Progressive Housewares January/February 2021

January/February 2021

Salads.

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Introducing new Multi-Prep™ 4-in-1 salad preparation set.

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Editor’s comment I

Max Publishing Ltd, United House North Road, London N7 9DP T: 020 7700 6740 F: 020 7607 6411 www.progressivehousewares.co.uk www.max-publishing.co.uk www.housewaresnews.net Subscriptions Subscribe online at Max-Subscriptions.net While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in Progressive Housewares, the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for errors or omissions.

t is fantastic to see photos of The Excellence in Housewares Awards 2020 trophies with their worthy recipients, whether taken in offices, at home or in stores - even when shut, during stocktaking or before online cooking classes! Huge congratulations to all of the winners for providing innovation and inspiration to us all in these exceptional times. We are delighted to dedicate this issue to all of you (see News and Winners’ Inset: PH’s Jo Howard in pages 22-34).

Tower’s session room at Businesses that will survive (and the virtual Excellence in Housewares Awards. hopefully thrive) are the ones that understand connectivity, community and “ways to feed the needs of humans,” rather than “just throwing more stuff at us.” So says retail guru Mary Portas, when reflecting on the rapidly changing high street in an interview on Radio 4. She regrets that operations and balance sheets have been the driving force of too many retailers, rather than passion and creativity, and urges us to embrace change (recognising the importance of both physical and digital shopping experiences), while also stressing the need for the “government to get its act together.”

As we all know, the pandemic has dramatically fast-forwarded changes, with traditional physical shopping spaces emptying - sadly now including cookshops in the 124 remaining Debenhams stores – while online sales continue to soar. As this issue goes out, the majority of physical housewares stockists are closed and are uncertain of reopening dates. Edinburgh housewares stockist Liane Phillips of Marchmont Hardware echoes the hopes of many when she says the challenge for this year will be to “keep doing what we do” - in other words, providing fantastic products, customer service and a hub for the community (see State of the Nation pages 41-47). After these difficult weeks and months of the pandemic and related forced shop closures, there are lots of positive ahead, thanks to the nation’s newly ignited passions for cooking, baking, food preparation, as well as cleaning and home organisation. Many retailers are adapting - developing their online presences and reaching customers via social media even when shut – with the help of those suppliers providing resources and support.

We have an industry with bucketloads of creativity, as well as one that cherishes the importance of human connections. The stories in this issue provide plenty of hope and inspiration for the challenges ahead, with forward thinking plans from suppliers and retailers. For example, Lakeland began 2021 with new eco launches, recognising its role in helping consumers to achieve sustainable goals (pages 16-17), and cookshops in Ireland and France are recognising demand for well-designed kitchen tools as the home cooking boom is, of course, an international phenomenon (pages 36-37). All of us at PH hope you enjoy our jam-packed first issue of 2021, wish you good health and look forward to seeing you in person as the year progresses.

Jo Howard in house JO HOWARD Editor joh@max-publishing.co.uk JAKKI BROWN Editorial director jw@max-publishing.co.uk JOHN BARRY Advertising manager johnb@max-publishing.co.uk ROB WILLIS Publishing director robw@max-publishing.co.uk EMMA CAIN Product page editor emmac@max-publishing.co.uk MICHELLE BOARD Contributing editor michelleb@max-publishing.co.uk MARK GRAYSON Creative director markg@max-publishing.co.uk WARREN LOMAX Joint md warren@max-publishing.co.uk HELENA HOWARD Photography

ISSN: 2515-7493

Editor

Above: PH’s Rob Willis, Emma Cain, John Barry and Jo Howard while filming for the EIH Awards.

In this issue 5-9 10 11 13 15 16-17 18-19 22-34

News Bira news BHETA news IHA news Holly Wilson’s From the frontline Retailer focus: Lakeland Kuhn Rikon: cooking expertise Excellence in Housewares 2020 winners 35 Tramontina: west to east supply 36-37 Eurovisions: international retailer focus PROGRESSIVE

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38- 39 KitchenCraft: innovation in the new normal 41-47 Food for thought: State of the Nation 2021 48-49 Ultimate Products: 90 years of Progress 50-55 Market focus: Coffee and tea 56-57 Eddingtons: presenting Fissler 59-67 New products 68-69 Visibility pages 71 Shelf portrait: Cooks Boutique

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News

TOP STORY

Nadiya reveals ‘must haves’

Industry unites The housewares industry united for the virtual Excellence in Housewares Awards on December 9, with attendees reflecting that it was “what the industry needed” at the end of an exceptionally challenging year. Hundreds of members of the housewares community watched the Above: Members of the event from around the UK and globally, joining in with Meyer and JWP team the live chat during the Awards ceremony, and meeting celebrating in their Session Room at The EIH Awards in the EIH session rooms and via personal video calls 2020 along with guests, before and after the Awards presentations.

Sainsbury’s Victoria Owen, In an exclusive interview prior to the Awards John Lewis’ Elaine Hooper and Emma Lay and presentation, author, TV presenter and former winner of Lakeland’s Kathryn Farrell.

The Great British Bake Off, Nadiya Hussain delighted the Above: Talking from her kitchen, Prue Leith was the Awards’ attendees with her revelations (see separate first to congratulate story). The ‘Bake Off’ theme continued with a very Lakeland. special guest appearance from cookery legend and presenter Prue Leith, who was delighted to announce an award for Lakeland.

The familiar voice behind the EIH ceremony was Alan Dedicoat, who is the ‘voice of the gods’ on Strictly Come Dancing and The National Lottery. Leading figures across the housewares industry were central to the EIH production, with award category sponsors opening golden envelopes to announce winners (see pages 22).

Hosting a very busy session room that bought together retailers, suppliers and the Bira team, Jeff Moody, md of Bira Direct and commercial director of Bira comments: “Obviously nothing beats meeting the industry in person but this was certainly the best get together for nearly a year now and to see so many people commenting on chat and social media was great. The industry needed this. A great night.”

Claire Budgen, commercial and marketing director at KitchenCraft described the EIH 2020 as “a fantastic virtual event,” thanking the organising team: “It would have been so easy to roll over the awards to next year but you guys put in the hard yards and ensured as an industry we did not go without.”

One of many international attendees, IHA president Derek Miller enthused: “The event was simply wonderful – first class from start to finish!” EKO UK’s Brian Walmsley summed up the EIH as a “thoroughly enjoyable and successful evening. The input from so many different people ensured it stayed interesting and engaging, it was great to have some time with buyers, and Alan Dedicoat was an inspired choice as compere.”

In her uplifting interview prior to the EIH Awards presentation, Nadiya Hussain confessed to her top five kitchen essentials, which reflect her love of baking: a spatula, whisk (“How else would you whisk up egg whites?”), a rolling pin, sieve (not just for flour, but for making chai) and a good knife. “I’m really obsessed with good knives,” said the celebrity, whose Dad does spot checks on sharpness whenever he visits!

When it comes to a luxury item in her kitchen, Nadiya picked her dehydrator, which enables her to replicate her “innate need to dry things in the sun.”

Talking about creating a range with BlissHome, and her pride on seeing her own products in John Lewis, Nadiya said that, in future collaborations, she would “love to do a really good mixer.” She recognises the value of such a gadget for bakers: “My wrists don’t have to suffer any more!”

The celebrity baker shared her stories of cooking with her Grandad in Bangladesh aged six or seven, as well as her Dad’s “experimental” approach in the kitchen. She admitted that her love of baking came later. Nadiya also acknowledged the effect of the pandemic: “Baking has given us solace when times are really difficult.”

Below: Nadiya talking to EIH attendees.

• Sponsors of The EIH 2020 included: Ambiente, Autumn Fair, Bira Direct, BHETA, Burton McCall, DKB Household, EKO, Exclusively Shows, Expose Travel, Gastroback, Groupe SEB, The Inspired Home Show and The International Housewares Association, Joseph Joseph, KitchenCraft from Lifetime Brands, Le Creuset, Meyer Group, OXO UK, Salter, Tefal, Tower from RKW, Tramontina, and Ultimate Products.

• Nadiya in conversation and the EIH 2020 presentations can be viewed on Max Publishing’s YouTube channel.

• Save the date for The Excellence in Housewares Awards 2021: October 2 at The Royal Lancaster, London.

Chilly’s Bottles is 6th in Fast Track 100

Cilla and Camilla’s bounce back hopes Richard Barker, co-owner of Cilla & Camilla (four shops in Dorset, including a cookshop in Sherborne) is optimistic for growth when the pandemic starts to ease. The Sherborne cookshop does not trade online, but performed well when it was open in the second half of 2020 “showing that there remains a strong demand for physical bricks and mortar.”

Richard reports: “As long as we don’t burn Above: Cilla & Camilla Cookshop. too much cash maintaining the business through lockdown, we are looking at the possibility of another cookshop in West Dorset. We have a site, but just need to be confident that we are through business interruptions.”

Chilly’s Bottle is sixth in The Sunday Times Fast Track 100, which ranks Britain’s private companies with the fastest growing sales and profits.

Chilly’s sales rose to £44.1m in the year to July 2020 - annual growth of 159.24% over the past three years. The company donated £250,000 worth of its insulated bottles to NHS frontline workers in June last year.

Online designer brand discount retailer Brand Alley features 55th in the Fast Track 100. The site, which includes leading housewares brands among its offers, has had over 1,000 new customers on a daily basis during the pandemic.

Left: Chilly’s latest Artist Series by Jacqueline Colley.

For the latest news, see HousewaresNews.net PROGRESSIVE

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A new British wildlife collection brings nature into the home and refreshes our ever popular Meg Hawkins range.

Beautiful watercolour illustrations of wildlife and nature are the focal point of this delightful home and gifting collection.

Broadgate, Broadway Business Park, Chadderton, Oldham OL9 9XE UK T: +44(0)161 688 1226 I F: +44(0)161 682 6808 I sales@widdop.co.uk I www.widdopandco.co.uk

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TOP STORY

Spring launches from home Highlights of Spring Fair@Home (February 810) include business advice and views on the future of retail from Theo Paphitis, owner of Robert Dyas, as well as insights from Facebook’s Beth Horn, head of industry, retail and ecommerce, plus trends presentations from Mintel, Colour Hive and Trend Bible.

Housewares buyers are finding new products and inspiration from the comfort of their desks (or sofas) via Spring Fair’s Virtual Showrooms, as well as its Product Showcases, including the Living Edit, with its ‘editor's pick of the top 10 Above: New Pressed Flowers range, featured on DMD’s showreel. homewares and lifestyle brands, and the new products they are in love with’.

One of the brands in the Living Edit, T&G’s new ranges include Friends & Family, which is “inspired by recent events but rather than dwelling, celebrating all that has been positive about this last year,” notes T&G’s head of marketing Jenny Handley.

With a showreel video available via its Spring Fair virtual showroom, DMD’s Rob Blackburn, director of sales and sourcing says: “Following what has been a very difficult year for everyone we are really pleased that our design team and product development teams have been able to bring together a raft of new products for 2021.”

Hargreaves’ video chat shopping Specialist independent cookshop, home and gift store, Hargreaves & Sons in Buxton, Derbyshire has launched a new personal shopping service online, via Facebook Messenger video chat. The shop is also providing free local delivery, having suspended click and collect in Lockdown 3 to discourage people from leaving their homes.

Customers have been invited to make an appointment by sending a Facebook message, and a member of the team then guides them around the shop, answering questions and providing product advice.

Martin Coles-Evans, owner of the 150 year-old housewares store acknowledged “great feedback,” describing the “completely new way of shopping” as “a great way we can serve our customers from the safety and comfort of their home.” He added: “Our free local delivery is done in person and allows us to keep engaged at a very personal Above: Hargreaves & Sons’ Martin Coles-Evans level with our local customers, many of whom are really missing us with our doors being closed during lockdown. We are ever evolving and adapting with each lockdown hurdle, but becoming stronger and more resilient each time.”

Martin concluded: “2021 has been a difficult start, but there is light at the end of the tunnel and I am optimistic that things will get much better soon!”

Gift of the Year’s foodie favourites The Kitchen & Dining finalists for the 2021 Gift of the Year (GOTY, organised by The Giftware Association, and presented during Spring Fair @Home) include T&G’s Tip Top Mills, The Birmingham Balti Bowl Company’s Authentic Birmingham Balti Bowl, Samantha Lois Illustrations’ Resin Coated Solid Olive Wood Bowls and the Bioloco Plant Lunch Pot from Blue Eyed Sun. The latter are climate neutral and made from plant sugar.

The Bioloco Plant Kids Bottle from Blue Eyed Sun is a finalist in the Ethical Gift category, and BambooCup by chic.mic is a third finalist for Blue Eyed Sun in the Own Label category.

Meanwhile, The GOTY Food & Drink category reflects the rise in baking and cooking at home for all ages. Little Cooks Co is a monthly subscription to teach children how to cook, and The Bottled Baking Co’s Baking Mixes include ingredients for cookies, cakes and brownies. The Smoke & Spice BBQ Kit from Hot Smoked includes smoke and spice flavours and a stainless steel smoker box.

Another Food & Drink finalist, The Bake Off Box from The Great British Exchange is a monthly subscription service that delivers recipes, ingredients and a bespoke baking accessory – all developed by The Great British Bake Off team.

Above: Hot gift: Authentic Birmingham Balti Bowl.

Housewares against hunger Devon housewares and home retailer Lawsons has raised over £2,000 for The Trussell Trust charity to help prevent hunger in the UK. Lawsons’ activities have included an online auction, donation of profits from Christmas products (such as Christmas tissues), and “old fashioned collection tins,” reports Liz Lawson, managing director. She reflects: “Our charity fundraising has been a great distraction and has had really positive feedback from customers and staff.”

Lawsons also invited customers to donate their loyalty points, and encouraged donations via a Just Giving page.

Meanwhile, Dexam is supporting UKHarvest with Above: Dexam’s wheatgrass measuring cups are being used in UKHarvest’s cookery kitchenware, such as spatulas, wooden spoons, timers and programmes. measuring cups. As well as collecting surplus food and distributing it to those that need it, UKHarvest also runs educational programmes to help people create healthy meals. * Lakeland is also supporting The Trussell Trust (see pages 16).

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Breaking the ice Eddingtons’ new Icebreaker brand has been rated one of the five best ice cube makers in The Wall Street Journal (January 16). Looking at five different ice-making categories, journalist Matthew Kronsberg says the Icebreaker Pop is ‘for fans of cool design,’ putting it top of the ‘basic ice cube trays’ category. The design ‘tidies up’ the usually ‘sloppy’ process of filling an ice tray.

Right: Icebreaker Pop from Eddingtons.

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TOP STORY

Irons that fight Covid-19

JLP on 2020 trends ‘Britons fell back in love with their homes,’ acknowledges John Lewis in its annual Shop Live Look report at the end of 2020.

Meanwhile, Waitrose’s recently published Food and Drink Report 2021 highlights that: ‘Cooking is the new commute, with 74% of those now working at home saying cooking provides a break between their ‘work time’ and 'home time.''According to Waitrose: ‘Three quarters of young professionals say the ritual of food preparation has become more important for them.’

Above: Le Creuset butter dishes make John Lewis notes that morning commuting time has been breakfast more of an occasion. replaced by longer, more substantial breakfasts. The retailer sold out of eggcups in June and its sales of Le Creuset butter dishes were up 107%. Demand rose for honey drizzlers and toast tongs while sales of cereal bowls went up 36%. John Lewis’ espresso makers sales were up 12%, while coffee machines overall went up 22%.

However, working from home meant that lunchbox sales were down 20%, and ironing board sales fell by 26% in March.

Acknowledging the shift in shopping habits, online now accounts for 60-70% of John Lewis sales.

Before the pandemic it was only 40%. Customers are now shopping during the working day rather than predominantly in the evenings.

2021 will see more entertaining in the garden; pizza oven sales were up 348% at John Lewis in 2020 as socialising moved outside. The trend for winter barbecues is also highlighted in Waitrose’s Food and Drink Report.

(For more reflections on 2020, see State of the Nation pages 41 and Lakeland pages 16).

Confident Dunelm

Right: Dunelm is “well placed” for the future.

Dunelm’s total sales for the 13-week period ending 26 December 2020 were up 11.8%, despite lockdown store closures during the period.

Online business has more than doubled since the same period last year, while click and collect now equates to an average of 30% of prior year comparable store sales during periods of closure.

Nick Wilkinson, Dunelm's chief executive officer looked beyond the “near term uncertainty,” saying, “we've never felt more confident about the future.” He elaborated: “As our homes play an increasingly important role for all of us, we are well placed to build even closer relationships with our customers and extend our market leadership."

Cookalong with MasterClass

BHETA’s RDT challenge

MasterClass (from KitchenCraft) has launched MasterClass Junior, a live ‘cook along’ for kids with chef Peter Sidwell on Facebook @MasterClasskitchen and MasterClass YouTube.

