Gourmet Business - May 2016

Around this time every year, I nd myself looking forward to pulling out my grill after a long winter’s hibernation. Spring is here and the return of weather conducive to out- door entertaining draws us out of the home. 

I realize that in some parts of the country grilling is a year-round activity, but the reality is that the sales of grill-related products starts to heat up this time of year everywhere. According to the “HPBA Barbecue Lifestyle, Usage & Attitude Study” grill owners love to re it up for the holidays. Among the most popular holidays for grilling are Fourth of July, Labor Day, Memo- rial Day, Father’s Day and Mother’s Day, which means the season starts to build strength in May and lasts through the summer. 

I have always considered grilling to be an iconic American activity and the fact that the Fourth of July is the single largest holiday for grilling, with more than three quarters of American grill owners becoming pit master for the day, only supports my assertion that there is a business opportunity for all retailers. 

But don’t just limit your thinking to the spatula and grill brush—consider this an opportunity to push all of the products that can be found in our industry to support pleasurable outdoor entertaining. For instance, the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) also reports that among grill owners surveyed 10 percent to 15 percent planned to purchase a pizza stone, sh or broiling basket, cedar or other grilling plank, motorized rotisserie or grill wok this year. And don’t forget the grills themselves because more than a third of U.S. adults plan to buy a new grill this year too. 

I haven’t convinced you to take the deep grill dive yet? Well, I have saved the best for last. For those of our read- ers that operate a brick-and-mortar retail store, you will be pleased to learn that 83 percent of grill purchases were made in a store and only 11 percent were made online. 

I hope we have uncovered some interesting grill items in this issue to inspire some new ideas and great selling opportunities. I declare the 2016 grill season of cially open! 

Now James Mellgren and I are off to CIBUS to immerse ourselves in all things Italian. We look forward to reporting to you about the great products we nd coming to the United States. 

David Spencer
Publisher, Gourmet Business 

President, HousewaresDirect, Inc 

dspencer@gourmetbusiness.com