-By Jennifer Strailey

A recent poll of our readership revealed that nearly 60 percent of you now carry both housewares and food simply because they sell better together. Later this summer, TGR will be taking a closer look at this match made in retail heaven, when we head to San Francisco for our annual conference: Retail 2020 -- The Future of Specialty Retailing.

Designed specifically for the specialty food and kitchenware retail industry, our Retail 2020 conference will bring together specialty independent retailers, vendors and industry experts for a two-day intensive retreat focused on maintaining growth and profitability in challenging times. Among the hot topics to be tapped: cross-merchandising, which will take center stage as participating kitchenware vendors build dynamic displays that show how to cross-merchandise food and products for the kitchen in a way that really cooks.

Held at the Bentley Reserve in downtown San Francisco, Retail 2020 will take place Aug. 4-6, 2009 (prior to the Gourmet Housewares Show, Aug. 8-10). For more information, visit www.gourmetretailer.com/gourmetretailer/retail2020.jsp.

In the House
iittala, Inc. Sponsors a Greener House
The Scandinavian housewares design company iittala, Inc. has sponsored a new home construction project in Tucson, Ariz. Named the “LESS impact HOUSE™,” the project came about when the original home, which was damaged in a storm, was completely deconstructed, recycled and rebuilt into a new home with the goal of making the least impact on the environment.

This newly constructed home is seeking United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum status. In order to be LEED Platinum Certified, a home must earn a minimum of 94 points. To date, this home has scored over 120 -- the most points ever for a LEED for Residential built home.

“We are honored the owners have identified our products for their kitchen and living areas,” said Sue Pregartner, president of iittala, Inc. “This sends a clear message that our ‘against throwawayism’ brand promise and our products bring a new level of interaction to the philosophies of green interiors.” The products identified by the owners were award-winning Tools Cookware designed by Björn Dahlström, both in brushed stainless steel as well as new ceramic-coated cookware, iittala knives designed by Janne Loiske, and award-winning salt and pepper mills designed by Antonio Citterio. To learn more about the project, visit www.LESSimpactHOUSE.com. For more information on iittala, visit www.iittala.com.

Anolon® Presents the Edible Garden
Anolon®, a global brand of cookware and kitchen products, is partnering with The New York Botanical Garden to present The Edible Garden -- the Botanical Garden’s inaugural, summer-long exhibition devoted to growing and preparing great food. The exhibition will include cooking demonstrations in the Conservatory Kitchen equipped with the latest collections from its official kitchenware sponsor -- Anolon -- including cookware, bakeware, cutlery, kitchen tools and gadgets.

The Edible Garden, which began on Saturday, June 27, will continue through Sunday, Sept. 13. During this time, visitors to the Botanical Garden in the Bronx can enjoy numerous exhibits about food plants and watch renowned and up-and-coming chefs cooking in the Conservatory Kitchen.

The stellar lineup of acclaimed chefs and television personalities appearing at The Edible Garden includes Martha Stewart, Emeril Lagasse, Lidia Bastianich, Daisy Martinez, Aida Mollenkamp, Sunny Anderson, Anne Burrell, Dan Barber and others. Chefs scheduled to demonstrate their favorite recipes throughout the summer (courtesy of Anolon) include Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern, Peter Hoffman of Savoy and Back Forty, and Keith Snow of Harvest Eating.com.

“The event’s intriguing blend of informative exhibits, seminars and demonstrations linking the importance of fresh food from the garden with cooking perfectly aligns with our brand’s educational campaign, Creating a Delicious Future with Anolon™,” said Suzanne Murphy, vice president of marketing at Meyer Corporation (the parent company of Anolon).

Adjacent to the Conservatory Kitchen on the Conservatory Lawn, Anolon will display a full assortment of kitchenware products in a tented 15-foot-by-15-foot area during three weekends: the opening and closing festival weekends (June 27-28 and Sept. 12-13), and in mid-August (15-16). For more information, visit www.nybg.org.