The initiative aims to help kids to prepare meals at home in 30 minutes, learning family favourites such as cheesy pasta, fun fish Friday and whacky pizza.

“Now is absolutely the right moment to get kids cooking and learning a new skill,” states Claire Budgen, commercial and marketing director at Lifetime Brands Europe.

BHETA’s team of walkers/runners has raised £1,000 for industry charity, The Rainy Day Trust (RDT) following a collective sponsored walk (or run).

The team smashed its 1,018 miles target (the distance between the association’s most northerly and southerly members and back) by 299 miles. Donations can still be made using the BHETA JustGiving page.

Above: Chef Peter Sidwell with his children Poppy and Thomas.

Jomafe UK launches Jose Maria Ferreira, the Portuguese ceramic company, which trades under the Jomafe brand, has created a dedicated UK company with plans for expansion, demonstrating its on-going commitment to the UK market.

Headed up by Paul Threse, Jomafe will expand its UK team and showroom, and hold some stock in the UK. “This will be backed up with PR and marketing support,” says Paul.

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Independent tests have proven that irons and steam stations featuring patented Healthy technology from Spanish manufacturer SDA Factory can eradicate Covid-19 from fabric.

“Results showed a total reduction of the viable virus in cell culture of the ironed specimens compared with those obtained from untreated samples. The tested steam ironing systems provided a complete antiviral and disinfectant effect," claims Virnóstica, a technology company based in the Institute of Health Carlos III. Iñaki Castresana, SDA Factory’s general manager heralds the test results as “an international milestone,” stating: “With this ironing solution there is no need to wash clothes at 60ºC, which is very harmful for most fabrics.”

SDA brands, including Di4 from Spain and Zelmer from Poland, are already marketing irons with the Healthy technology.

Above: Lab tests for Healthy technology.

Above: View of Ambiente 2020. Photo: Petra Welzel.

Frankfurt’s Digital Day Despite the cancellation of Messe Frankfurt’s hybrid trade show, The International Consumer Goods Show, housewares suppliers and retailers will get together virtually for the Consumer Goods Digital Day on April 20. This will be supplemented by the opportunities presented by Nextrade, the first order and data management portal for the home and living sector.

Ambiente returns to Frankfurt from February 11 to 15 2022.

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News

ProCook in Europe

TOP STORY

ProCook considers sale

Following its most successful peak trading period to date, ProCook is looking at opportunities for expansion in the UK and EU markets (see linked story). Owner Daniel O’Neill is seeking investment partners to take this forward, and may consider the sale of the business. He states: “ProCook is going through a very exciting time at the moment and we have set some ambitious goals for growth that will require investment to achieve them.

We’re working closely with KPMG to assess all our options and a sale of the business is certainly on the table.”

The kitchenware retailer reports an uplift of 40% on sales for Below: ProCook’s owner the 12 weeks to January 3, compared to the same period last year.

Daniel O’Neill.

It is expecting an annual turnover of over £50m, anticipating profits of at least £10m this financial year.

Despite most stores being closed for the November and December lockdowns, total company sales reached £21m in the run up to and including Christmas. Like-for-like online sales for the period soared by +132% growth, which was partially offset by an expected drop of 21% in retail sales due to lockdown restrictions.

Daniel explains: “We’ve always known that our multi-channel strategy was the right one and the acceleration online and to mobile this peak period has proved the point.” The retailer has made significant investments to ensure a seamless mobile experience.

Reflecting on “some incredibly strong performances when stores were open,” Daniel reveals plans for store growth in 2021. These include “upsizing some of our existing units to develop the in-store experience as well as testing a new concept with a cookery school.” Stores are benefiting from space now dedicated to ProCook’s expanded tableware ranges, displayed in “shoppable” lifestyle settings. Larger shops will also give the “greatly expanded” core ranges of cookware and knife ranges “more space to breathe.”

The retailer has “a couple of locations in mind” for a new concept store “with a much bigger footprint” that would include cookery school.

Daniel concludes: “ProCook has come of age during the last 12 months. What’s going to be particularly exciting is we’ll shortly have the opportunity to see our ecommerce business grow alongside our successful store footprint as retail once again reopens.”

Trends at Top Drawer Virtual showrooms, expert advice and trends content from Top Drawer on Demand is available to explore until February 21, with speakers including Bryony Sheridan, home buying manager for Liberty. Designed in Colour, Forma House, Raine & Humble and WonkiWare were among those hosting live product launches at January’s virtual show.

The latest interior and fashion trends in evidence across Top Drawer’s exhibitors included touches of lavish, metallic opulence, and prints, while a return to ‘Cottage Cool’ traditional designs reflects desires to make homes cosy, comfortable and calming. See www.topdrawer.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF l Acquiring the Debenhams brand and website

for £55 million, online fashion retailer Boohoo Group aims to create a leading marketplace selling homewares alongside fashion. The acquisition means permanent closure for Debenhams stores (once stock is sold when some stores reopen). l Burton McCall has entered into an exclusive

agreement with Stasher to distribute its range of reusable and functional platinum silicone storage bags throughout the UK and Ireland.

Above: ProCook is considering stores in Europe.

Pantone’s positive Colours of the Year Pantone Colour of the Year 2021 is the combination of Ultimate Grey and Illuminating (yellow). Leatrice (Lee) Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Colour Institute states: “Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a colour combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted: this is essential to the human spirit.”

Lee will be a keynote speaker at The Inspired Home Show (Chicago, August 7-10 2021 – see IHA page). She will reveal Pantone’s 2022 colour palettes and explore the impact of colour on consumer decisions.

Above: Yellow teacup by Bombay Duck.

l Eddingtons has taken on the exclusive

distribution of Fissler cookware for the UK and Eire. Products include the SensoRed colour changing fry pans, coated to allow instant temperature control, and Vitavit pressure cookers. l Pendeford Housewares has appointed Andy

Smith as general manager. From an industrial background, Andy brings a wealth of expertise and will help expand Pendeford's UK manufacturing.

l Ikea’s latest TV advertisement, entitled ‘Fortune favours the frugal’ puts the spotlight on ways to live more sustainably, including home preserving, using reusable cups for coffee on-the-go and putting clothes to dry on an airer. l Selfridges is 8th in the Top 30 happiest

KitchenAid has extended its existing licensing partnership to include tools and gadgets worldwide, with these now available in the UK.

places to work in UK retail (according to new data by WorkL). Dunelm is 13th, and Fenwick and Lakeland are in 21st and 22nd place respectively.

l Two CellarDine corkscrews were in The Independent’s '8 best corkscrews,' including its durable winged corkscrew.

l Barkers, Northallerton raised almost £1,000 from its wrapping service in aid of Trinity Holistic Centre.

l Lifetime Brands has announced that

Above: Opulent: Nude Glass Cupola Cake Dome at Top Drawer.

“Expanding our bricks and mortar portfolio into Europe is definitely a possibility and something we’ll be looking at in the near future,” states ProCook owner Daniel O’Neill, who also acknowledges opportunities to develop existing online sales.

He reflects: “We’ve been steadily growing our EU channel for several years and, although this currently accounts for a small percentage of our total sales, we’re confident there is a lot of potential for us to expand in this area.” The retailer has “not been deterred by Brexit,” although Daniel recognises that: “recent issues with ports, tariffs and border control have undeniably been challenging and there are still a lot of unknowns.”

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We are all in this together. Never has a truer word been spoken right now.

At a crucial point in this pandemic, it is vital we all play our part in making sure it is erased swiftly, that it stops taking lives, and denying us the liberties we all enjoy.

Thankfully, the Government has started the rollout of its mass vaccination programme, but we simply cannot wait for that to take effect.

And so, as we wade through further lockdowns, I have penned an open letter to retailers asking them once again to focus on safety protocols.

I know independent retailers have already risen to the challenges, setting an example to the rest of the sector but we must continue to do so, to prevent further lockdowns and high street casualties.

As retailers of housewares, some of you will be open, while others will be preparing to reopen as soon as permitted.

Now is the time for us all to revisit our safety measures so that shopping remains safe in the eyes of the public and the Government.

In my letter, I urge retailers to look at our five-point plan, which includes: Hands – Continuing to supply sufficient hand sanitiser for customers and encouraging them to avoid touching items they do not intend to buy.

Face – Reminding shoppers to wear a face covering unless they are medically exempt. We recommend offering complimentary masks if customers do not have their own. The Bira website offers free printable posters to help encourage compliance.

Space – Enforcing the two-metre rule, even when shoppers are wearing a face covering.

Revisiting your risk assessment – Making sure it covers back office operations, as well as front of house staff members who mix with customers. Communicate your plan with staff to ensure they are all on board.

Working together - Whether this means with neighbouring retail stores to promote compliance messages or seeking advice from trade associations such as Bira, or government organisations.

For most of you these activities will have become second nature but right now it is imperative safety standards are raised and maintained.

In the coming weeks I will also be writing an open letter to the public requesting that they also do their utmost to comply with hygiene regulations when shopping. Like I said, we are all in this together, and it Left: Bira’s Andrew will take a concerted effort from everyone to Goodacre. beat Covid-19.

With the highest level of compliance from both retailers and consumers, we will make 2021 the year we recover from this devastating virus.

Read my full letter at www.bira.co.uk/openletter-safety

Andrew Goodacre, ceo, Bira

(British Independent Retailers' Association)

A cracking good window Hargreaves & Sons of Buxton beat over 40 businesses with its window display in Bira’s festive window competition at the end of 2020.

The window impressed judges with its tremendous effort and brilliant handmade characters from the classic Christmas ballet, The Nutcracker.

Hargreaves’ owner, Martin Coles-Evans created the figures from scratch using MDF. Theatrical curtains framed the windows, which also included lots of Christmas gift ideas for the kitchen and home, as well as informing passersby of Hargreaves’ free local delivery, postal, and click and collect services in the run-up to Christmas. The cookshop and lifestyle store won a £200 voucher for Bira Direct and a hamper of goodies.

Meanwhile, Woodbridge Kitchen Company’s magical wintry window was among the top 10 finalists in Bira’s competition. The window display featured housewares gift ideas suspended in illuminated wreaths, framed by the frosty foliage etched around the edges of the window.

The top ten displays were featured on Bira’s Instagram page, enabling the public to vote for favourites.

Above: The top ten displays were featured on Bira’s Instagram page, enabling the public to vote for favourites.

Below: Bira has written to Kwasi Kwarteng.

Plea for business rates freeze

Bira has called for business rates to be abolished for another year as lockdowns continue into 2021. The rates are due to be reinstated from April. Bira’s renewed plea followed a damning report from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), highlighting the impact of Covid-19 on last year’s shopper footfall.

According to the BRC, year on year footfall for 2020 fell by 43.4%, with high street footfall declining by a massive 49.5%. The last quarter saw nearly half the footfall (- 48.4%) compared to the same period in 2019.

Andrew Goodacre, Bira’s ceo reflected:“Even when shops were open, the high streets (where most independent retailers are located) were only operating at 70% of the normal footfall.”

He emphasised:“If ever the Government needed evidence that business rates need removing for non-essential retail in 2021/22, here it is.”

Among the cookshops and housewares stockists supporting Bira’s lobbying, Liz Lawson, managing director of Lawsons commented:“I think business rates should be frozen for another year, recognising the uncertainty of the past 12 months and the damage it has done to businesses and the high street. The lack of sales has caused a cash shortage for many; businesses will need that as a lifeline as they get back on their feet.”

At the start of the year, Andrew wrote to Kwasi Kwarteng, new secretary of state for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, asking for a business rates freeze, as well as a further extension of the existing rent moratorium (due to end on March 31), and an extension of the interest-free period for business loans made available at the start of the pandemic.

In his letter, Andrew stated:“Independent businesses are agile, smart and really understand their market and customers. They are integral parts of the community, employing local people of all ages. They want to play their part in moving the economy forward, given the opportunity to do so. The measures I am proposing give them that opportunity.”

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11 BHETA.qxp_23 08/02/2021 16:04 Page 1

BHETA’s plastic tax campaign Inset: Mastrad’s Meat-It thermometer.

Trio of European brands sign up The latest housewares members of BHETA include three European brand names that are renowned for innovation and style.

N&P Housewares (set up by Nick Gabb) recently joined BHETA, and is representing the innovative, multi-award-winning, French brand Mastrad.

Established in 1994, Mastrad covers cooking, baking and food preparation, as well as kitchen organisation and storage, and children and baby ranges. Last year, the brand expanded into smart kitchenware with its appcontrolled food storage system, designed to minimise waste.

New BHETA member Stefanplast was established Italy in 1964.

Today the housewares and garden plastic manufacturer is a leader in recyclability and the use of recycled plastics. Meanwhile, new member Casa Si was founded in 1998 in Austria and offers a comprehensive range of ironing boards, cloth dryers, rotary airers, shopping trolleys and step stools, with a strapline ‘Life Meets Style’.

Above: Cooking with Stephanplast.

Amazon Insights One of BHETA’s recent webinars (presented by RT7 Digital) provided advice on successful trading with Amazon. RT7 Digital highlighted that Amazon is a key communication channel as 66% of product searches now start on the site. Moreover 79% of all ecommerce sales feature Amazon as part of the journey, even if just for research.

The campaign to stop a penalising tax on plastic consumer goods, which was initiated by BHETA, has gained support from a cross-party group of MPs. BHETA is objecting to last minute additions to the draft Plastic Packaging tax legislation, which has extended its scope to include consumer goods (such as plastic storage boxes and reusable food containers) as Inset: Reusable plastic well as packaging. lunch boxes should The campaign is urging ministers and HMRC not be taxed, says BHETA. Photo: to amend the draft legislation to reflect its Katerina Holmes. original purpose – addressing the impact of single use plastic packaging.

BHETA’s chief operating officer, Will Jones has written to ministers stating that the inclusion of items such as storage boxes and plastic food containers ran contrary to the encouragement of multiple use plastics as a replacement for single use.

Those campaigning include BHETA member Tony Grimshaw, commercial director of What More UK and BHETA president Alastair Fisher, director of Taylor’s Eye Witness, who has written to the secretary of state for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng.

Alastair commented: “No-one can argue about the reasonableness of the Plastic Packaging Tax overall, and the packaging industry has had four years to prepare for its introduction. The lastminute inclusion of homewares, however, has given no time for impacted businesses to make detailed representations, and relatively little time to adapt business processes.”

The new legislation is due to come into force in April 2022, when all plastic items used in the packaging of products must include a minimum of 30% recycled content, or face taxes of £200 per metric tonne of chargeable plastic packaging components.

In a conference call on December 11, HMRC informed the Joint Trading Associations, including BHETA, that it plans to include plastic consumer goods in the scope of the new law. Plastic storage boxes and plastic buckets were listed, while lunchboxes, reusable water bottles, plant pots and many other similar items may also be included.

BHETA’s Will Jones has urged all members who might be affected to contact their MPs. Those MPS already involved in the campaign include Antony Higginbotham – Burnley and Padiham, Sara Britcliffe – Hyndburn and Haslington, Mark Menzies – Fylde and Clive Betts – Sheffield SE.

BHETA Electrical launches BHETA has launched BHETA Electrical: a new membership offer aimed at SDA suppliers and others offering home enhancement or home improvement products powered by mains electric or battery.

BHETA Electrical focuses on everything to do with the complex technical and logistical issues around marketing products with a plug or battery power.

Members of BHETA Electrical can access two influential committees. The Small Electrical Appliance (SEA) Committee is group of senior managers from the industry with a remit to protect, promote and safeguard the interests of the sector. Only BHETA Electrical members qualify to join the committee and then only by invitation.

The Environmental, Operations and Safety Committee (EOSC) is open to technical managers from electricals suppliers (across housewares and DIY) and discusses and agrees common industry understandings regarding quality and safety issues. This includes product returns via WEEE, service matters and legislation. The committee can access the latest information from the British Standards Institute, the JTA (Joint Trading Association), the BEIS (Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), the OPSS (Office for Product Safety and Standards) and the ICER (The Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling).

At the core of the BHETA Electrical membership are ten companies who collectively joined BHETA when the Small Electrical Marketing Association (SEAMA) disbanded in 2020. New members can expect exclusive invitations to electrical networking events, first-hand access to industry legislative and technical information through EOSC, and lobbying power with government, regulators, and influencers up to two years ahead of all industry legislation.

Membership also provides unique access to other ICER members, including producers of electronic and electrical equipment, compliance schemes, waste management companies, treatment facilities and recyclers. BHETA also supplies its BHETA Electrical members with a quarterly market data report, produced in partnership with Globaldata, showing category growth rates in the small electricals sector, as well as regular retailer updates.

