Gourmet Business March 2015

Coming off of a successful holiday season, specialty retailers and suppliers are more optimistic in this first quarter than they were at the same time last year. Sales are up, consumer confidence is on the rise and supplier new product introductions are prolific, all of which point to an energetic mood on the threshold of the upcoming International Home + Housewares Show (IH+HS). 

Turn to page 27 to read more about the positive economic indicators and momentum leading up to the IH+HS, and our special show preview where we explore the top new product trends. To make it easy for readers to peruse the many new products to be introduced at the show, we’ve organized the preview into four main categories – bakeware and cookware, kitchen gadgets, small electrics and tabletop – beginning on page 37. 

And be sure to stop by the Gourmet Business booth S2086 featuring special events and displays through our Digital Discovery Zone, Knowledge & Tasting Center, Inspired Merchandising Display and New Products Discovery Corner, featuring new market entrants. 

Also in this issue are in-depth category reports on bread making, and bread machines and accompanying tools, page 8; and another on the importance of clean labels in today’s specialty packaged foods, page 13. We also have a special Market Tracker report on the kitchen gadgets and tools category with data presented by Riedel Marketing Group on page 34. 

Our Buyer’s Desk report features KC Lapiana, owner of Pittsburgh-based In the Kitchen, who shares how a culinary background enables her to stay on top of food trends that help her curate unique cooking tools for the home chef. 

Last, but not least, don’t miss My Favorite Thing about the Endurance Oil Mister, page 6, and our regular new products gallery, page 25. 

We hope you find this issue a great resource as you chart your course for the Housewares Show. See you in Chicago! 

Maureen Azzato
Managing Editor Gourmet Business

 mazzato@gourmetbusiness.com