In Print » MARCH/APRIL 2010 VOL. 31, NO. 2 » Departments » From the Editor

Sometimes heading out on another business trip is a daunting task. One of the largest shows we attend each year is Ambiente in Frankfurt, Germany. The show is incredible, but after 10 years, there is a little part of me that has to be pushed to make the trip.

I have to tell you, this year was amazing. Weather conditions were tremendously against the show. New fl oor plans made an already unwieldy show a tad unappealing in theory. But after all my misgivings, the show was so worth the journey with spectacular new stands from manufacturers who, over the years, had become as complacent as me.

Now, I will admit I did not cover half of the show I planned, long conversations, relaxing stands and (I confess again) poor planning on my part led to missing a few must-see stands on my list. So now, it’s with excitement that I plan my International Home + Housewares Show schedule so I am sure not to miss anyone this time around.

2010 was off to a great start in January, with many retailers reporting better-thanexpected year-ends and great sales to start the year. February’s blizzard conditions across the country may have frozen sales, but I believe March will bring a thaw (at least for suppliers) with buyers focused on new products at IH+HS and subsequent shows.

With all that said, specialty retailers continue to be wary of supply and demand this year. With the continued consolidation of big box stores, concerns continue to mount over manufacturers’ abilities to deliver on goods. Whether it’s the food or hard good categories, retailers I’ve spoken with over the past few months continue to express concerns over suppliers’ inventory levels.

After all, it’s hard to sell it if you can’t stock your shelves.

With all the discussions of whether or not the consumer will come back to the register, one element of recovery that suppliers may miss out on is how retailers are coming back to the table. Specialty retailers have refi ned their inventory equations, while continuing their customerfocused service. Their eff orts in the industry have been consistent, but their eff orts moving forward demand a partnership approach. Those suppliers focused on the independent channel will discover that building relationships, developing strategies and servicing these accounts as they service their own clientele will pay off in the end.

Research conducted for The Gourmet Retailer illustrates the weight of this channel, our readers control over $36 billion worth of sales with the average subscriber being the owner/manager of a retail location with $789,000 in sales.

Not bad for a group of retailers often referred to as “the little guys.”

While I won’t say I could have guessed those numbers exactly, the research proved what I have believed since joining this brand 10 years ago — specialty retailers, each and every one of you, are essential to this industry and its survival. So here’s to you. And here is to fostering better relationships, stronger partnerships and clear communications so we can all grow in 2010.

To that end, our team at TGR will continue to develop new media platforms to foster communications, including our TGRtv programming which allows our editors to discuss new products they’ve discovered at trade shows; as well as TGRTalk, our online talk radio program that profi les interesting stories, top trends and retail news. Along with this we’ve partnered again with the International Housewares Association to bring you more education through our Retail 2020 Conference this July 28-30 in San Francisco.

This year’s event is expanded to three days to allow for more networking, education and new Business Strategy Sessions — scheduled meetings between retailers and suppliers — to help foster communication within this retail channel. For more information on the conference, visit www.Retail2020.net. Until then, see you in the aisles!

Michelle Moran
Editor-in-Chief
mmoran@gourmetretailer.com