Chief operating officer of BHETA Will Jones commented, “There are numbers of issues and opportunities in the home enhancement and improvement industry at the moment and some of them are potentially legislative. The launch of BHETA Electrical is all about a united approach to both the challenges and the opportunities and as ever, BHETA will be combining powerful lobbying with excellent retailer networking, covering off all the important issues of the day.”

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Exposé Travel – Your one-stop shop for all Housewares and related exhibitions worldwide.

Exposé Travel is proud to be working with the Housewares Industry, helping our clients with flights and hotels wherever you may wish to go.

If you go to any of the major exhibitions, then contact Exposé and we will be pleased to help you to get the best possible rates.

Preferred travel partner for The Inspired Home Show, Chicago Exposé Travel is proud to be the preferred travel partner for the prestigious Inspired Home Show in Chicago, taking place in August 2021.

We are also exclusive travel providers to Max Media Group - organisers of The Excellence In Housewares Awards.

As the industry’s specialist travel agent, you may have used my services, you may not have done-so. At some point soon you will want to make decisions and plan travel for 2021. At that point, your focus won’t be on that extra legroom seat or whether you can get an upgrade at your hotel. Your focus and priority will be on the cancellation terms, the insurance, basically the process if things do go awry once more.

And that is why now, more than ever, I encourage you to use my services as a

housewares industry specialist. I have been to the IHA show in Chicago many times, plus of course other housewares show such as Ambiente and Hong Kong - so I really know what your journey looks like.

I can be your one-stop-shop for flights and hotels (plus everything in-between) and you will know that you can speak to me at any time, any day. If there are fresh travel problems - you won’t be on hold to a call centre to try and unravel bookings and fight for refunds for months on end. You will speak to me, Paul, and I will be your personal point of contact.

I deal with one-man companies right up to 100 person bookings for the biggest housewares suppliers. And if can keep Rob Willis happy with his demanding requirements, I’m sure I can help you!

Contact Paul at paul@exposetravel. uk or Zoe at zoe@exposetravel.uk or call us on +44 (0)1883 349576 or via our website www.exposetravel.uk

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Connecting the world “As many consumers around the world were forced to – or chose to – shelter at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, demand for home goods skyrocketed last year. In the US alone, housewares sales jumped 22% in 2020 over 2019, according to The NPD Group (the leading US provider of consumer and retailer information). Small appliances increased 25%.

That growth remained consistent through the Q4 holiday season, according to NPD. Housewares were up 24% in 2020 over the same period in 2019, and small appliances were up 25%. NPD predicts overall US housewares sales will stay consistent for first quarter of 2021, then decrease the rest of the year, being closer to sales in 2019.

Throughout the pandemic, we have stayed in direct contact with our exhibitors and our retail buyers. The overall sentiment is that they have been successful in working with their current partners, but finding new sales channels or new products has been difficult and that internet searches go only so far.

As such, there is a strong need to bring the industry together for exploration – exhibitors need access to new buyers, and buyers need access to new brands and products. A trade show is still the most efficient and meaningful method to accomplish these tasks in a very short period of time. Planning for The Inspired Home Show is progressing nicely. The Show will continue to feature a diverse assortment of products showcased in five Expos: Dine + Décor, Clean + Contain, Wired + Well, Discover Design and International Sourcing.

To help retailers think about products and lifestyles, we have created several new features and experiences and enhanced others. Several special exhibits are moving to new locations and have been reimagined to better align with the consumer lifestyle vision (see separate news story).

To bridge the gap until The Inspired Home Show 2021 in August, IHA will produce Connect Spring - a two-week virtual industry event starting Tuesday 16 March and running every weekday to Friday 26 March. IHA is working with The NPD Group and Springboard Futures to offer product demonstrations, educational content, industry expert consultations and one-on-one supplier/retailer meetings. We’re excited to be bringing the global housewares industry together this spring and summer.”

Derek Miller, president, IHA (International Housewares Association) Left: IHA president Derek Miller

New online marketplace March also sees the IHA’s launch of Connect 365 (the 2.0 version of the Housewares Connect 365). The new online marketplace will feature an updated user interface, more refined search capabilities and a new Connect Commerce ecommerce platform through a new partnership with Brandwise.

In addition to Connect Spring in March, the IHA will also host Connect Grocery in April, focusing on products and customer experiences in the non-food grocery sector.

Leana Salamah, IHA vice president, marketing describes the online events as “providing direction for the road ahead.” She emphasised the importance of showcasing “supplier innovations in formats that allow retailers to easily discover new products and companies they would not likely find on their own by simply browsing the internet.”

Below: Trending Today exhibitor at the 2019 show.

In the spotlight in Chicago Some of the enhancements and new features for the next edition of Chicago’s The Inspired Home Show include: • The IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) for Product Design and Discover Design displays will move to a more prominent area in the Grand Concourse Lobby of the North Building. This will feature all finalists and winners rather than photos. The IHA Student Design Competition was brought under the gia umbrella, and the display also moves to the Grand Concourse Lobby.

• The ColourWatch by Pantone exhibit will move to Level 2.5 of the Grand Concourse to highlight the on-trend, color-coordinated vignettes of consumer living that are curated for Left: The popular ColourWatch by Pantone exhibit. that space.

• In the Hall of Global Innovation in the Lakeside Centre, attendees will find the IHA Smart Home Pavilion as well as the Inventors’ Corner and Inventors Revue.

• New displays in the Hall of Global Innovation for 2021 are the Smart Retail Experience exhibit providing a live, interactive display showing retailers what the store of the future could look like. Meanwhile, Social Central will provide opportunities to meet with social media consultants on influencer and digital marketing.

• IHA president Derek Miller explains: “We are also developing trend-driven product areas so that retailers can marry the consumer trend insights from our educational programmes with the products that fulfill those consumer trends. The IHA Market Watch Report will be updated for 2021, and the display in the Hall of Global Innovation will feature products illustrating each of these trends.”

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Healthy @ Home Continuing its popular pre-show buyers’ preview areas, The Inspired Home Show 2021’s Trending Today Preview will focus on products that help consumers be “Healthy @ Home.” The feature reflects how the global pandemic has dramatically changed how we live, work and play, and how the impact is likely to change our living patterns and buying decisions.

The Trending Today Preview will run concurrently with the New Exhibitor Preview on Saturday 7 August. For information on the show and registration go to TheInspiredHomeShow.com.

IMPRESSION

ON E COLLEC TION, E N D LES S P OS S I B I LITI ES…

H A N D - C R A F T E D BY S K I L L E D A R T I SA N S I N D E R BYS H I R E, E N G L A N D… E D ITE D BY YO U

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Discover more (including our new virtual showroom) on www.denbypottery.com/trade or contact: showenquiries@denby.co.uk

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15 From the front line.qxp_Layout 1 08/02/2021 16:47 Page 15

Holly Wilson’s

From The Frontline

Shop school Thank goodness January is over; perhaps the longest January ever? I hope you are all well and managing in this latest lockdown. The sheer monotony and terrible weather are making this one particularly hard. he one day of glorious snow we had in London brought some muchneeded joy to us all. It is the happiest I have seen Stoke Newington in quite some time. So many smiley faces and my kids couldn’t move their right arms for the next two days after the number of snowballs that they threw and snowmen that they rolled in a few short hours.

We are well and truly back in the swing of homeschooling now - although due to an error by Open Reach we have had no internet at home for the past two weeks. This is not ideal when homeschooling two children and trying to build a website! I also had my colleague Maeve isolating and Janeta has left to start her new career, so we decided to move homeschool to ‘shop school’ where there is internet. So, the kids have sat at the till and done their lessons while I pack orders and prepare ‘Click & Collect’ and work on the website. It has not been ideal, but we’ve made it work. I believe it is referred to as ‘character building’!

The website is very nearly ready. It has been epic! Maeve and Fatima are well and truly overloading product, as am I. But hopefully it will be worth it. Demand is certainly there, so I feel hopeful. I just need to push it over the line. The waiting and not knowing is always worse than the reality.

Fingers crossed.

Stock then becomes an issue. Lots of

Inset: Holly Wilson (pictured) is bringing some cheer to the windows at Prep Cookshop.

Below left: Window at Prep Cookshop.

Below: Richard Dare’s December window.

products are out of stock in store, but it is daunting to start placing orders when, firstly, we do not know when we will reopen, and, secondly, what the uptake of the website will be like. There still seems to be supply issues and, with customs delays, it all feels like a big unknown. But I guess the only way to survive is be brave and move forwards with confidence and hope. As a classic line (from the film Field of Dreams) says: “If you build it, they will come.”

I also want to start sourcing new products and suppliers to give the shop a lift. I have used the Top Drawer On Demand website a little bit this week and will do some more of that before it finishes. I am missing trade shows so much. I love seeing new product. Not going to Paris for M&O felt so sad and my phone keeps sending me photo reminders of previous years just to add to the misery. It just seems so hard to imagine life ever returning to that level of normality. I am really hoping to see UK manufacturing stepping up and offering more opportunity to source in the UK. We have received our grants for Richard Dare from Camden Council, but Hackney is really dragging its feet. I have just received PROGRESSIVE

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the November grant; some haven’t and the Council says it could take until the end of February. It will then start working on December and the additional Rishi support package. I fear it will be too late for some, and it is frustrating as there is very little communication.

To end on a positive: one of the shops on our street read an article in The Guardian about a town that is decorating its windows in homes and shops to bring a bit of joy on people’s daily walks. So, she has started a ‘signs of hope in Hackney’ Facebook campaign. All of the shops are going to try and create a window to bring some joy, and we are hoping it will spread into the community too. It is a lovely idea and will hopefully build on the community spirit which has grown ever stronger during this pandemic.

Best of luck to everyone. Stay strong and let’s hope that we can reopen soon.

Holly Wilson is the owner of Prep Cookshop in Stoke Newington and Richard Dare in Primrose Hill, North London.

PH Lakeland.qxp_Grid 09/02/2021 15:19 Page 16

Retailer focus

Home triumphs

Lakeland scooped not one but two Excellence in Housewares Awards at the end of 2020, including the Multiple or Small Group of the Year. With the help of Lakeland’s Philippa Simons and Scott Jefferson, PH looks back at the changing domestic and retail landscape and some recent achievements, as well as considering some future ambitions.

Inset: Homemade, with help from Lakeland: a window highlighting fresh ingredients.

Below: The Eco Feature Wall (at the Reading store) pulls together products so that customers can shop this category more easily.

Seeing green With the new year comes a host of new products under Lakeland’s own new Eco brand, including the ‘first of its kind’ Compostable Clingfilm, H2O eActivator Cleaning System which comprises salt, white vinegar and water for an earth friendly sanitiser, sustainable bamboo storage for de-cluttering kitchens and Earth Pans. The latter have handles made from old plastic bags, recycled metal

bodies and are 100% recyclable, and are made using 88% less CO2 emissions than the average pan.

“Eco is a really important category for Lakeland and our customers,” explains Philippa Simons, Lakeland’s head of buying, who recently presented a webinar with Scott Jefferson, Lakeland’s chief commercial officer on the retailer’s buying and merchandising strategy to BHETA members. Lakeland has examined its

“products and segmented them into categories, ensuring that the retailer focuses on the right products for their customers, carefully curating each category to focus on key products.

By elevating the prominence of eco, Lakeland is committing to new product developments, branded exclusives and stocking the best products available on the market. Importantly, it reflects Lakeland’s customers’ concerns about

A loyal following Launched in August 2019, the myLakeland loyalty programme won The Excellence in Retailer Initiative Award at The Excellence in Housewares 2000. Philippa describes the programme as “a huge success story for us,” with almost a million members, representing “a very engaged group of customers.”

She elaborates: “Customers love our club, and they like receiving exclusive offers and Inset: The Award winning MyLakeland programme content specially created for our members.” was launched (and is pictured) in 2019.

Examples of previous member benefits include an exclusive Mary Berry recipe and offer, sneak previews and a priority call back service when there were exceptionally high levels of lockdown call centre calls. “We have excellent levels of engagement with these customers in both home shopping and our stores,” Philippa acknowledges.

MyLakeland has raised over £80,000 for charities, particularly Shelter and the Trussell Trust, helping to combat homelessness and food poverty in the UK. When possible, members will also be able to enjoy exclusive shopping events in stores and events with partners such as the BBC Good Food Show.

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Retailer focus

Changes in store Scott acknowledges the “massive channel shift” in 2020 with home shopping sales growing at an incredible pace, taking Lakeland back to its origins as a pioneering home shopping business. Moreover, last year also saw a return to print marketing, “with consumers having time to enjoy our catalogues and look at inserts in newspapers and magazines.”

When shops have been open, customers have increasingly been “going on a mission” to buy rather than browse, confirms Scott, emphasising: “We’re currently seeing a different customer mindset.”

Unsurprisingly, the year saw large scale recruitment and adaption to ensure colleague safety at Lakeland’s call centres and warehouse, with use of Bump devices on lanyards, which detect when colleagues come within two metres. Meanwhile, restructuring in the autumn has “prepared us for the future,” addressing costs at all levels of the business, ensuring “a leaner, more agile head office team which is absolutely chomping at the bit to get stuck in,” observes Scott.

The first part of 2021 will see four permanent store closures for Lakeland in Ipswich, Cardiff, Epsom and Surrey as part of its national review. However, exciting pre-Covid bricks and mortar changes included the launch of new concepts in Reading (relocating from its existing store) and Christchurch (within a popular garden centre). Amy Jones, visual merchandiser reports: ‘In October 2019, we launched two new format stores in Reading and Christchurch.

These stores were designed to create a more modern, friendly and open shopping environment to improve the customer journey and experience.

“We wanted to create a store that made visual and product range changes easy and effective through the use of flexible fixturing and new display equipment that can be inter-changed and moved around.

“A softer colour palette of greys and blues are complemented by the use of wood and marble to add texture and create a kitchen worktop feel.”

deforestation, fossil fuels, oceans and landfill, and is being fanfared as part of the retailer’s ‘Stars’ platform (launched last year), promoting unique and customer appraised products, which are predominantly exclusive.

Philippa forecasts that the Eco category will treble in size for Lakeland by 2023. It has already grown by 25% this spring (from 150 products in autumn 2020).

The commitment to a world leading Eco category has come with “a phenomenal amount of work,” says Philippa, describing it as “a complex and difficult area” when it comes to assessing sustainability claims and priorities. Lakeland is acutely aware of its responsibility to help customers make informed choices for a more sustainable lifestyle. As a member of WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), the retailer is among those that have signed up to the UK Plastics Pact, with its four pledges, including that 100% of plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

“Consumers expect retailers to do the right thing,” adds Scott, who states that, “Lakeland customers are more concernedoverall they really care and are looking for support in making sustainable choices.”

Hence, it is fitting that Lakeland is embarking on a partnership with the Woodland Trust to plant trees this year.

Scott concludes: “We know there's a long way to go and more we can do, but with the support of our customers, we'll build a more sustainable business for the good of everyone.”

Inset: The exterior of the Reading store.

Below: Pans on display at the Reading store, which features modern fixtures and a soft grey colour palette.

Left: This concept for displaying and explaining knives ranges – allowing customers to feel the grips and weight – was launched at the end of 2019: Reading store pictured.

Below: One of Lakeland’s bread makers.

Investing in the home The 2020 Lakeland Trends Report explored how the challenges of Covid-19 and lockdowns have influenced home habits, with a survey of 3,000 consumers, as well as sales data.

Here are some of the insights: • With the nation turning to home cooking and finding new passions, bread making products were up by +130%, pizza ovens up by +68%, food storage and saving up by +53%, and pasta making up +46% (with some pasta making machines up as much as 249%).

• Home brews replaced take-outs, with sales of coffee makers up +25%.

• Sales of products for on the go fell by -40% as the nation stayed at home.

• With less need to look smart, Ironing boards and cover sales fell by -23%.

• While bakeware and parchment sales boomed, consumers ditched the finishing touches. Baking decorations (toppers and edible decorations) were down -32%.

• Over half of those baking bread said they would keep on baking the same amount of bread.

Just 3% said they would abandon the breadmaking habit altogether.

• A third of respondents said they had cooked pizza from scratch (including making the dough) in the six months running up to the survey.

• The numbers of adults cooking from scratch every day was 28% - a substantial increase from 2019.

• Enthusiasm for home cooking is cross generational; with those aged 25 to 34 the keenest; 65% of them say they are cooking at least five times a week, compared with the overall average of 52%.

• Nearly a quarter of Lakeland’s survey cleaned much more. The retailer saw an increase in sales of floor cleaning products of 33% year on year. Steam cleaning rose by nearly 10% and sales of the Sonic Scrubber (reaching hard-to–reach places) went up 136%.

• Freezing has become fashionable again. In Lakeland’s survey, 50% said they had wasted less food compared to the previous year, as lockdowns have reinforced the need to waste less. One third used their freezer for homemade batch cooked meals.