CIA Creates Gourmet Recipes for Panasonic Microwave
Home cooks are invited to discover the power of microwave cooking with a collection of 15 quick, healthy and gourmet recipes created specifically for Panasonic Inverter microwaves by the certified master chefs at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Step-by-step instructions for the 15 CIA microwave recipes, plus three instructional cooking videos, are now available in the Panasonic Virtual Test Kitchen at www.panasonic.com/inverter.

“As families stretch their food and entertainment budgets by cooking more at home and dining out less frequently, we are proud to collaborate with Panasonic to show that microwave cooking can be more than reheating leftovers or defrosting frozen vegetables,” said Ron DeSantis, certified master chef and project director of CIA Consulting.

The 15 no-fuss gourmet dishes are a result of three months of research and testing by CIA chefs, and include culinary favorites that are not typically prepared in microwaves, such as: Maryland Crab Dip, Corn Chowder with Chilis and Monterey Jack, Herb Stuffed Turkey Breast with Cranberry Chutney, and Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding.

Beyond the step-by-step instructions, Panasonic is also providing more support for people cooking at home, by offering three online how-to videos featuring CIA chef instructors. Each short cooking show (no more than eight minutes) features a chef preparing a recipe and offering cooking tips. The chefs also explain Inverter technology and how it enables people to cook healthy, delicious meals in Panasonic microwaves. For more information, visit www.panasonic.com/inverter.

Eco Choice Awards to Debut at NYIGF
Retailers planning to attend the NYIGF this summer are invited to cast their votes in the first-ever Eco Choice Awards, voting to decide the gift and home industries’ best “green” products in three categories: “Most Innovative,” “Most Sensitive Use of Materials” and “Most Sellable.” Judging will take place Aug. 15-20, 2009, at the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®).

Co-sponsored by GREENRetailer magazine and NYIGF, the awards will recognize the most innovative, environmentally responsible products featured in the Fair’s SustainAbility: design for a better world® display, a special curated exhibit showcasing “green” gift and home products. The summer 2009 display will showcase more than 175 products created from recycled, recyclable, sustainable or indigenous materials, and selected for inventiveness, newness, aesthetics and functionality.

Voting will take place Saturday through Thursday at the SustainAbility display, with the winners announced at the conclusion of NYIGF on Thursday, Aug. 20. Winners will be announced online and published in the fall ’09 issue of GREENRetailer magazine.

NYIGF launched its SustainAbility program in 2006 to recognize and encourage the integration of environmental responsibility with profitable business practices. The two-part program features an environmentally focused exhibit, curated by Ilene Shaw of Shaw + Co!, and educational programming related to “green” business practices for the gift and home industries. For more information, visit www.nyigf.com/programs.

New Products

French Roasting Gift Set From Mauviel
Mauviel debuts a French Roasting Gift Set, which includes an M’Cook heavy-duty, rectangular, five-ply stainless steel roasting pan and free roasting rack. The elegant roaster is 2.6 millimeters thick and offers even heat distribution for uniform cooking and roasting. Its cast stainless steel handles are oversized for safe lifting and fixed by sturdy rivets. The pan’s non-drip edges make pouring liquids easy and mess-free. The five-ply roaster is constructed from five layers of metals sandwiched together -- a magnetic stainless steel interior and a magnetic stainless steel exterior, and three layers of aluminum and aluminum alloys. The roaster is 15.4-inches x 11.8-inches. The gift set has a suggested retail price of $199. For more information, call Mauviel USA Corp at 302-326-4803.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 440


OGGI Introduces AIR-LOX Canisters
Expanding its already extensive canister assortment, OGGI Corporation recently unveiled its new AIR-LOX™ canisters. The stackable 4.5-inch square acrylic AIR-LOX come with convenient push-top vacuum-seal lids and are available in four open-stock heights and capacities: 4 inches/30 ounces, 6 inches/48 ounces, 8 inches/70 ounces and 10 inches/8 ounces. In addition to the airtight, one-touch pop-up tops, AIR-LOX are stackable for maximum space efficiency. AIR-LOX Storage Canisters are priced to retail from $9.95 to $12.95. For more information, visit www.OGGIcorporation.com.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 442


