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How upscale is the kitchen these days? Only your leftovers know for sure.

Kitchen storage is yet another category to jump on the upscaling bandwagon in recent years, as fashion trends, innovative features and changing consumer tastes have stepped in to overhaul a product that was once utilitarian at best and just plain boring at worst.

And if there's a challenge for the specialty retailer these days, it's that there are simply too many choices out there. "We're seeing a lot of nice things hitting the market, but it's a category that's pretty space-intensive for the dollars," acknowledges Bob Kratchman, president of Kitchen Kapers, the 10-store chain based in Cherry Hill, N.J. "It's definitely one of the categories that walks the fine line between carrying enough of a choice to make your customer happy, while at the same time doing what's best for your bottom line."

Just how much choice is there in food storage these days? And which factors are impacting the category from the consumer end? We talked to retailers around the country to find out what's sealing the deal in their kitchen storage decisions.

The Bulk of Change

Look to Italy, the Far East and Morocco as a few of the reasons we've seen consumer attitudes evolve in food storage. Because as pasta and rice have transcended ethnic cuisines to become mainstream components of the American diet, and as dishes such as couscous become explorations of our evolving palates, these shifts in consumer tastes have directly impacted the storage category. "The consumer's focus on fresh foods, coupled with the popularity of bulk food shopping, both in markets such as Whole Foods and in warehouse clubs, has changed the way we think about food storage," says the product manager for one storage line. "People are used to the idea of buying polenta, rice or even pasta in bulk, and so keeping permanent storage for these products at home is something they have to think about."

"Bulk shopping definitely has impacted our business," notes Mona Williams, kitchen product buyer for The Container Store, the 20-store chain based in Dallas. "Of course, our most important bulk container hasn't changed: 40-pound storage for pet food. But categories such as pasta remain very important to us. Coffee also is very strong; we sell a lot of stainless canisters for coffee, for example, because of the oils. And now that tea is an up-and-coming category, we're seeing consumers ask for the same type of storage product, but smaller. The boom in bread machines and artisanal breads from the market also means that people are looking for products to store those. So in storage our philosophy is to stay on top of food trends and what the consumer is preparing in his or her kitchen, and then make sure we're meeting their storage needs in those areas."

Which not only means you have to stay on top of what they're preparing, but how they're preparing it. "Convenience is key," Kratchman says. "Microwave-safe products are always a concern, as people need to know they can store stuff and then pop it in the microwave. But even though plastic is still considered the top seller, glass remains very strong. In most cases it may not be as airtight, but it is something that one can take from the freezer or refrigerator to the oven or microwave and then to the table. As we're thinking more about what looks good on the table, and making the extra effort to put together a good-looking table, that has become more of an issue."

Style Plus Substance, and Vice Versa

Perhaps one of the clearest indicators of the shift in food storage presented itself not in a traditional housewares venue, but at last fall's New York Tabletop Market, where more than a few proven dinnerware collections debuted coordinating storage lines.

"[The storage line] was received very successfully," noted a director from one tabletop company. "Everyone's looking for their kitchen to be a unit, and so this seemed like a natural for us. It also offers some additional opportunities for us: We're going to use the storage pieces as promotional 'try me' items, and that in turn will help push the dinnerware pattern."

Indeed, while mix-and-match may be the strength of tabletop, in the end it's the "match" that appears to count most. "Coordination seems to be what everybody wants," says Laurie Garone, buying group director for the Dallas-based Gourmet Catalog Program, which boasts about 90 retailers throughout the U.S. "Chrome canister sets, for example, are a very strong category for us because there's so much in the kitchen that's chrome these days. We're also seeing the importance of Italian ceramics, because they coordinate with serving pieces that go to the table and therefore tie a theme together."

Garone notes that the changes in the category have caused Gourmet Catalog to look deeper into the category. "Our retailers all have issues when it comes to space and inventory, but I think from a buying-group format it makes sense for us to see what we can be doing further in the category," she says. "It's a natural for our stores, so we're beginning to talk to some vendors about what we can be doing to offer more choice in product. But usually we're finding that it's a more reasonable item for our stores to carry if it's a storage product that's also displayable."