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PH KUHN RIKON Advertorial DPS NEW USE.qxp_Grid 09/02/2021 15:51 Page 1

Advertorial Feature: Kuhn Rikon

Unrivalled Cookware Expertise

Inset The recycled aluminium in New Life performs even better than new aluminium!

Below: New Life is made from 100% recycled aluminium in Kuhn Rikon’s Swiss factory.

Swiss heritage brand Kuhn Rikon underlines its cookware credentials this year with a whole host of innovation, offering a hierarchy of price points that hit full margin expectations – and from UK held stock.

F

amily-owned Swiss manufacturer Kuhn Rikon has been producing cookware since 1926 – and 2021 sees a resurgence of focus on that cookware excellence with some class-leading ranges.

Backed by strong packaging and pointof-sale, excellent service, free lifetime guarantee upgrade and unrivalled manufacturing expertise, the Kuhn Rikon cookware offering ensures a hierarchy of price points which will be hard to beat.

Kuhn Rikon is committed to maintaining quality standards in its cookware so the stainless steel ranges are entirely 18/10 steel while the other ranges in the collection include forged aluminium with titanium-strengthened non-stick (and an excellent price proposition), Two-ply and even a range made entirely from 100% recycled European aluminium and manufactured in Kuhn Rikon’s Swiss factory.

The full Kuhn Rikon Cookware Collection will be unveiled in

Progressive Housewares over the coming months, but first New Life and Classic Induction!

NEW LIFE – 1OO% RECYCLED This hugely exciting frying pan launch typifies the achievement in innovation at Kuhn Rikon. Manufactured entirely from 100% recycled aluminium cans at the company’s Rikon factory, the range has excellent environmental credentials, saving up to 95% energy and the PROGRESSIVE

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recycled material performs even better than new aluminium.

The cans are collected from around Europe and also recycled in Europe, so there are no air miles and a greatly reduced carbon footprint in the manufacture of the range. In this way, Kuhn Rikon is really helping to breathe New Life into old cans and contribute to protecting the environment together.

• Range of 3 frying pans – 20cm, 24cm & 28cm • 100% recycled aluminium from Europe • The product is manufactured in Kuhn Rikon’s Swiss factory • No air miles, greatly reduced carbon footprint

PH KUHN RIKON Advertorial DPS NEW USE.qxp_Grid 09/02/2021 15:51 Page 2

Advertorial Feature: Kuhn Rikon

Inset: The stunning-looking entry level Classic Induction range features uncoated saucepans as well as frypans coated in the tough and reliable Swiss-made ‘green’ non-stick coating.

Below: Kuhn Rikon is committed to maintaining cookware standards, particularly in the stainless steel category – Classic Induction range.

CLASSIC INDUCTION: key features

• 18/10 (304) stainless steel 0.7mm body, which gives strength and a solid feel and also makes the pan more stable on the hob. Pans at this price point are often 0.5mm or even less

• Full induction plate for high efficiency and even heating • All round pouring lip. Range includes saucepans, casseroles and frying pans. Non-stick saucepans and casseroles available in the Autumn

• Titanium-strengthened Swiss-made ‘green’ coating – tough, reliable, high quality • Phenolic handles and knobs suitable for oven use to 220°C (unusual in the market where most phenolic handles are oven-proof only to approx. 140°C)

• Dishwasher-safe • Lifetime guarantee upgrade • RRPs start at £34.95

CLASSIC INDUCTION • The premium quality recycled material performs even better than new aluminium • Features Swiss-made ‘green’ non-stick coating • Full induction plate for high efficiency and even heating • Ergonomic Phenolic handles and knobs suitable for oven use to 220°C • Dishwasher-safe • RRPs from £79.95

Kuhn Rikon is committed to maintaining cookware standards, particularly in the stainless steel category. Kuhn Rikon uses only 18/10 (304) stainless steel. This is important. 18/10 is the highest standard. The 10 relates to the nickel content of the steel.

The higher the nickel content, the more resistant it is to dishwashing corrosion and deterioration of the highly polished finish.

The stunning-looking entry level CLASSIC INDUCTION range boasts a solid 0.7mm

stainless steel body with full induction plate for high efficiency and even heating.

The pans have an all-round pouring lip and Phenolic handles and lid knobs suitable for oven use to 220°C. This is another aspect which sets Kuhn Rikon cookware apart from the rest, as most other phenolic handles on the market are oven-proof only to approximately 140°C. The high quality non-stick is titaniumstrengthened Swiss-made ‘green’ coating on the frying pans is tough and reliable.

Contact sales@kuhnrikon.co.uk with the subject “new for 2021” to learn more!

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PHA Winners 2020 NEW.qxp_Layout 1 10/02/2021 10:28 Page 2

SPONSORED BY

BEST SUPERMARKET RETAILER OF HOUSEWARES CRITERIA: This award recognises a supermarket’s efforts for its house and home offer in store and online.

Winner Sainsbury’s

Right: Katie Maxwell (left) and Jenny Stewart, buying director and sales director of category sponsor Ultimate Products, congratulate Sainsbury’s on its awards night win.

SPONSORED BY

BEST GARDEN CENTRE RETAILER OF HOUSEWARES

Winner

CRITERIA: This award recognises garden centre retailers – both independent and multiple - who have paid particular attention to the house and home sector.

Garsons, Esher

Far right: Nicky Macey, Garson’s centre manager, proudly holds the winning trophy and takes a celebratory picture with the home and gift team sales assistants.

Initial Reaction: “We are extremely proud to have been presented with Best Retail Garden Centre. Our Garsons gift and homeware departments have developed and evolved over the years and this couldn’t have been done without the hard word and dedication of our buying and retail team. It’s been such a challenging time for everyone, so this award means even more to us. Thank you.”

Ben Thompson, director, Garsons

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PHA Winners 2020 NEW.qxp_Layout 1 10/02/2021 10:28 Page 3

SPONSORED BY

EXCELLENCE IN ONLINE RETAILING Criteria: Nominees had to be retailers of housewares who use the internet as a highly significant route to consumers.

Winner

Silver Mushroom

Left: Emmie Brookman and Rebecca Kane, co-founders of Silver Mushroom raising a celebratory glass.

Initial Reaction: “We’re absolutely thrilled to win; thanks to everyone who voted for us. And thank you to our wonderful staff for all their hard work in what’s been a very challenging year!”

Rebecca Kane, managing director, Silver Mushroom

EXCELLENCE IN RETAIL TRAINING SPONSORED BY

Criteria: This award is for a retailer’s approach to training for its team. This can be an on-going training programme or specific training initiative that has been instigated (or been particularly significant) in the last year.

Winner

Borough Kitchen

Initial Reaction: “We’re all so excited to have won The Excellence in Training Award. But the real congratulations go to the organisers for pulling off the event. The awards captured the atmosphere despite it being done virtually and we all had a great time logging in remotely together” Justin Kowbel, co-founder, Borough Kitchen Above: Borough Kitchen's co-founders Justin Kowbel and David Caldana in the Islington store.

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SPONSORED BY

EXCELLENCE IN RETAIL DISPLAY Criteria: Nominees had to be independent retailers for their window and/or instore displays which are either specific to one product range or of a more generic nature which demonstrate originality and maximise visual impact.

- INDEPENDENT

Left: Jade Johnston, director, The Kitchen Range Cookshop, Market Harborough holds her winning trophy as she delights in winning the Excellence in Retail Display - Independent award.

Winner

The Kitchen Range, Market Harborough

Initial Reaction: “We were thrilled to win our award; it's so nice to be recognised for something that we put so much time & effort in to! After such a tough year it was great to end it on a high!"

Jade Johnston, director, The Kitchen Range Cookshop, Market Harborough

EXCELLENCE IN RETAIL DISPLAY - MULTIPLE SPONSORED BY

OR DEPARTMENT STORE Criteria: Nominees had to be multiple retailers, department store chains or branches, or independent department stores for their window and/or instore displays which are either specific to one product range or of a more generic nature which demonstrate originality and maximise visual impact.

Winner Harrods, London Rght: Joanne Wilson, buyer - Home, Harrods holds the winning trophy high.

Initial Reaction: “We are absolutely delighted to have won Excellence in Retail Display. Since the development of the newly refurbished Kitchen & Household department, the team has continued to work extremely hard throughout the year, creating a truly enjoyable customer shopping experience with beautifully curated displays and it is an honour to have this recognised by the Excellence in Housewares Awards. It is an absolute pleasure attending the Awards and whilst not in person this year, it is always a wonderful evening. This year was no different, providing a great platform within the industry to network and celebrate with colleagues and vendors alike. Thank you.!”

Joanne Wilson, buyer - Home, Harrods PROGRESSIVE

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SPONSORED BY

EXCELLENCE IN RETAILER INITIATIVE Criteria: This award is for a single recent initiative to promote the sale of housewares products and/or raise the profile of the retailer and foster customer loyalty (from any housewares retailer, whether independent or multiple).

Winner Lakeland

Left: Philippa Simons, head of buying for Lakeland captures an awaard winning smile with the two trophies won by Lakeland.

Initial Reaction: “In what was a really challenging year for us all, it was such an honour to receive these two awards.

Both of them are hugely important to us, although the team were particularly thrilled to receive the award for our myLakeland Club. The club has been hugely popular with our customers and this award really was the icing on the cake!”

Philippa, Simons head of buying, Lakeland

SPONSORED BY

RETAIL EMPLOYEE OF Winner

THE YEAR

Joyce Monaghan, sales consultant, Fenwick Newcastle

Criteria: Criteria: Nomination of retail employees who make a difference with their enthusiastic, attentive and knowledgeable service (and who could be considered ‘the unsung heroes’ of the shop floor or customer services team).

Left: Joyce Monaghan, sales consultant, Fenwick Newcastle was delighted when her name was announced as winner of Retail Employee of The Year.

Initial Reaction: “I was delighted to even be nominated by the store. I couldn't believe I had won and I am over the moon to be recognised for doing a job I love.”

Joyce Monaghan, sales consultant, Fenwick Newcastle

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SPONSORED BY

Home re-imagined

BEST DEPARTMENT STORE - INDEPENDENT Criteria: Nominees had to be individual independent department stores or branches of a small group of up to three stores, showing excellence in areas across the retail spectrum, including: product range, product knowledge, staff training, customer care, marketing and promotion, display and (if relevant) multi-channel retailing.

Winner

Barkers, Northallerton Left: Sharon Wake (left) and Geraldine Burke, cookshop buyers, Barkers, Northallerton proudly showcase the winning trophy for Best Department Store - Independent.

Initial Reaction: “Geraldine and I were thrilled to win this award. After a very difficult and uncertain year, it is great to have something as positive as winning an award to encourage us all. It is thanks to all of our excellent team and their hard work, we couldn't do it without them” Sharon Wake, Cookshop buyer, Barkers, Northallerton

BEST DEPARTMENT STORE MULTIPLE SPONSORED BY

BRANCH OR GROUP MEMBER Winner

Camp Hopson, Newbury

Left: Anne Brailsfor, homewares manager, Camp Hopspn Newbury is overjoyed to have won the award for Best Department Store Multiple Branch or Group Member.

Initial Reaction: “I am absolutely delighted and honoured to have won Best Department Store (Multiple Branch or Group Member). We have worked really hard to create a wonderful shopping experience for all our customers, we are all very proud of this achievement. Thank you very much Max Publishing for this fantastic award. I really enjoyed the evening, and for once was speechless on hearing our store had won.”

Anne Brailsford, homewares manager, Camp Hopson Newbury PROGRESSIVE

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Criteria: Nominees had to be a specific branch of a department store chain or group of above three stores (including members of the Fenwick Group).

Excellence in areas across the retail spectrum, including: product range, product knowledge, staff training, customer care, marketing and promotion, display and (if relevant) multi-channel retailing.

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SPONSORED BY

INDEPENDENT COOKSHOP OF THE YEAR Criteria: Nominees had to be independent bricks and mortar retailers with up to three stores, whose main business is that of a cookware shop, showing excellence in areas across the retail spectrum.

Winner

Trevor Mottram, Tunbrdge Wells

Left: Alan and Sarah Wood stand proudly with their winning trophy for Independent Cookshop of The Year.

Initial Reaction: “Thank you! We are delighted and very surprised and thanks to the whole Excellence in Housewares team for making it a fun evening.”

Sarah Wood, joint managing director, Trevor Mottram, Tunbridge Wells

MULTIPLE OR SMALL GROUP RETAILER Criteria: Nominees had to be specialist or non-specialist retailers of housewares with three stores or more plus online trading (excluding department stores, garden centres and supermarkets), showing excellence in areas across the retail spectrum.

OF THE YEAR 2020

SPONSORED BY

Winner Lakeland

Initial Reaction: “We are absolutely ecstatic to have the honour of winning not one but two awards against such tough competition. It’s been a challenging year for the whole of the housewares industry, which makes these awards all the more special and appreciated by all at Lakeland. Wishing everyone all the best for 2021.”

Kathryn Farrell, buyer, Lakeland Above: Philippa Simons, head of buying for Lakeland captures an awaard winning smile with the two trophies won by Lakeland.

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EXCELLENCE IN COOKWARE Criteria: All cookware and bakeware products in metals, glass, ceramic, silicone, plastic or any other material, which were launched at UK retail or modified between June 2019 and June 2020.

Winner

Scanpan TechniQ from Haus

Initial Reaction: “We’re thrilled that Scanpan Haptiq took this award – the brand has spent a lifetime creating finest quality, environmentally sustainable cookware and leading the way in nonstick technology, so for this exciting new range to be recognised by retailers is really satisfying!”

Marc Kinsey, sales manager, Haus

SPONSORED BY

TOP TOOL OR GADGET Criteria: Any gadget, tool, utensil or range of the same - whether practical, aesthetic or fun (includes mills), which were launched at UK retail or modified between June 2019 and June 2020.

Winner

Peugept Kronos from Burton McCall

Initial Reaction: “We are extremely delighted to win this prestigious award, it was nice to end the year on such a high. Peugeot have developed such a fantastic range of products and it’s great to see this being recognised by winning the Top Tool or Gadget award.”

Ruth Tocher, senior brand manager, Burton McCall

Right: Jenna Shawley, communications officer for Burton McCall proudly holds the winning trophy.

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SPONSORED BY

PLUGGED-IN AWARD Criteria: All products which have an electrical plug and whose use is concerned with the processing of food/drink or the carrying out of household tasks, and were launched or modified between June 2018 and June 2019.

Winner

Electronic Wine Decanter from Cellardine Right: Peter Dunne, managing director, CellarDine stands proudly with the Plugged-In Award trophy.

Initial Reaction: “We were delighted to win this award, a result of many years of product development, its fantastic to be recognised and we are already seeing some great responses to the product as a direct result to winning this award. Thank you so much to Max Publishing for putting on the event under very challenging conditions and to the expert judging panel for voting for us, it is hugely appreciated, thank you! ” Peter Dunne, managing director, CellarDine

SPONSORED BY

CUTTING EDGE AWARD Criteria: All knives, scissors, cutting equipment, allied storage items, chopping boards and sharpeners, which were launched at UK retail or modified between June 2019 and June 2020.

Winner

Viners Assure from The Rayware Group

Below right: Jessica Dawnay, event director for Spring and Autmen Fair announces Rayware as the winner in the Cutting Edge award category.

Initial Reaction: “On behalf of the entire team at Rayware, we would like to thank the team at Max Publishing for their hard work in bringing this awards together. We are extremely honoured to be receiving such an important award in the Cutting Edge category for our Viners Assure Collection. We are grateful for the recognition we have received for our work in producing a collection of new and innovative knives that places safety and functionality at the forefront.

We will continue to expand the range in our efforts to help reduce unnecessary accidents in and around the home.”

Kate O’Neil, marketing director, The Rayware Group PROGRESSIVE

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SPONSORED BY

EXCELLENCE IN HOMEWARES Criteria: Kitchenware products not covered in other categories that assist in preparation of food and drink, such as storage containers, scales, measuring equipment and household products that assist in cleaning, laundry, utility, storage and waste disposal, which were launched at UK retail or modified between June 2019 and June 2020.

Winner

Stasher Tropical Collection from PHA Kitchessentials

Left: Michael Hargreaves, PHA Kitchessentials’ marketing and social media executive is all smiles as he holds the winning trophy.

Initial Reaction: “PHA is thrilled to have launched the Stasher brand in the UK and achieve the success it has so we are absolutely delighted to have this recognised with this award. .”

Paul Hargreaves, managing director, PHA Kitchessentials

TOP OF THE TABLE AWARD SPONSORED BY

Criteria: All tableware, glassware, tabletop accessories, serveware and tabletop textile products, which were launched at UK retail or modified between June 2019 and June 2020.

