakeware, storage, serveware and drinkware.
• In a push to position itself in the casual dining space, ThermoServ debuted a new assortment of American-made melamine dinnerware and coordinating beverageware.
• In anniversary news, Kosta Boda celebrated its 275th anniversary and BIA Cordon Bleu celebrated its 65th anniversary.