Think Pink With Royal Copenhagen
Royal Copenhagen is marking the 230th anniversary of its Blue Flower Line with stylish pink flowers. This rosy-hued floral motif was chosen for the new mugs because pink represents universal love. Pink blossoms also bring to mind youth, innocence and joy. The two Pink Flower mugs are decorated with either roses or a sprinkling of different flowers. The mugs boast a functional yet classic shape. As with Blue Flower, the Pink Flower mugs are assembled, painted and glazed by hand. These new mugs can be combined with pieces from the Blue Flower line or with plain white china. Each mug comes in a beautiful Royal Copenhagen gift box. For more information, visit www.royalcopenhagen.com.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 444


Emile Henry to Bring Picardie Glasses Back to the U.S.
Picardie glasses are back in the United States with the announcement that Duralex -- the French manufacturer of Picardie glass tumblers and Lys bowls -- has partnered with Emile Henry to bring these classic products to the American consumer. Duralex USA will offer retailers and consumers France’s favorite glass tumbler, as well as the other glass products that Duralex manufactures. Duralex International SAS has been manufacturing drinking glasses in France for more than 80 years, and was the inventor of tempered glass in 1939. The Picardie tumbler, like all Duralex products, is manufactured in La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin near Orléans, France. Duralex and Picardie were available in the United States until 2006. Since that time, Picardie has been out of the market, but not out of the minds of American retailers and consumers. Currently, Duralex USA has just been established in New Castle, Del., and is in the process of shipping the first Picardie and Lys bowls to retailers. Patrick Lobo will serve as the national sales manager of Duralex USA and Tara Steffen as the marketing manager. For more information, call 302-326-4804.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 446


Presenting the Cuisinart PowerEdge™ 700 Blender
The new Cuisinart PowerEdge™ 700 Blender is the company’s most powerful blender to date with 700 watts of blending power, preprogrammed Smoothie and Ice Crush functions, and a Soups & Sauces setting. The new blender features a Power6 Turbo-Edge™ blade design that enhances vortex performance, crushes ice, purees and mixes with maximum efficiency. The blender also features a generously sized 56-ounce glass easy-pour blender jar and lid, both of which are dishwasher-safe. The blender is designed with die-cast metal housing with backlit functions and a Count-Up™ Timer with touchpad controls and blue LEDs. This blender (model no. CBT-700) has an everyday retail price of $149. For more information, visit www.cuisinart.com.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 441


New From IMCG -- The Plate Spacers
IMCG, Inc. introduces the Plate Spacers, a handy device that allows you to stack plates with food on them. The Plate Spacers save both, space on your countertop and time before serving prepared dishes. Plate Spacers are plastic blocks that are placed on three sides of a prepared plate to offer space and support between each dish. The piled dishes can be heated up in the microwave or kept warm in the oven (maximum 210 degrees Fahrenheit). They can also be kept cold in the fridge or freezer. Plate Spacers come packed in sets of nine blocks for stacking up to four plates. The red Plate Spacers are 1.10-inches high and the green Plate Spacers are 1.61-inches high. A set of nine red Plate Spacers has an MSRP of $11.99. For more information, visit www.imcg.us.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 443


Celebrate With the Clay Company
Introducing hand-cast pewter Cupcake Candles from the Clay Company. Choose from eight different designs, each with a hand-dipped beeswax candle and solid pewter “Candlestake” in its own colorful package. Made in the United States, these unique, handcrafted Cupcake Candles have a suggested retail price of $12. For more information, visit www.clay-company.com.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 445


Wireless Cooking Thermometer From Taylor
Monitor your favorite roast or turkey from afar, all while ensuring the food is cooked to your exact taste level, with the Taylor Wireless Cooking Thermometer. This wireless device allows you to roam throughout your house, your yard or anywhere as far as 200 feet away. The base sits next to the oven or grill, and displays the target and current food temperature, while the handy remote beeps, flashes a light and vibrates when the food is cooked. It also provides two pre-alerts when food is 10 degrees and 5 degrees from the target temperature. A timer is also included. The suggested retail price is $34.99.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 447