Winner Modus from Denby Brands

Initial Reaction: “We are delighted here at Denby that our new Modus Collection has been selected as the winner of Excellence in Housewares 'Top of the Table' Award for 2020. It really is wonderful to receive this recognition from the Housewares Industry, particularly after such an unusual year for us all. Modus is a beautiful and hand-crafted tableware and Home Decor collection which is versatile and durable - the epitome of Denby's unique attributes and a fitting antidote to the current climate.

There was a prestigious selection of nominees for all the award categories across a wide variety of retailers, suppliers and manufacturers this year and I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of them success in the year ahead..”

Linda Salt, corporate affairs manager, Denby Brands

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Above: Richard Eaton, design director, holds Denby's Top of the Table Award 2020 and Sue Exton-Russell, senior designer at Denby, holds a Large Serving Bowl from her winning pattern, Modus.

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SPONSORED BY

THE LICENSING AWARD Criteria: For a specific product or range that is either officially licensed or celebrity endorsed. New for 2020! To have been launched at retail between 21 June 2019 and 26 June 2020.

Winner Star Wars x Le Creuset from Le Creuset

Initial Reaction: “Le Creuset is absolutely thrilled and honoured to have won both the Excellence in Marketing Award and the Licensing Award 2020. Positive recognition from our retailers and buyers is of great importance to us, and we are very really proud to have won these two awards.

What a fantastic night. Wishing all of the finalists and the winners, our congratulations too!.”

Philippa Howarth, sales controller, Le Creuset

l l

Right: Le Creuset and guests raising a glass in their session room at the virtual Excellence in Housewares Awards.

SPONSORED BY

THE ECO AWARD SPONSORED BY

Criteria: Products that cut down consumers' use of single-use plastic/waste and/or whose main features promote sustainable living.

Winner

LocknLock ECO Oven Glass from JWP

Initial Reaction: “All of us at JWP are very proud of our LocknLock ECO range. Seeing our concept being validated is very gratifying. Despite being crowned the top spot, we feel that sustainability is a project for unity, so all the candidates in this category are to be praised for all the efforts put into offering consumers greener options. Let’s all focus, work wise and bring even better concepts to this category this year.”

Milu Baptista, new product development manager, JWP.

Right: Milu Baptista, new product development manager, JWP showcases the trophy alongside JWP’s LocknLock ECO Oven Glassware - the winning range.

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SPONSORED BY

THE INNOVATION AWARD Criteria: A new innovative product or any innovation that demonstrates improved functionality to an existing product.

The innovation must be launched between June 2019 and June 2020.

Winner

Bake-O-Glide Induction Hob Protector from Falcon Products

Left: Falcon’s Innovative Bake-O-Glide Induction Hob Protector strikes a winning pose with the trophy.

THE ICON AWARD Winner

Global Knives from Grunwerg

Initial Reaction: “We are very proud and pleased to win the Innovation Award as we feel the Induction Hob Protector creates a solution to a genuine issue.”

Gary and Harry Downham at Falcon Products

Criteria: Classic housewares products that have withstood the test of time. Products can only win this award once, after which they join the Icon Gallery.

Previous winners of this Award are the Dualit toaster, the Ceramic Pestle and Mortar, the traditional Cafetière, the Pyrex Jug, the KitchenAid mixer, the TG Green Cornish Blue Dreadnought Jug, Le Creuset Cocotte, the Kenwood Chef, the Mason Cash mixing bowl, the Krisk Bean Slicer, Emma Bridgewater Half Pint Mug, the Magimix Food Processor, the Chichester Carving Tray, the Tala Conical Measuring Jug, the Bialetti Moka Espresso Stovetop, Kilner Jars, Fiskars Scissors, Rushbrookes Striped Butcher’s Apron, Thermos Flasks and Wüsthof Classic Knives from Haus.

Initial Reaction: “We are absolutely delighted that Global Knives have won the Icon Award, which is fitting during the celebrations of the 35th anniversary of Global. We would like to thank everyone that was involved in putting these awards together and we would also like to pass on the thanks of our friends in Japan.”

Ben Grunwerg, director, Grunwerg

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SPONSORED BY

THE SUPPLIER AWARDS Criteria: To arrive at the finalists (and winners) for these three awards, PH and HousewaresNews.net polled housewares retailers asking them to state which housewares suppliers they feel are the tops when it comes to marketing, innovation and service.

EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATION AWARD Winner

Joseph Joseph

Right: Richard *(left) and Antony Joseph, cofounders of jospeh Joseph proudly raise their winning trophy.

Initial Reaction: “We are extremely proud to win this award, and a big thank you to the EIH team for making the evening so special under the circumstances."

Antony Joseph, creative director, Joseph Joseph

EXCELLENCE IN MARKETING AWARD Winner

Right: Le Creuset and guests raising a glass in their session room at the virtual Excellence in Housewares Awards.

Le Creuset

Initial Reaction: “Le Creuset is absolutely thrilled and honoured to have won both the Excellence in Marketing Award and the Licensing Award 2020. Positive recognition from our retailers and buyers is of great importance to us, and we are very really proud to have won these two awards. What a fantastic night. Wishing all of the finalists and the winners, our congratulations too!.”

Philippa Howarth, sales controller, Le Creuset

EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE AWARD Below: Dexam’s warehouse ‘A’ Team celebrating the Excellence in Service win.

Winner

Initial Reaction: “It is always fantastic to win an award but it is the Excellence in Service Award that the whole team Dexam cherish. It truly is the recognition of the hard work and dedication of the entire amazing Dexam team from making sure we have the right stock at the right time to the last bit of tape going on the box and a booking made with the customer, not to forget the cheery voice at the end of the phone in Customer Services. This year, of all years, I have been humbled by the flexibility, conscientiousness and determination of everyone and I was delighted to accept this award on their behalf..”

Bryony Dyer, managing director, Dexam PROGRESSIVE

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SPONSORED BY

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT Criteria: This very special award was presented to an individual who has contributed greatly to the UK housewares industry.

Nominations are invited from across the industry.

Winners Antony and Richard Joseph, Co Founders of Joseph Joseph In her speech before announcing the winners’

of the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Excellence In Housewares Awards 2020, PH editor, Jo Howard remembered a entry in the early years of The Excellence in Housewares Awards that stood out as “fresh, eye catching, fun and functional.” She also reflected: ”The winner of this Outstanding Achievement Award has elevated housewares into aspirational lifestyle ‘must haves’. They have created kitchen and home products that solve problems and have their own distinct and coveted style language.” *Having been told the exciting news, the Joseph brothers recorded a special message for the industry: Richard: “We are absolutely over the moon!

We feel we’re not worthy and very humbled to receive this award. We started the business 17 years ago with a single glass chopping board and a lot has happened since then.

When we started out, it was very much about trying to get out there to sell our glass chopping board and survive. What’s amazing about the industry is that there were lots of retailers prepared to give us a go, give us a chance and who were very encouraging: telling us to keep going and develop new product, and to get out there, aim higher and work hard. Then there were also lots of suppliers who were also very encouraging for us as the young start-up getting going.

I think it speaks volumes about the people who make up and run our industry – just how warm and friendly - and what a magnificent industry it is. Thank you so much to everyone who helped us in the early days and are great friends in the industry now.”

Above: Richard Joseph, co founder of Joseph Joseph expresses his joy at receieving this most coveted award, and thanks the industry for its continued encouragment and support over the years.

Below: Antony Joseph, co-founder of Joseph Joseph is delighted at recieving the Outstanding Achievement Award and sees is as recognition of just how far they’ve come.

Antony: “We’re incredibly proud to receive the Award this evening. When we started the business there was just the two of us. We were the designers, sales team, delivery drivers and customer service. Since then, of course, the company has grown significantly and, like any successful venture, it is all about the team, and we’ve got some amazing people at Joseph Joseph today. So really we see this award as recognition of their dedication and hard work.”

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ADVERTORIAL FEATURE – TRAMONTINA BELOW: Tramontina factory and head office

How Tramontina is benefitting from efficient supply movements from West to East, whilst supply from East to West proves challenging.

RIGHT: One of the 10 Tramontina factories in Brazil

A

midst all the difficulties thrown at the sector amidst the pandemic, one issue, which the housewares industry is now only too familiar with is that of supply – lack of containers, cost of containers, shortages of raw material… and so it goes on.

However, whilst these damaging problems are focused, in the main, on supply from East to West, it is not the same issue with supplies coming from West to East. With HQ and 10 manufacturing units in Brazil, where all their products are designed and manufactured, Tramontina has barely been affected and have been able to supply customers throughout the past year with very little, if any, difficulties.

“We are very lucky,” explains Tramontina U.K managing director, Alex Frubel. “Apart from minimal issues with raw material supply, it has generally been business as usual for us with no container issue or inflated prices to deal with”, continues Alex.

“In fact, it would be fair to say that in many areas business has been better than usual, with Tramontina being able to fill gaps for retailers who have not been able to get their usual products from their usual suppliers.”

MORAL, ETHICAL AND ECO VALUES Of course, Brazil has not been without COVID-19 issues, far from it. The pandemic has hit the country extremely hard, however

LEFT: New for 2021 – Verttice Knives

Smooth Supply From West To East Tramontina, who are based in the less populated southern area of Carlos Barbosa, Rio Grande do Sul, has managed the pandemic and their workforce extremely well, ensuring minimal disruption to the business. “That’s typical of our company,” continues Alex. “Tramontina work very hard to ensure the welfare of their employees, of which there are over 8000 worldwide.

We are also passionate about our heritage, our environment, our products and our customers and that’s what drives us on.”

SERVICE WITH A SMILE So with a smooth passage of freight from Brazil, Tramontina is well-placed to keep its U.K warehouse fully stocked and are able to turn orders around swiftly, giving domestic customers peace of mind from both a service and a product point of view.

The Tramontina product portfolio is vast, offering a diverse range of products including knives, cutlery and its renowned Churrasco concept comprising a host of knives and other kit for fun, authentic barbequing. More recently Tramontina has added many exciting new dimensions to its U.K portfolio with some inspired new lines including cookware, bakeware, serveware,

utensils, storageware, accessories, tea & coffeeware and even casual furniture.

“We work in tandem with our customers offering flexibility and the solutions they require, and we pride ourselves on our good customer relations and service as well as our ethical values and eco credentials,” explains Alex. “We sincerely strive to give the customer, not just a product but an all-encompassing experience – one that they will enjoy and keep coming back for.”

Whether they be long-standing, new, or potential customers we can offer support by way of starter packs, first order discounts, seasonal deals and more.

Tailored deals, for example, can help with seasonal trade and new product packages could help get 2021 off to a flying start.

It is also in a great position to work with retailers on own-label lines, offering a point of difference from an alternative geographical manufacturing base but still at affordable prices.

Food for thought…

Get in touch now to find out how Tramontina, can work with you, for you.

The dedicated team, who take care of customers throughout the U.K and much of Europe, is there for you.

ABOVE: Vermont Bakeware

ABOVE: Grano Cookware

TRAMONTINA UK T: +44 (0) 20 3176 4558 Email: contact.tuk@tramontina.com W: www.tramontina.co.uk PROGRESSIVE

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PH International retailer focus.qxp_Grid 10/02/2021 12:44 Page 1

Eurovisions: retailer viewpoints

Kings of the kitchen

Inset: The shopfront of Les Garçons en Cuisine.

Below: A knives display at Les Garçons en Cuisine.

Take two inspirational independent cookshops situated in our nearest European neighbours, France and Ireland. PH talks to Stock Design’s Brendan Fagan, who has been buying housewares from around the world for nearly five decades, and Romuald Huot, who co-founded Les Garçons en Cuisine just over a year ago.

Local heroes in Lyon Co-founders of Les Garçons en Cuisine in Lyon, Romuald Huot and Alexandre Brugnot have made a spectacular debut in the housewares industry. With stunning visual merchandising, their specialist cookshop presents an array of leading European brands and is a champion of French craftmanship.

Romuald and Alexandre personally test every product they stock (which includes some from the UK, such as kitchen tools and mills) to make sure that everything meets their high expectations of functionality and good design.

“The market in France is moving actually,” states Romuald. He

acknowledges the recent shifts in consumer behaviour that favour specialist independents: “We opened our shop just over one year ago and, since the beginning, we have focused on the ways that people's buying habits are changing.

More than ever, they are looking for quality and service. More people prefer to buy locally instead of through pure players and other channels. They invest once and want to make more sustainable choices to help the planet, as well as support independent shops through their buying.”

Of course, the increase in home cooking and baking in 2020 is an international phenomenon as a result of Covid-19 lockdowns. Romuald observes: “‘Homemade’ has had a real effect on sales.

People have suddenly discovered that working with good quality kitchen tools does make a real difference.”

Romuald describes Les Garçons en Cuisine’s Inset: Co-founders approach to business: “We Romuald Huot and Alexandre Brugnot. choose every supplier we want to work with so that we can control quality and PROGRESSIVE

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Inset: Shelf of Bamix at Les Garçons en Cuisine.

pricing. We want to ensure the confidence our customers are placing in us. In that way, our business aims to be unique.”

Understandably, the pandemic has had a big impact, as Romuald explains: “We opened on 15 November 2019, and suffered a three month long forced closure in 2020, which is huge. We had to think about improvements earlier than planned in order to compensate for the loss of being closed.”

Whenever it is possible, Romuald is eager to visit trade fairs to find exciting new products that meet Les Garçons en Cuisine’s high expectations. He acknowledges: “The biggest opportunity for us this year is to improve our results, our organisation.”

PH International retailer focus.qxp_Grid 10/02/2021 12:44 Page 2

Eurovisions: retailer viewpoints Below: A section of Stock Design’s windows.

Destination store: Dublin A familiar name in the housewares industry internationally, Stock Design’s founder and managing director, Brendan Fagan delights in sourcing an exciting mix of products from around the world. In his 47 years in retailing, he describes 2020 as “the most testing year,” but he is enthusiastic about “getting back to normal.” Brendan reports: “The Irish housewares market is buoyant. With the exception of Christmas week, our sales were up about 10% when we were open in 2020. The average spend has gone up and everything to do with cooking and baking is popular as people have more time at home.

Christmas week is usually very big for us but, understandably, our sales were lower compared to previous years. We could only have 35 people in the shop at one time for social distancing, compared with the 200 shoppers we would normally have over our three floors.

Footfall in Dublin is way down as people are working from home, as a lot of people work for big multinational tech companies with offices here, and hotels have been practically empty of visitors during lockdowns. So, thankfully, our customers were spending about 20% more when we reopened.

We launched our ecommerce site in June during lockdown. It needs tweaking to get everything right, but the first few months have been encouraging, with the average sale about €50. However, it will never replace bricks and mortar for us. Stock Design is renowned for finding and introducing people

to phenomenal new products and providing knowledge, inspiration and personal service.

This year, Brexit is one of our biggest challenges while everyone adjusts to the volumes of new paperwork and works on new prices. We have around 60 UK suppliers, and are dealing with between 40-50 of these all year round.

I have attended courses on customs tariffs and related requirements and there are so many boxes to complete on bringing products in. Five different jugs could have five different commodity codes.

We are letting our UK suppliers deal with the paperwork as far as possible.

Another big challenge is getting supply of stock, as I guess 80-85% of our stock originates from China and the Far East, including what comes through the UK and products that have parts coming from China.

When we get through the pandemic, I think there are huge opportunities for us – we are one of the few specialist cookshops in

Dublin, and we bought our building back in the 1970s - as well as for the housewares industry going forward. A lot of consumer spending has shifted to the home rather than on fashion, or dining out or entertaining, but we have to keep things lively and interesting, and show people how our products are functional, practical and well-designed.

Inset: Well stocked shelves at Stock Designs.

Below centre: Stock Design houses several floors of housewares.

At the moment, our biggest growth category is baking and everything to do with baking. Across the board, our biggest UK suppliers include KitchenCraft, CKS and Dexam, and our top sellers include International Cookware Designs’ Victor Cast Iron – one of our star performers in recent months. I have a lot of respect for the UK housewares industry. There are so many passionate and knowledgeable people, and I have built up a lot of strong relationships over the past 45 years. Patrick Gardner at T&G, Humphrey Bartleet at CKS and Victor’s Derek Griffith are the authorities on woodware, silicone and cast iron respectively. Then there is Richard and Antony Joseph who have a remarkable story and are such nice people too.

In fact, the industry is full of nice people to do business with, and socialise with. It is always nice to go to Exclusively and catch up with our UK suppliers.

I am really looking forward to getting back to trade shows later this year. It would be nice to go to Homi in Milan and Tendence in Frankfurt if possible. I’m looking forward to The Inspired Home Show in Chicago - the world’s most focused show for housewares.

It will be good to get back to Ambiente in 2022, the most important show for us. And I can’t wait to share some jokes and stories with everyone again.”

Setting the stage for innovation

Stock Design began as a small shop in 1973, moving four years later to its current location on a pedestrian street in the heart of Dublin.

