NEW YORK— While the food and beverage tastes of consumers continue to elevate, so has the state of the kitchenware category. Fresh food prep continues to be a sweet spot for vendors in this space, with many offering up new kitchen tools, gadgets, cutlery and accessories necessary to tackle consumer culinary adventures.
In addition, this category has also witnessed a surging craft coffee and tea trend that has expanded beyond making French press coffee at home into advanced pour over and cold brew methods. There have been several new coffee and tea makers and accessories that have brought renewed attention to the category.
As the industry has shifted, so has the focus of several veteran kitchenware companies. Several have rebranded complete with new names, logos and websites. With many kitchenware vendors reporting that retailers are looking to streamline their buying efforts, manufacturers have responded by streamlining and reorganizing their own product categories.
In addition, the industry welcomed new executive leadership with several new CEOs, presidents and marketing directors taking the top spot this year. With new leadership, marketing strategies and renewed focus on brands, kitchenware vendors are gearing up for what is sure to be another competitive year ahead.
Moving & Shaking
• World Kitchen appointed Kenneth Wilkes president and CEO. Wilkes succeeded Carl Warschausky, who retired. The company also named MaryKay Kopf as chief marketing officer.
• Progressive International promoted Lance Hood to president of the company, reporting to Kurt Bergquist, Progressive’s chairman and CEO.
• Following the retirement of Bradshaw Holdings CEO Mike Rodrique, Brett Bradshaw, president of Bradshaw International, and Robert Michelson, president of Butler, were named co-presidents of the parent corporation.
• Kuhn Rikon USA named Dennis Hanley general manager, responsible for all operations in the Americas and Canada. He reports to Tobias Gerfin, CEO of Kuhn Rikon AG. In addition, the company appointed Jonathan Polkinghorn marketing manager.
• iSi North America promoted Jeanette Brick to president. She is responsible for all sales, marketing, and operations and reports to Rick Agresta, CEO of iSi North America.
Brand News
• Cornell Capital LLC acquired World Kitchen. The partnership will enable the company to build on its heritage in kitchenware, accelerate the next phase of its organic growth, and strategic consolidation opportunities.
• Taylor Precision Products introduced Filament Brands, the company’s new corporate brand, logo and website. Filament Brands will be home to Rabbit, RBT, Houdini, Chef’n, Vibe, Taylor Kitchen, Taylor Bath, Taylor Weather, Springfield, Salter, EatSmart and two new brands launched earlier this year, Mako and d.Stil.
• Taylor Kitchen received a new brand logo and category refresh, featuring new marketing and packaging materials, as well as new products. The brand also streamlined its product sub-categories and is now segmented into Taylor Home, Taylor Market and Taylor Pro.
• Mastrad Inc. partnered with outsourcing company Janus. Janus will operate the French-based kitchenware vendor’s business operations from its New York-based headquarters.
• Alessi opened a new corporate office and showroom at Forty One Madison this past fall.
• Spectrum Diversified Designs and ICI USA, the parent company of kitchenware brand Tovolo, merged their businesses. ICI brings its kitchen tools, gadgets and food prep lines to the merger, while Spectrum brings its portfolio of storage and organization.
• Fueled by the recent reboot of its Ginsu brand of cutlery, Douglas Quikut has officially changed its name to Ginsu Brands.
Product Pipeline
• Gourmia introduced a line of kitchenware with an assortment of kitchen tools and gadgets that includes more than 50 items. Kitchen tools include a cold brew coffeemaker, multipurpose kitchen digital spatula and thermometer and a collapsible salad spinner.
• In an effort to expand its presence in the gourmet retail channel, Jokari International launched Jokari Gourmet, a collection of kitchenware designed to appeal to the specialty consumer. The new collection includes an assortment of kitchen tools, gadgets and barbecue accessories.
• Epoca International debuted its expanded line of Primula craft coffee products including a variety of coffee presses and pour over coffee and tea sets.
• Maverick debuted the model PT-55 Raindrop waterproof digital thermometer. According to the company, the new instant read digital thermometer features a fast and accurate thermocouple sensor.
• Kuhn Rikon rolled out a collection of handcrafted wooden kitchen tools, cutting boards and trivets. The kitchenware line is made of maple wood and features a natural oil finish. The company also introduced coordinating cutting boards, also made from maple wood.
• Typhoon Homewares introduced Viners, a British manufacturer of cutlery and flatware, to the U.S. market. The Viners cutlery assortment includes a Titan knife block, which features a magnetic block and includes six knives with stainless steel blades.
• Wüsthof expanded beyond its cutlery focus with several new kitchen tools to meet the needs of barbecue enthusiasts and home cooks. The company introduced a four-piece barbecue set and four-piece skewer set, as well as a suite of new kitchen tools.
• All-Clad launched its Precision Cutlery collection, which includes a 7-piece set, a carving set and a steak knife set.
• Hammer Stahl rolled out a 5-piece cutlery set with a knife block that can be customized and expanded upon based on a consumer’s cutlery preferences and budget. The new preselected cutlery set includes the most essential knives needed to complete a home kitchen: an 8-inch chef knife, 3.5-inch paring knife, 8-inch bread knife and a 4.5-inch Santoku, as well as a 12-slot bamboo knife block.
• The Companion Group partnered with McCormick Grill Mates on a new line of barbecue tools and accessories. The company will manufacture the barbecue tools, which includes more than 20 SKUs, under the Grill Mates brand.
• Lifetime Brands debuted its West Blade technology, which is featured in a new line of graters and zesters. The line of kitchen tools rolled out exclusively at Williams-Sonoma this year and is scheduled to be available to additional retailers in 2018.
• Following its acquisition of Copco last fall, Lifetime Brands expanded the brand’s line of tea kettles and added coffee products into the mix.
• Browne & Co. introduced the Cuisipro Piccolo line of kitchen tools. The line features smaller sized tools designed for more precise cooking and is geared towards the gourmet and independent retail channel.
• Dexas International debuted Mix interlocking cutting boards, which are made of earth-friendly bamboo and food-safe poly and are essentially two boards in one. The poly insert, in either faux granite or marble, fits into a large well on one side of the bamboo board.
• Clipper Corporation launched the Allrecipes Precision Bake & Food Prep Tools. The collection of tools includes a combination mixing bowl and measuring set, a dough cutter/bench scraper with an integrated silicone bowl scraper, and measuring cups and spoons.
• Gibson Overseas introduced the Gibson Home Romford BBQ baskets and toppers collection. The line is designed for grilling vegetables.
• Cangshan Cutlery Company partnered with Sandvik, a steel manufacturer in Sweden, to debut the TC Series of cutlery. The knives are available in a walnut wood knife block set that includes an essential 8-inch chef’s knife and 3.5-inch paring knife.
• International Innovation Company teamed up with Jelly Belly to launch a new licensed line of Jelly Belly partyware. The collection includes an assortment of Jelly Belly branded jelly bean-designed glass markers, party picks, shot glasses in assorted colors, a jelly bean-shaped ice cube tray and Jelly Belly design-adorned champagne flutes.
• HSN and Time, Inc. launched the Food & Wine housewares collection. The licensed line includes a range of culinary tools and housewares such as cutlery, small appliances, kitchenware, cookware, and wine accessories.
• Swissmar rolled out more than 100 mills this year. The new mills included a variety of new designs, materials and mechanisms. Some of the new finishes include black matte, metallic, red lacquer and brushed stainless steel.