March 2013

It is clear to me that health is on the mind of many Americans these days. The trend toward healthy eating is not just a fad. I am seeing signs that it is the result of a significant change in thinking in our society that comes from better awareness of how what you eat can impact your quality of life.

Fortunately, the quality of what you eat can be controlled because it is a product of the ingredients, as well as the preparation methods and quantity of food consumed. This creates a significant retail opportunity for our industry because there are many products available in the market today that can help consumers eat sensibly and live a healthy life, which is the subject of this issue.

You will see many products being introduced in the market this year that are positioned to make it easier to prepare healthy meals at home. I have noticed considerable improvement in the quality of the nonstick coatings being applied to new cookware offerings in the market. Together with improved heat conductivity of the base metals, I am finding that the new breed of nonstick cookware is making it possible to prepare food with proper browning without a lot of added fats or oils. Pressure cookers, known to be a fast and healthy way to cook, are becoming safer and more sophisticated, attracting a new generation of converts.

Housewares suppliers are also realizing that portion control is a key element in promoting healthy eating habits. The portion control products I have seen this year have managed to do away with the “clinical look” of products previously found on the market. These new products have found a clever way to disguise the por- tion markings, allowing the products to set an attractive table while providing simple portioning of food that allows a consumer to easily follow specific diet recommendations.

And let’s not forget that food choices can have an impact on health as well, and specialty food suppliers have continued the drive to improve the taste and healthiness of food.

We hope this issue will help you recog- nize and understand how housewares products and specialty foods can be positioned to promote a healthy lifestyle. If you set your merchandising with this in mind, we think you will be rewarded with great sales success in this category this year.

David Spencer

Publisher, Gourmet Business

President, HousewaresDirect, Inc.

dspencer@gourmetbusiness.com