Previously two separate industrial buildings, the shop has a quirky layout that enables elements of theatre and surprise over several floors.

It is Ireland’s gia (Global Innovation Award) winner for 2019-2021: the second time is has held the prestigious title.

The store has been a trailblazer for sustainable and reusable products for a decade, introducing brands including Bobble and KeepCup to Ireland. Stock Design became the largest individual international retailer of Bobble.

• The gia programme is organised and internationally sponsored by The International Housewares Association and The Inspired Home Show. See www.housewares.org/show/gia/2015/gia-retail

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ADVERTORIAL FEATURE – LIFETIME BRANDS EUROPE (KITCHENCRAFT)

With a consumer led approach to new product development, alongside launching its own trade show alternative, and, most recently, adding new features to its award nominated online ordering platform, Lifetime Brands Europe (KitchenCraft) are leading innovation in the ‘new normal’.

W

ith over 7000 products covering cooking, serving and enjoying categories, and big brands that inspire the most important life moments that happen inside the home, if you’re looking for that one thing you can’t find, the chances are that Lifetime Brands Europe have it. Moreover, with world-class facilities in the heart of Birmingham, it is a business that can offer much more than just ‘selling product’.

INNOVATION, CONSUMER DRIVEN AND TREND FOCUSED “Whatever the challenge, the answer is never to side-line new product development. Innovation is a fundamental part of the business,” says managing director Matthew Canwell.

“Our focus is always on the consumer.

For our Spring Summer launch we placed significant investment in new product development to address the recent, huge shifts in consumer buying trends. Using global research, we are focused throughout our brands on sustainability and eco consciousness.”

New launches include products to reduce waste, promote the use of recycled and sustainable materials, as well as new patterns and designs which are mindful and uplifting, playing into key trends for the coming year. This can be seen across brands including Natural

Elements, Built, MasterClass and Mikasa.

The focus on new product development keeps brands fresh,

LEFT: The 360° online virtual showroom

House of Brands A constant stream of inspiring products across the cook, serve and enjoy categories support the company’s rich brand offering which includes Built, Chef’n, MasterClass, BarCraft, La Cafetière, Mikasa and Natural Elements. Each brand has a presence that can be leveraged with consumers, and the company is always looking at how they can adapt and stretch that leverage further.

Recent brand additions include Taylor, the number one weighing and measuring brand in the US. With innovation and accuracy at the cornerstone of its 170 year history, the brand is supported and endorsed with products tested by acclaimed chef Michel Roux Jr. Most notable recently is the extension of a licensing partnership with KitchenAid to include tools and gadgets worldwide from 2021. As consumer trends indicate significant further growth in cooking and baking categories post Covid-19, this extension comes at a perfect time. Consumers are increasingly investing in tried and trusted brands within the cooking and baking category and the KitchenAid brand fits this brief perfectly, as a 100 year old brand with unparalleled brand awareness.

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relevant and appealing. “We know one size doesn’t fit all,” continued Matthew Canwell. “Our Spring Summer launches allow retailers to select from a wide range, and the breadth of our offer can be tailored to each retailer, whether it’s merchandising options for a specific store or digital assets to support a retailers online activity.”

With investment in digital and printed catalogues, an online virtual showroom tour and downloadable retail tool kits, the company is committed to making it easy for customers to take advantage of its offering.

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09/02/2021 15:43

ADVERTORIAL FEATURE – LIFETIME BRANDS EUROPE (KITCHENCRAFT)

Natural Elements Consumers want to protect the planet using purchasing decisions, and Natural Elements offers a solution for just that.

Natural Elements uses sustainable and natural materials in packaging and products including recycled card and plastic, coconut and organic wax, to create a range of truly eco-friendly alternatives for the kitchen, home and on-the-go. It’s a retailers total solution for sustainable kitchenware.

ABOVE: Natural Elements brand in the Lifetime Brands Europe showroom LEFT: Showroom Live in action

SHOWROOM LIVE Inspired by the tenacity and resilience of its retail partners over the past year, in January Lifetime Brands Europe launched its own trade show replica, ‘Showroom Live’, to bring its new products to customers safely.

“As it became clear that the regular 2021 trade show calendar was off the cards, we knew we needed our own event, here and now, so we could deliver the same experience and service to our customers as we would have done at Spring Fair or Ambiente,” said commercial and marketing director Claire Budgen.

The company’s sizeable 10,000 square foot UK showroom and the latest technology enabled bespoke video tours between customers and the company’s sales team, with visitors able to view new products, in-store merchandising tips and promotional ideas. The experience included access to live streamed content such as trend insight as well as a live product demo session from celebrity chef Peter Sidwell.

The two week-long event attracted buyers from both the UK and international markets, with feedback from customers reflecting the positivity at having a digital option to view new products in a format that also brought them to life.

MARKET PLACE 2.0 February sees the launch of the company’s new and improved online trade store, Market Place, which boasts over 1700 global users.

Designed with customers and for customers, the new features offer a more efficient, user friendly and advanced experience than ever before.

The easy to use technology makes ordering fast, but does more than just allow customers

LOOKING AHEAD Lifetime Brands Europe has been inspired and humbled by the flex and change of customers in response to the huge challenges of the past year, and are more focused than ever on emerging as a strong partner, continuing to deliver products and brands that are innovative and impactful.

2021 will see exciting developments across a variety of the business’ most loved brands. So watch this space.

“Market Place 2.0 offers unrivalled benefits for our retail partners… helping to make sure they never miss out on opportunities” to efficiently order stock. Product recommendations including bestsellers and complementary products are highlighted based on basket contents, easing the product

BELOW LEFT: The Built brand leads the charge in the on-the-go category BELOW: New MasterClass sustainable food storage solutions

Trends and New Launches Visitors to Lifetime Brand Europe’s Showroom Live were given an insight into key design and lifestyle trends for 2021 and beyond.

New launches are inspired by global trends, ensuring customers always have the next big thing at their fingertips.

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finding process, and the option to add relevant POS material has been integrated into the checkout process.

“Market Place 2.0 offers unrivalled benefits for our retail partners. We understand our customers’ needs and the new features reflect this, offering real value and relevance, helping to make sure they never miss out on opportunities,” says Claire Budgen.

“Moreover, Market Place is now a central hub for our customers. As well as an intelligent ordering platform, it contains everything our customers need in one easy to access place. With direct access to our online asset library of over 70,000 images, digital retail tool kits and our renowned catalogue.”

Other new benefits include back in stock notifications, a speedier checkout process and the ability for customers to ‘favourite’ products making it even easier to build an order.

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Food for thought

Global pandemic took hold, shops closed for months, consumers stayed at home and cooking provided solace in strange and uncertain times. PH shares some viewpoints on the impact of 2020 on the housewares industry and challenges such as stock logistics and the change in shopping habits as we start 2021.

State of the nation 2021 The questions:

* Looking back over the pandemic year (with so many factors that have impacted the housewares industry), which change would you highlight and how would you describe its impact? * What do you think is one of the biggest challenges for the industry - or for your business - in 2021, and how should this be addressed?

Managing expectations Sarah Wood, joint managing director, Trevor Mottram, Tunbridge Wells, winner of Independent Cookshop of the Year in The Excellence in Housewares Awards 2020: “People have rediscovered cooking and found their kitchens. Fortunately for our industry, they broke things or realised they needed new kitchenware. I have never sold so many knives or knife sharpeners as when we re-opened in June. A lot of people needed to replace one saucepan, so I bought sets and split them up.

With more cooking from scratch, there has been a revival of useful local shops; two greengrocers have opened near to us on The Pantiles as well as a zero waste shop, and the local butcher is Below: Colander lightshades busier. Many at Trevor Mottram, situated people enjoy in the pedestrian shopping area of The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells.

(and feel safer) shopping in smaller shops rather than facing the supermarket.

Hopefully new habits will stick, and bring more people into their local cookshops when shops reopen again.

A challenge for our business is going online early this year. We have spent two and a half years developing our website, on and off, as it has always been hard to find the time and it is vital to get it right.

We are loading up stock ready to launch very soon.

However, the big challenge for cookshops is going to be managing customer expectations as we juggle stock this year. We live in a ‘push button’ world, and customers don’t always accept the fact that we don’t have something, and can’t get it in immediately (even if you point out the queues at Dover). It will take a long time for suppliers to build up stock levels again.

When we reopen, we also need to be braced for the shoppers who think they can walk past the hand sanitiser or not wear a mask, saying, “I’ve been vaccinated.”

A few customers (thankfully not PROGRESSIVE

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Left: Trevor Mottram’s Sarah Wood, pictured with an award at The Excellence in Housewares Awards 2017.

Inset: Consumers are using fresh ingredients to cook from scratch.

Photo: Adonyi Gá bor.

regulars) have been unreal over the past months (such as one who claimed it was a fake pandemic, and another person who said wearing a mask was against their human rights!)

We may also need to be braced for price increases reflecting the increases in shipping costs as well as some post Brexit tariffs. While some people are gaining financially during the pandemic (if they are working from home and saving train fares), a lot of people have suffered financially and need to manage their spending carefully. We need to show that whatever we sell is well worth paying its price.”

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Food for thought

Adapting and supporting Will Jones, chief operating officer, BHETA: “Judged in terms of 2020 sales, Covid-19’s impact on the housewares industry has been negative, with huge challenges for retail deemed non-essential and hospitality suppliers, but there have also been mitigating positives, which BHETA continues to foster.

The most obviously positive change has been the consumer re-focus on ‘home’ with the consequent surge in interest in cooking, baking and cleaning. This contributed hugely to the experience of key retailers such as Dunelm, which saw sales plummet in April; but recover completely by September.

The other significant change is shopping habits, which for suppliers and retailers able to adapt has also proved positive. Buying local has made a comeback generally good for independent specialists - and of course the growth of Left: Baking became a digital channels. national passion during For the first half of 2021, the Brexit implementation period, plus the lockdowns. Photo: continuing pandemic will be a logistical challenge for suppliers and Oleg Magni. retailers. Ensuring import and export at affordable freight and duty rates Right BHETA’s will take time. While the zero-tariff deal is welcome, there is considerable Will Jones. red tape to be faced, whether that is paying import VAT and customs duties for selling into the EU, changes to rules of origin, or different trading terms for Northern Ireland. There are numerous grace periods still being negotiated, all of which are bound to have repercussions.

As with Covid-19, the key is information and the ability to adapt. For BHETA, it is all about a) providing members with up to the minute facts, b) helping adaptability with ‘how-to’ content and c) enabling networking opportunities with retailers and export destinations.

Equally, it is about keeping the longer-term challenges – such as the sale of bladed items, packaging tax and sustainability in general – on the industry agenda.”

Ways to work together Peter Dunne, managing director, CellarDine, which scooped The Plugged-In Award in The Excellence in Housewares Awards 2020 for its Electronic Wine Aerator: “2020 was an extraordinary year, challenging on many levels and when the pandemic started at the end of February, as a business, we certainly saw a rapid growth of online sales. According to industry data, figures show that from 2018 the online market captured 18.4% of retail sales compared to 26.2% for 2020, which is a significant increase. The pandemic has undoubtedly driven many consumers online, although it has to be said this process had already started quite a few years ago and as an industry we are having to adapt to a new consumer where convenience is at their fingertips and

service levels are expected to be matched.

Personally, I feel that the high street is the life blood of a community, whether it be independent or national retailer, with a high percentage of consumers who still love an old fashioned ‘good day out’; eating, shopping, being entertained, but I am concerned at mainstream government and local councils failing to address disproportionate rents, rates and local parking charges making it unattractive for retailers to invest and consumers to shop conveniently. The pressure on every business to keep a tight control on costs and maximise revenue and profits has never been greater. However, the need to

Inset: An increase in wine consumption presents opportunities for barware innovation.

An online experience Rebecca Kane, managing director for the online boutique Silver Mushroom (winner of Excellence in Online Retailing in The Excellence in Housewares Awards 2020):

Inset: Siblings and colleagues, Rebecca Kane and Emmie Brockman at Silver Mushroom.

“For us the change is clear. A shift to online retailing has begun. During lockdown people had the time or, in many cases, no option but to change their shopping habits quite quickly. We believe a large percentage of people won’t go back to traditional bricks and mortar retail if they had a good experience online. Retailers will have to adapt their offerings to be more internet friendly and improve the user experience as companies come up with new and innovative ideas in the ecommerce space.

Our biggest challenge for 2021 is adapting the logistics and the associated tech to support the shift to online shopping and the huge growth we have seen as a result. Add to it the complexities of the ongoing pandemic and its specific impact on the logistics side, and it promises to be a challenging, yet hopefully rewarding year for Silver Mushroom.”

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Food for thought

The home office

Left: Bira’s Andrew Goodacre.

Inset: Working and shopping from home.

Photo: Anastasia Shuraeva.

Andrew Goodacre, ceo, Bira: “In 2020 we have seen two significant changes in people’s behaviours. Firstly, there is the accelerated growth of online shopping caused by successive lockdowns. Secondly, there is the shift to working from home, which will become a permanent feature of the way we work after the pandemic has eventually passed.

People will continue to work flexibly, with less time in the office. People working in the areas where they live moves expenditure from large city centres to smaller towns and more local areas – the areas where independent retailers are more prominent and more successful. Recent research by both Visa and Starling Bank have highlighted the increased commitment to shopping locally with a greater appreciation of the positive impact on the local economy.

This change represents an opportunity for the independent housewares retailer, and it is also their greatest challenge. People working more from home also makes internet shopping more attractive, further enhancing the convenience aspect of online retailing.

The indie retailer has to rise to the challenge by ensuring that they are really connecting and engaging with their local communities with a stronger local e-presence through social media. Once this is achieved, there is then a natural extension of the market reach through the internet and website. Many independent retailers have already successfully changed their business model in response to these changes but many more need to show the same courage and skill to compliment their existing shop business. Finally, but no less important, the move towards digital retailing must retain a strong commitment to sustainable products as consumer interest in this area has been increased due the events of 2020.”

work and cooperate together has also never been more important.

The cost of the pandemic has so far seen the loss of over 176,000 retail jobs, further losses to potentially be announced in the first quarter, the redeployment of these jobs is essential if we are to retain such a wealth of experience and I would like to see the government put a plan of action in place where we can offer attractive schemes to employers to support this sector.

The UK port debacle pre-Christmas was quite frankly a nightmare and certainly cost us and our customers a significant loss of sales and the congestion is due to continue until mid to late March. The rising costs of container shipments are a real concern and we hope this will stabilise in order to bring prices back to an acceptable level.

I have lived through a number of recessions in my lifetime, but the past year has been extraordinary and has taught me a lot about myself and my business. As a company we have invested in new technology to bring our message home to our customers and improve the support and sales of our products. Digital technology is undoubtedly going to be the winner here and I see more of this trend going forward, certainly within our product category we are seeing some amazing methods to convey the world of wine.

Wine consumption alone is up - to 24 litres per person per year-and sales are up to £12

billion, with an average cost of a wine bottle exceeding £6 in the UK for the first time ever. This is huge and brings about some fantastic opportunities for our business and our customers. Innovation is our number one passion but the key to reinvestment is working together and I sincerely hope we can actually take the time to do this and iron out potential problems in a way that meets the requirements of supplier and customer.

The mainstream media at present often

portrays negativity within our sector due to store closures, redundancies and so on.

However, I do feel there are many positive opportunities going forward, although the consumer, who at the moment has limited reason to save given the poor interest rates and is working hard to remain in employment, is going to be careful about their level of expenditure. Therefore, we are all going to have to work a lot harder to offer the best product at the best price with a service that is second to none.”

Using technology to stay connected Jenny Stewart, commercial director at Ultimate Products: “Consumer habits definitely changed in 2020; there was an obvious shift towards online shopping and the convenience that this offers. With our key brands widely available online, this was a strong channel for us throughout 2020, and one that we continue to grow and develop. Consumers also became more savvy with their money, increasing the demand for long-lasting, reliable products at a good price point, which our product offering was able to support.

Particularly given the current restrictions, keeping connected (and sharing what's new and what's in trend) is obviously a challenge for housewares suppliers and retailers as we start out in 2021.

For retailers, 2020 saw the creation of the UP Virtual Showroom, giving retail buyers the full showroom experience from the safety of their own home or office. This gives retailers an insight into our newest innovations and developments, and allows us to really tailor our appointments to their needs. We are able to offer a bespoke experience each time, with the latest technologies making it simple for us all to connect remotely. It proved extremely popular with customers in 2020, enabling us to bring new products and new trends in front of retailers despite the pandemic. We are continuing this initiative into 2021, by hosting a virtual Spring Fair throughout February where exclusive product launches and special stock deals will be available.”

Right: Ultimate Products’ Jenny Stewart.

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Food for thought

Left: Worldwide delays for container shipments have impacted the housewares industry.