Williams agrees when asked about the importance of display. "People are spending a tremendous amount of money in design for their kitchen, and they're not casual about the selection of even a paper towel holder," she notes. "I think function remains the most important aspect of any storage product, but we're seeing plenty of aesthetically pleasing options these days. There's a design for every kitchen, from wood to glass to stainless steel or chrome, and even the plastic pieces have become more attractive. What's nice for us is that it's also moved the consumer up in price point, and price has become the secondary issue after function and design."

Likewise, Kratchman's strategy has been to stay in the upper end both in price and product, opting for an upscale branded line that coordinates with such sister products as cookware and utensils, as well as French canning jars that offer both tight seals and an attractive countertop look. "It also helps that there's a lot of crossover in those canning jars," he adds. "They're great for storage, for gift giving, they're not too specific in what can and can't be stored in them, and they look great, so they make a lot of sense for us."

Yet while fashion has influenced the category, when it comes to the basics, issues such as color and design definitely take a backseat to function, according to the product manager for the food- storage line.

"I think when you're in our end of the business, you have to do certain pieces that keep you in the fashion game," she says. "We have a countertop line in three shapes, for example, but it's far from the bulk of our business. We do it because we realize we have to be in the fashion business. And we're looking for different types of textures or patterns, ways to make our lids stand out from a design viewpoint. But it's the technology of our seal and the ease of opening and closing the product that will remain our number-one focus."

Williams calls her kitchen and food storage area "very basic: We don't do a lot of color, we do a lot of white, because that's what our customers want and buy." And while design trends such as chrome and stainless remain strong, and she's seen a surge of interest in wood tones, Williams points out that "you can have a great-looking product, but ease of use has to be readily communicated to the consumer."

Indeed, a variety of consumer-friendly functional items have hit the market, resulting in a flood of "Why didn't we think of this before?" "As we as a population get older, for example, dexterity has become a key issue, and so seals and the methods of opening and closing storage pieces have come to the forefront," Williams explains. "Venting technology for pieces you put in the microwave — that, too, was enormously clever and answers a very definite need in the kitchen. And products that are not only airtight but also watertight are hitting the market, making it easier for those of us who take a lunch sack. So what's nice is that the most clever pieces on the market today seem to be addressing not only the simple issue of storage, but more importantly the way we're living. If it looks good, isn't that a bonus?"

It's the Function, Stupid

Looking forward, Williams and other buyers see trends such as casual outdoor dining playing a key role in storage trends. "Gardening and casual dining continue to be important trends, and how we'll see that reflected in kitchen and food storage is a number of acrylic pieces that are great for storing or serving or, ideally, serve both purposes," she says.

Ultimately such a product will seek the balance of function, but with a fashion twist. "There is plenty of specialty storage out there, and pieces that appeal to just about every design sense," Williams notes. "But in storage you have to do the job first and look good second. And you also have to consider that consumers still need something to store five pounds of flour and five pounds of sugar; that's a need that never goes away."

"Even with everything we've seen in design, I still think it boils down to function," Kratchman agrees. "When I think of the line I most prefer, what comes to mind most for me is the quality of its seal, the variety of its selection, and the fact that the line is known for special-purpose pieces. Put all of that together, and you've got a well-designed product that may look good, but most importantly works great."



Quick Take

• Food trends have greatly affected the kitchen-storage category, as consumers seek permanent storage pieces for bulk fresh and dry products, from pasta to polenta, coffee to artisanal breads.

• Design trends also are playing a role in the category: Dinnerware collections are introducing coordinating kitchen-storage lines, while chrome and stainless steel remain hot finishes. Wood tones are up and coming, and look for retro-inspired pieces in glass also to hit the market.

• While color palettes continue to be experimented with in plastic storage pieces, white, hunter green and cobalt blue remain the most popular, especially in lid colors.

• Even with fashion playing a greater role in kitchen storage, retailers maintain that function remains the foremost issue.