ATLANTA— Following a challenging year in which many independent gourmet housewares retailers were forced to navigate a challenging selling environment, housewares suppliers at the winter Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market here said the mood among retailers was largely positive.
Throughout the market, vendors said retailers in attendance at the first market of the new year were eager to put 2016 in the rear view mirror and begin the process of finding new products for the coming 12 months.
While 2016 was a year in which retailers large and small were perplexed by consumers’ inconsistent buying habits, market officials reported strong buyer attendance.
Jeffrey L. Portman, Sr., vice chairman, president and chief operating officer of AmericasMart, reported that the January event saw an expansive customer base, record-breaking new buyer registration and increases in international attendance.
“Customer confidence was strong and sustained across every category and floor,” added Kim Higgins, chair of AmericasMart’s advisory board. “The buyers were here, ready to buy and they bought big.”
Within the gourmet housewares segments, product suppliers said attendance from independent housewares retailers was strong. In addition, merchandising teams from Bed Bath & Beyond and Home Depot were among a handful of larger chains that also made the trek to Georgia.
“Atlanta was the busiest it has been in the past couple of years,” said Henry Nading, national sales manager at cookware supplier Chantal. “There were different kinds of traffic, but there was noticeably more traffic.”
As in past years, the gourmet housewares portion of the Atlanta Market kicked into gear on Thursday, January 12, during GC Buying Group’s vendor showcase. In addition, the buying group also held its annual Start of the Year meeting the day prior to the vendor showcase.
Nading noted that while the GC events continue to drive retail traffic, he said there was a noticeable upturn in traffic and buyer energy throughout the show.
“The GC vendor showcase was great and our space on Friday was busy all days,” he added.
Bill Reibl, president of Fusionbrands, echoed Nading’s statement, noting what he said was “a lot of positive energy” at the show.
“A lot of retailers are looking for unique goods from unexpected sources to bring into their stores,” he said. “They are eager to kick off the year on a positive note.”
Bobby Griggs, vp with cookware and cutlery supplier Hammer Stahl, also said the show’s energy was high, and added, “We picked up a lot of business and gained some momentum going into the beginning of the year.”
Many vendors in Atlanta used the winter market to offer glimpses into larger new product launches that will be seen in March at the International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago.
For example, Bodum presented a handful of new coffee-related products in earth tones, while Corkcicle featured a beverageware assortment in a heathered look inspired by popular color tones seen today from leading athletic apparel suppliers. On the electrics side, Vitamix was among the highlights as it presented its new Ascent blender collection, which offers wireless connectivity.
Emily Cappiello and Lauren De Bellis contributed to this story.