Below: Popularity of products that are Made in Britain has grown: pans by Netherton Foundry on display at Marchmont Hardware.

Below: Liane Philips of Marchmont Hardware, cookware and hardware stockist in Edinburgh.

Keeping doing what we do Liane Philips, owner, Marchmont Hardware, Edinburgh: “Shortages of stock coupled with more demand (at times) for cookware and bakeware had a big impact in 2020. Early in the pandemic, we knew that there would be delays to the things made in China. However, some customers thought we were making things up when we explained we did not know when some products would be back in stock. The media did not publicise the supply chain issues and hold-ups at docks until December, which added to the disbelief. Some shoppers had no patience, and there were even times when I wanted to shut the door!

With many products, we could have doubled what we sold if we had had stock.

Of course, there was nothing we could do in a pandemic, but we appreciate the suppliers (such as KitchenCraft) who have been updating us regularly regarding stock that’s available. Meanwhile, other retailers have jumped on the bandwagon of British made and so two of our UK suppliers, Netherton and Silverwood have been rammed for orders, adding to the low stock situation.

The challenge for the year ahead is to keep doing what we're doing: being an independent retailer that provides excellent service for our customers. It’s very hard when you don’t know when the pandemic will end, and when shops will be fully open.

You can’t plan and you can’t spend; I don’t want more business loans as they need paying off at some point.

It takes time (and we were due to fund

it last year) but we are now building our website so that we can do some online sales (even though our customers love to come in). As an independent, we won’t be able to compete with online prices and we may not be able to resell some of our brands online, with some of our suppliers having their own e-commerce sites, going directly to consumers.

However, we are showcasing some products, and slowly building up customer loyalty to highlighted brands.

We also need to keep thinking of ways we can best serve our customers – like Hargreaves & Sons in Buxton, which began to offer personal online shopping appointments while its doors are shut.

Last year, we took the plunge and

expanded the high-end brands that we stock, which has been encouraging. Bialetti has flown off our shelves, and our first order from Haus almost all sold out within weeks. One customer came back within half an hour of buying an Emile Henry product; his wife was so impressed that he wanted to buy our whole range. It is a good sign that there will be demand for high quality housewares when we can open fully again.”

On cooking and nesting Consumer reports from the John Lewis Partnership illuminate the behavioral changes brought about by the pandemic.

John Lewis’ Shop Live Look Report reflected on falling in love with our homes in ‘the year that changed everything’, and Waitrose’s Food and Drink Report 2021 declared that ‘Cooking is the new commute’. (See news).

Simon Coble, trading director of John Lewis stated: “The world is a very different place than it was in January 2020.” He described 2020 as “the year we stayed in, hunkered down, decked out and spruced up our homes.”

James Bailey, executive director, Waitrose acknowledged: “Our daily rituals, our attitudes towards supermarkets and the way we shop have been fundamentally reshaped by the pandemic. These changes are here to stay.”

Inset: The cover of Waitrose’s annual report on food and drinks trends.

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A clean home, is a home.

...even with pets!

Having pets doesn’t have to mean muddy paws and mess. The PetPlus+ range makes it easy for pet owners to keep homes clean and fur-free.

With products to easily look after your home and keep it clean, there’s more time to enjoy your furry friends.

44%

of UK households have pets. Their top household concerns are smells and pet fur.

Part of the

PET PLUS+

Collection

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04/02/2021 16:42

Now that’s

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E B R ATI O N

Celebrating 90 years of being in kitchens, Progress is developing brand new ranges across cookware and kitchen electricals that are sure to bring kitchen cupboards and countertops up to date. Focussing on modern family life, their newest ranges include unique new colourways and sleek finishes.

Progress was established in 1931 in Burnley, Lancashire. Though its roots lie in agriculture, it swiftly expanded and diversified to become the world’s leading manufacturers of superior oil-coated bakeware. Selling cake moulds, sandwich tins, roasters and more, provided strong foundations for the ranges consumers see bearing the Progress name today.

With 90 years of heritage under its belt, it knows exactly what it’s talking about when the company says that it’s a brand for everyone. From toddlers to grandparents, Progress helps to plate up something tasty every time – and as consumers’ families grow, so does its product offering, constantly innovating to keep up with today’s needs and trends.

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SHIMMER RANGE Brand new for 2021, Progress has developed the Shimmer range in a subtle green hue. The cookware features a forged aluminium body, soft-touch handles and a PFOA-free coating. Coordinating across electrical too, the Shimmer collection is fun and on-trend.

Plate Up With Progress Make meal times fun and easy! The Progress range of kitchen electrical and cookware keeps everyone happy, from Dad’s Friday Night Fakeaway using his favourite Air Fryer to Granny’s Sunday Dinner. Let Progress be part of every mealtime. The company wants to see how consumers are using Progress in the kitchen, so please encourage them to tag tasty recipes and delicious dishes using the hashtag #PlateUpWithProgress “Progress is a brand that is consistently innovating to deliver on-trend ranges for customers’ kitchens. Our recent Taste the World range highlights how we can bring interesting and unique products to market. This range is about having fun in the kitchen, enjoying food together and trying something new. Including a Samosa Maker, Crêpe Maker and other international cuisine, it encourages consumers to get creative in the kitchen!”

Duncan Singleton, trading director at Progress

OMBRÉ MIST COLLECTION With a tasteful dual gradient finish, this jug kettle and toaster pack in all the features you need but do it with style. A real stand-out range for Progress’ 90th anniversary, the Ombré Mist collection highlights Progress as a real trendsetter.

Matching cookware available.

METALLIC SMARTSTONE Sleek metallic cookware that makes a really contemporary addition to your kitchen. Featuring a durable, non-stick interior that is safe to use with metal utensils, and heat-resistant handles for reassurance when cooking.

METALLIC MARBLE BAKEWARE Made from hardwearing and durable carbon steel, with a non-stick coating that makes it really easy to remove freshly-baked goodies with ease! With a luxurious marble finish, it makes baking feel like a real treat. Dishwasher safe, the range is great for enjoying hours of family baking and saving time on the washing up.

Constantly innovating and bringing new designs to market, Progress is a kitchen brand that consistently provides style and functionality at value prices. Helping consumers and their families to plate up delicious, tasty meals every time, that’s Progress.

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Market focus: tea & coffee

Home brews

With the focus on staying at home for the past few weeks - and much of the past year - a steaming mug of freshly brewed coffee or tea lifts the spirit, bringing some structure, routine, comfort and flavour to the day.

PH asks several suppliers to highlight new developments and trends for making coffee and tea.

Caffeine fixers The coffee shop experience has now moved into more homes than ever before.

Gary Sharp, group SDA sales director at RKW sums up the coffee drinking boom: “The growth in popularity of high street coffee shops has long had a positive effect on the SDA market and particularly around key gifting times, with sales of coffee makers always a popular line.

In this infamous year of the global pandemic, coffee shops up and down the country, whether big chains or small oneoff independents, have had to close during lockdown. The consequence of this has been that consumers, accustomed to grabbing a latte or Americano on the way to work, can no longer do that and what is more, if they’re working from home they’re equally missing out on purchasing that regular caffeine hit!

So, consumers have looked to replicate the brewed coffee experience at home – recent research has shown that four out of five adults in the UK drink coffee, while 66% regularly drink coffee machine coffee PROGRESSIVE

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Inset: Morphy Richards’ Espresso Machine recognises rising demand for the coffee shop experience at home.

Below: Stylish addition to the kitchen countertop: Tower Scandi Filter Coffee Machine in Sage Green from RKW.

(according to Mintel Coffee UK 2019.)”

Gary describes the addition of a filter coffee maker to the Tower Scandi range last year as “a natural move” reflecting that “consumers loved the combination of cool Nordic design and aroma of baristabrewed coffee.” Initial colours were soft grey or white, with light wood accents, followed by sage green and now Tower has launched a pink version for 2021. Gary observes: “Scandi was a very different move for Tower, in terms of design, and it has really proved a winner with retailers and consumers alike. We are seeing many more retailers looking to build a comprehensive offer in the coffee maker story and it is important to balance performance with products that consumers are going to delight in keeping on display.”

Morphy Richards entered the espresso machine market in late 2020, recognising the “significant uplift in luxury coffee making at home as consumers look to replace their coffee shop fixes,” says Annaliese Curtis, marketing manager for

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Market focus: tea & coffee the well-known brand. She acknowledges: “With many people continuing to work from home for the foreseeable future, we expect this boom to persist with people wishing to recreate coffee-shop quality drinking experiences at home with espresso machines and other coffee makers.”

However, Annaliese emphasises that: “There is still a desire for ease of-use and convenience, though, as time-poor consumers want coffee fixes that can be delivered quickly and fuss-free.”

Morphy Richards’ Espresso coffee machine addresses desires for convenience as well as coffee shop quality, with 15-bar pump pressure, a built-in cup warmer and dual cup dispenser. Annaliese adds: ”The innovative pump machine is compatible with ground coffee and ESE pods and features a steam wand with variable steam function to create perfect barista-style milk.”

She also notes the resurgence in the popularity of filter coffee machines in the home. She highlights: “Programmable features such as timers and innovative ‘keep warm’ and ‘deep clean’ functions

make products such as our Verve pourover filter coffee machine perfect for those who enjoy smooth, quality filter coffee but want it delivered quickly and conveniently at home.”

Every coffee drinker “can be a barista” in the comfort of their own home thanks to the features and ease of use of Gastroback’s Design Espresso Advanced Barista machine, states Marcus Lux, head of export and business development.

Equipped with a powerful and professional ULKA espresso pump with 15 bar, the machine also has a thermoblock heating system ensuring a quick heating-up time of around 1.5 minutes. The versatile machine has an integrated conical grinder for freshly ground coffee beans but is also compatible for coffee powder or ESE pods, and, as Marcus highlights, “Due to the integrated hot water function, tea is also no problem.”

Above: The 42619 Design Espresso Advanced Barista from Gastroback has a heated warming plate for up to six espresso cups, a two litre water tank and a 360° swivelling milk frothing nozzle.

Lockdown boost for tea According to the UKTIA (the UK Tea and Infusions Association), 86% of adults are now tea drinkers – a rise of 9% since a major government survey in 2000. The Rayware Group’s Lee Woodhall, senior brand manage for Price & Kensington acknowledges increased sales of teapots over the past year. He reports: “During lockdown we have noticed that people are enjoying ‘lockdown treats’, including door stop deliveries of afternoon tea so we suspect this might be contributing to the rise in sales.”

Price & Kensington’s teapot sales have risen for pots with and without filters. Lee observes: “We suspect customers are purchasing the teapot with the filter and opting for loose leaf tea as opposed to teabags due to the increased awareness of plastic used in teabags.” When it comes to colour choice, more mature consumers tend to opt for more neutral sales while younger customer pick brighter shades and matt glazes, Lee notes.

A survey of more than 2,000 adults across the UK, commissioned by the UKTIA in the latter part of 2020 found that younger adults rediscovered their love of tea during lockdown. Over half said they had upped their tea intake due to its ‘feel good factor,’ followed by drinking tea for increased hydration levels and also as an opportunity to socialise with family and friends (even if this was bringing a cup of tea to a virtual chat).

Four in ten of 18-34-year olds are more likely to brew a mug of tea than before lockdown. More than nine in ten say their tea-drinking habits are here to stay or will even increase in the future.

Dr Sharon Hall from the UKTIA reflected: “Lockdown has been hard for most of us – working alone at home and separated from loved ones, or dealing with boisterous children. Having a tea break has been one way for us to take a break in the confines of our own homes.” She notes that consumers in their twenties and thirties have become more adventurous with their tea choices. “Around four in ten tried new teas during lockdown – including herbal infusions for immunity, teas with added vitamins and different flavours of teas.”

Sharon’s expert tips include allowing tea to brew for up to three minutes: “if you want to max out on the health-promoting polyphenol compounds found naturally in tea.”

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Multi-sensory experience Melitta’s first-ever and beautifully designed electric pour over system (Epos) is tapping into the trend for “freestanding and aesthetically pleasing coffee machines,” notes Nigel Morrison, consumer and trade marketing manager at Melitta UK. With an integrated grinder for fresh coffee at the push of a button, the machine “champions form, function and flavour.”

Moreover, the coffee experience is not just about the final taste, as Nigel highlights: “the electric pour over system features an open filter, allowing you to experience the brewing process with all your senses.” Noting that the water spout rotates 360° and changes direction (with the water flow depending on the brewing profile), Nigel describes Epos as a “beautiful and intelligent machine, which interprets traditional by-hand filtration in a simplistic new way.” He adds: “What’s more, the pre-brew function gives the coffee time for ideal blooming, so its full-bodied aroma can develop in the best possible way.”

Top right: Melitta’s Epos combines manual pouring with innovative technology and modern design. Its hotplate allows the freshly brewed coffee to stay warm for up to 40 minutes.

Inset: On trend colours in Price & Kensington teapots from The Rayware Group.

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Advertorial Feature:

Inset: Press & Go French Press Travel Mug Bottom: Matcha Tea Frother and 8 Cup Essentials French Press with removable beaker

Press and go...

T

hrough their shared love of really great coffee, founders of Aerolatte, Alan Green and Gary Lane have over two decades created an extensive product line for the frothing, brewing and preparation of home-made coffee. It all began with the Original Aerolatte Steam Free Milk Frother and since then each Aerolatte product has been further refined and designed to improve, solve and make for a more enjoyable home brew experience.

For all coffee lovers, Aerolatte aims to help the consumer achieve professional results at home, simply and effectively.

The Original Aerolatte Steam Free Milk Frother can be used to froth all types of milk such as soy, rice, almond, coconut and even whisks UHT and powdered milk too!

Look out for their latest addition to the range with the electric Matcha Tea Whisk a perfect gift for avid detox advocates or matcha aficionados.

Inset: Professional results at home

COMING SOON: Aerolatte is delighted to introduce two more exciting and innovative products to their brand line. These include the Press & Go French Press Travel Mug and the 8 Cup Essentials French Press with removable glass beaker.

The Press & GO French Press Travel Mug features a 350ml steel travel container with its own individual French press inside. The mug is double walled for keeping drinks hot or cold when commuting and is leak-proof and dishwasher safe. French presses give an earthy, fuller depth of flavour for a natural coffee, perfect for the morning brew.

Inset: Simple and effective frothing accessories

The cafetiere mechanism is lockable, spill proof and has a drink-through lid, simply add hot water to your coffee press and you have quality coffee on the move.

The Aerolatte Essentials French Press gives the consumer top quality results with added functionality coupled with competitive pricing. This method of coffee brewing gives an earthy, fuller flavour for a natural coffee experience which allows you to taste the depth and intensity of the coffee. This product features a new lock and release button to ensure that the borosilicate beaker stays in place when pouring and is removable for an easy clean.

It is dishwasher safe and spare carafes and filters are also available.

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Market focus: tea & coffee

Inset: Statement pieces: new teapot designs from Grunwerg.

Below centre: Grunwerg’s Café Ole UFG cafetiere and airtight coffee canister.

Infuse-iastic approach to beverages A trend for tea and coffee exploration has been particularly significant in recent years, recognises Tom Basford, sales manager for Grunwerg. He reflects: “Over the last few years, we have found that consumers are expanding their tea and coffee drinking preferences, with many now favouring herbal and leaf teas and higher-quality coffee. These preferences, and the fact that more of us are now staying at home, have resulted in a substantial demand for teapots and cafetieres, with people putting more energy and effort into the beverages they brew.”

Tom continues: “These factors combined have produced a huge shift in favoured design of teapots, with consumers now caring more about style and versatility than ever before.

“Individuals now want to stand out more; they are willing to be more daring with their teapot designs and select styles with more

Below: Barista & Co’s Core All Grind.

personality. Which is why we have introduced a range of unique and distinctive teapot designs for our 2021 product launch.

“Hammered effects are a huge trend right now, which we have exhibited in our stainless steel and copper Sandringham teapots; featuring a high-shine hammered

effect exterior, premium swan-neck pouring spout and stay-cool hollow handle. We have introduced a revamped granite effect Premium teapot, inspired by the natural granite aesthetic, double-walled, and available in three distinctive colours: red, grey, and black.

“Teapots with infusers are very popular, especially our Belmont teapot infuser. They can be used for a range of teas and are the perfect choice if you are particular about the strength of your brew. In addition to designs, consumers are also more adventurous with sizes. 35oz teapots used to be the size of choice however 18oz and 48oz are now just as popular.

“Cafetieres are also seeing high demand, with individuals choosing a richer, more enjoyable taste than the standard instant coffee provides. As a result, our 2021 product launch includes new Café Ole cafetiere designs: Style, Desire, and UFD, as well as an attractive and versatile airtight coffee canister.”

A coffee for everyone Barista & Co is forging ahead with its mission to provide “a total coffee solution,” confirms managing director James Gray. In addition to spending the past five years designing and developing products for manual coffee brewing, the company’s new entry level, high quality electrical coffee grinder for espresso lovers “sold out in four days,” reports James. Moreover, Barista and Co is about to launch another electrical solution for the home: a compact bean to cup machine. This will be available via a drop ship model for stockists, providing the convenience of direct delivery to the end consumer.

“We’ve seen a major increase in making coffee at home and some people want to press a button, whereas others are happy using manual methods,” James acknowledges. “We can now offer all types of brewing solutions, from £10 upwards,” notes James. “There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to coffee; we need to ask consumers how they enjoy their coffee and then link them to our Brew Guide and different brewing methods as well as the right coffee beans. It’s about helping people find their personal coffee while keeping it simple and friendly; we are not coffee snobs.”

Barista & Co’s direct to consumer coffee bean service (now a year old) is ensuring that coffee lovers can access freshly roasted beans, combining quality and expertise with value for money. “We are seeing that our direct to consumer business is having benefits for our trade customers, resulting in huge increases in retail sales as our brand recognition grows,” states James. “We’re supporting this with national advertising campaigns using digital and print this year.”

James also recognises that, increasingly, “consumers want to know that they are buying from brands that have a heart and it isn’t just marketing spin.” Barista & Co joined 1% for the Planet last year, and has a long-term partnership with Project Waterfall to provide clean drinking water and sanitation in coffee growing regions globally.

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tEA and coffee The Ashley Thomas Signature style range from David Mason Design (pictured) comprises teapot, cups and saucers, and with complimenting mix and match serveware featuring vintage inspired florals, this range is perfect for making that cup of teatime uniquely special.

David Mason Design W: www.davidmasondesign.co.uk

Introducing Dorchester, a sophisticated variable temperature kettle available in beautiful sage green and pebble grey with wooden effect handle and base. This kettle features 1.7-litre capacity, an LCD display with six pre-set temperatures which allows you to reach the perfect temperature for your favourite hot beverage at a touch of a button. Whether it is green tea brewed at precisely 80 degrees or coffee at 90 degrees, Haden’s new Dorchester kettle is a perfect choice for brewing various types of tea and coffee. You can even keep the water at your desired temperature thanks to the keep warm function.

Haden Appliances T: +44 (0)1909 544 570 E: info@hadenappliances.com W: www.haden.com

The new Barista collection includes three perfectly sized insulated mugs which will keep your drink hot for hours. Each mug has an easy-grip durable powder coating which is dishwasher safe. Café Thermavac™ is the ideal size for expresso lover, it will fit under most coffee machines then lock in drinks’ flavour and aroma for longer. The Mocca Thermavac™ is compact and handy for medium sized drinks. The Leak-Lock™ flip lid with locking slider guarantees it won’t spill in your bag. Finally, the Java Thermavac™ commuter mug will keep larger drinks hot or cold for hours.

Burton McCall T: 0116 234 4646 E: sales@burton-mccall.com

Make your Americano with one of Horwood’s stylish Judge Cafetieres. There is a choice of four on trend styles: copper, anthracite, satin and classic. Available in both eight-cup and three-cup sizes. Constructed from borosilicate glass, Judge’s Cafetieres are simple, smart and fuss-free. Both scratch and stain resistant, with a high thermal shock performance, they are made to last. Heat resistant basis protect your surfaces too.

The mesh filter within the plunger and the glass vessel are replaceable too, so you don’t have to buy a whole new Cafetiere when it’s time to replace these.

Horwood T: 01179 400000 W: sales@horwood.co.uk W: www.horwood.co.uk/brands/judge

Say goodbye to disposable cups and hello to Le Creuset’s Travel Mug. This insulated Travel Mug is crafted from a double layer of stainless steel and is vacuum sealed to keep your drink warmer or cooler for longer. Available in Satin Black, Cerise, Volcanic and Marseille Blue, there is a colourway for every tea or coffee lover to enjoy on the go, whilst also making a subtle style statement and reducing waste.

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tEA and coffee

Typhoon’s Café Concept Collection allows you to bring the coffee shop experience into your home. The range features a mix and match of neutral-coloured pieces, from teapots to espresso glasses that are perfect for brewing and serving a multitude of different teas and coffees. Accompanying serving plates and saucers are designed to fit all mugs and cups in the Café Concept range.

Rayware T: 0151 486 1888 E: sales@rayware.co.uk W: www.rayware.co.uk

Perfect for coffee lovers, the Salter Caffé Burr Coffee Grinder (pictured) is ideal for creating beautifully blended coffee.

Featuring 18 adjustable grind settings that vary between coarse, medium and fine, and a 220g bean capacity. Great for getting your caffeine fix without the pricy shops!

Barista-style coffee achieves that authentic taste.

Salter T: sales@upgs.com W: www.saltercookshop.com

Tramontina introduces a range of on-the-go food and drink containers, including stainless steel thermal canisters. They are perfect for enjoying your favourite brew, whether out walking or working, but they are also great for foods such as soups, pasta dishes etc. and ideal for preparing a tasty working-from-home lunch in advance. They are part of a larger range comprising stainless steel lunchboxes, a neat stainless steel, on-the-go, cutlery set contained within a handy travel case and a selection of sustainable bamboo fibre lunchboxes.

Tramontina UK T: +44 (0) 20 3176 4557 / +44 (0) 20 3176 4558 E: contact.tuk@tramontina.com W: www.tramontina.com

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Advertorial: Fissler from Eddingtons

Serving up a unique experience for consumers Eddingtons is pleased to announce the exclusive distribution of Fissler cookware for the UK and Eire. Fissler is a family-owned manufacturing company, internationally known for producing premium cookware.

B

y combining carefully selected materials with their years of experience and passion, Fissler are committed to making cooking and serving a unique experience for consumers. Fissler has a wide range of German engineered pots, pans, pressure cookers, kitchen utensils and accessories all manufactured to the highest quality for optimum functionality.

HEALTHY COOKING Now more than ever, consumers are placing a greater value on becoming healthier, with the nation spending more time indoors cooking and preparing food experiences for their

family. During the pandemic, Fissler sales have soared as consumers invest in the best for their families and build collections of cookware that will last for years to come.

A healthy eating regime can also be achieved through the use of Fissler Pressure Cookers. This method of cooking is a real new wave trend reinvented from a traditional cooking method. Pressure cooking aspires to a healthy eating lifestyle while saving valuable time and energy resulting in perfect home-made dishes. Fissler pressure cookers have many clever features which allow consumers to PROGRESSIVE

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FRY PANS

Inset: A wide range of German engineered cookware.

Below: The thermo-sensitive SensoRed Frypan.

The SensoRed pan uses thermo-sensitive non-stick coating which lets you know when the right frying temperature has been reached. When heated, the frying pan surface changes colour to a darker shade of red to ensure optimum pan temperature is reached. In addition to this, outstanding non-stick properties make this a high performance everyday pan.

The Levital pan’s motto is to cook with less fat and enjoy healthier meals. Inspired by the lotus leaf, the coating of the Levital comfort pan has self-cleaning properties to allow for healthier frying with little to no fat. Thanks to its elliptical cross section the ergonomic safety handle is comfortable and safe to hold with an indentation that makes tipping easier with the stopper in the front section of the handle to provide additional safety. The quality base has stability, guaranteeing the pan sits flat on the stove for optimal heat distribution and retention.

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Advertorial: Fissler from Eddingtons

Inset: The Original-Profi Collection is made from high-grade 18/10 stainless steel.

ORIGINAL-PROFI COLLECTION

make tasty, vitamin-saving meals in a simple and convenient way. Some features include a removable handle for easy storage, a locking indicator for safety and ease of use, a positioning aid for speedy locking, as well as a cooking display to help gauge readiness. The encapsulated super-thermic base is suitable for all stove tops including induction.

The Original-Profi Collection is developed by professionals for professionals with an extensive range. All models are made of high-grade 18/10 stainless steel and are not only oven safe but also remarkably resilient to scratches and stains. The range includes both pots and pans and all have unique features to optimise high-quality cooking. The pots feature stainless steel cold-metal handles which do not heat up when the pot is being used so there is no need for gloves as well as an extra heavy lid to keep heat, ingredients and aromas in the pot. Fissler pans score highly with their practical functions and high quality down to the smallest details. Fissler have seen consumers invest in high-quality cookware during the global pandemic by purchasing complete sets or building their collections piece by piece.

PRESSURE COOKERS

The Vitavit Premium pressure cooker has a unique design that stands out in your kitchen. This versatile model is equipped with a practical steamer inset and a pressure-free steam function and you no longer need a steamer. There is no need to stand at the stove for hours to serve up a delicious meal. Healthconscious gourmets in particular love the advantages of this economic form of boiling and simmering. You can also use this pressure cooker not just to cook but to also defrost food, make preserves or even extract juice.

Above: The 5-piece Original-Profi Set. Right: Pressure cooking becoming more popular with consumers

The Eddingtons Team remain on hand to manage the Fissler brand. Please forward any enquires to sales@eddingtons.co.uk or contact the office sales team on 01488 686572.

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NEW PRODUCTS

Haden’s new portable blender is perfect for smoothies, protein shakes or making baby food on the go. Convenient and practical, this portable blender is multifunctional and easily rechargeable via USB. Featuring six sharp stainless-steel blades and 300ml BPA free cup, this gadget is very easy to clean, just put some water in the cup after finishing your favourite smoothie and press the button to start.

The blender is equipped with 80W motor and has long lasting battery that can blend up to 40 times per charge. Haden Portable Blender is available in sage green and slate grey colours.

Haden Appliances T: +44 (0)1909 544 570 E: info@hadenappliances.com W: www.haden.com

New for 2021, the Taylor Pro USB Rechargeable Kitchen Scales, which feature a lithium ion battery designed to last the product's lifetime.

Other features include a wipe-clean stainless steel removable platform, which is stain and odour resistant and a highly accurate weighing sensor, which is capable of measuring liquids as well as dry ingredients and allows you to easily switch between a choice of units. The TARE functionality is ideal for offsetting bowl/container weights or measuring multiple ingredients, and there is an easy-read backlit screen and a measurement hold feature.

Lifetime Brands Europe T: +44 (0) 121 604 1111 E: saleseu@lifetimebrands.com These new Vegan Wax Wraps allow you to say

W: www.kitchencraft.co.uk

‘goodbye’ to foil and plastic and adopt an ecofriendlier option for organic, sustainable food Tramontina is set to introduce some exciting

storage! Made from organic materials – cotton,

new lines for SS21, amongst which is Verttice –

candelilla wax, soy wax and pine resin, they are

an exquisitely designed, innovative new knife

perfect for sandwiches, fruit, veg, breads, pastries

collection. All five items in the collection – a

and for covering bowls, meaning fresh food and less

chef’s knife, paring knife, fillet knife, carving

waste. They can be used time and time again and

knife and bread knife, feature super sharp

when needed they can be rejuvenated with Lifetime

stainless-steel blades which undergo a heat

Brands’ vegan wax refresh cubes. The wraps come

treatment during manufacture to guarantee a

in a pack of three different sizes or as a convenient

longer lasting, stronger cutting edge. Made

1m x 25cm roll.

from certified wood, the ergonomic handles

Lifetime Brands Europe

ensure a safe grip and add a lovely rustic

T: +44 (0) 121 604 1111

touch. Each item is individually packaged in a

E: saleseu@lifetimebrands.com

stylish gift box.

W: www.kitchencraft.co.uk

Tramontina UK T: +44 (0) 20 3176 4557 / +44 (0) 20 3176 4558 E: contact.tuk@tramontina.com W: www.tramontina.com

The Branch Out from Full Circle brings an innovative and attractive design solution to an everyday problem – how to drain water bottles and lids without invading counter space. This design-lead, stylish countertop rack allows organisation of multiple sizes of bottles and awkward shaped lids all at one time – the go-to, fast action drying station! With its’ 360 degree rotating arms, Branch Out is constructed with bamboo and recycled plastics and is fitted with a heavy ceramic base which efficiently catches drips. Branch Out is sustainably manufactured with the endorsement of Full Circle’s Certified B Corp accreditation.

Eddingtons T: 01488 686 572 E: sales@eddingtons.co.uk PROGRESSIVE

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TALA PERFORMANCE SILVER ANODISED BAKEWARE MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

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NEW PRODUCTS Brabantia is very excited to introduce the HangOn Drying Racks, available from March 2021. This freestanding rack comes in four sizes, for drying laundry anywhere in the house. With smart loops for clothes hangers, great for drying blouses and shirts. There’s a HangOn Drying Rack with 15, 20, and 25 metres of hanging space, and a 25-metres plus rod (pictured), all sustainably made and proudly supporting WeForest.

Brabantia UK T: 01275 810600 E: sales.uk@brabantia.com

Creative Party’s market-leading, award-nominated paper straws are now available in gorgeous metallics! Silver, Gold and Rose Gold finishes look like foil, but are 100% recyclable and biodegradable. The patented Eco-Flex technology gives these paper straws the same bend and flex of a plastic straw and the durable quality means no unravelling or disintegrating. Sustainably sourced and made in the USA.

Creative Party T: 01202 590222 W: www.creativepartyltd.com

Zoku’s Pocket Utensil Set is designed to replace single use plastic for good! The neatly nesting set of three utensils includes a spoon, fork and knife. The utensils stow snugly into the slim travel case. The complete set is made to fit in a pocket, purse, backpack or lunchbox.

No sink? No problem, just put the dirty utensils back in the case and clean when you get home. The set and case is dishwasher safe for ease of cleaning and it is available in three colours for adults and three fun designs for children.

Burton McCall T: 0116 234 4611 E: sales@burton-mccall.com

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D iscover Tramontina’s

SINCE 1911.

tramontina.co.uk

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@TramontinaUK

passion and professionalism, designed for today’s lifestyle.

@TramontinaUK

@Tramontina

contact.tuk@tramontina.com

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NEW PRODUCTS

Stay sharp with the NEW Wusthof Performer range. Advanced with a DLC (diamond-like carbon) coating on the admirable black blade, increasing its strength. Handles have been optimised

Compact and space efficient, the new EKO Morandi

with a non-slip hexagon power grip,

is perfect for waste separation at home. It comes with

consisting of a honeycomb structure

stickers to customise your bin with the correct label

that provides comfortability and control

for your waste and recycling. Available in blue, grey

under the most demanding kitchen

or white, and choice of 20L, 30L or 40L sizes. The

prep tasks.

slim, interlocking design sits flush against each other

Haus

or against a wall. With an easy,

T: 01782 572910

touch open lid – there’s also a

E: nfo@inthehaus.co.uk

removable bin liner holder to

W: inthehaus.co.uk

hold bags securely in place.

EKO Home E: info@ekohome.co.uk

Brabantia is proud to introduce the latest addition to its Sink Side family – the foldable dish drying racks. The large rack holds up to 15 plates and has two removable cutlery baskets, plus hanging space for four wine glasses, while the regular rack has one cutlery basket and can hold up to 11 plates.

Both racks come with a drip tray, and are available in either Dark or Light Grey. Coming March 2021!

Brabantia UK T: 01275 810600 E: sales.uk@brabantia.com

This unique leather knife set has been carefully assembled to provide the perfect tools for any kitchen task. The knife roll is beautifully handcrafted from 100% Italian Buffalo leather and features adjustable contrasting leather straps, vintage metal buckles and a riveted logo stamp leather patch. The set includes the G-2 Cook’s Knife, the G-9 Bread Knife, the GS-5 Vegetable

New for Spring 2021, Le

Knife, the GS-11 Flexible Utility Knife and the GS-38 Paring Knife.

Creuset is excited to

Grunwerg

announce the launch of the

E: sales@grunwerg.co.uk

Le Creuset Hydration bottle.

W: Globalknives.uk

The brand-new bottle is the first of its kind from Le Creuset, and is available in a rainbow of classic shades: from bright Volcanic, to subtly chic Shell Pink. With a sleek and stylish design in both matte and gloss finishes, this truly is the ultimate combination of function and beauty, perfect for use on the go.

Le Creuset T: 01264 343909 W: www.lecreuset.co.uk

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NEW PRODUCTS For top-notch blending, super speedy soups and perfect purees, use the time-saving Stellar Stick Blender, which will work wonders in just a few minutes. The power required can be controlled with the variable-speed 600W motor, ensuring you will not over blitz or chop to smithereens.

When extra oomph is required, there is a turbo button too.

The Stellar Stick Blender is versatile and delivers outstanding performance. It makes quick work of kitchen tasks without having to resort to a bulky food processor and is packed with features.

Horwood Beautiful bakes deserve beautiful boxes! Creative Party’s new range of

T: 01179 400000

premium quality cake and treat boxes includes five best-selling formats,

W: www.horwood.co.uk/brands/stellar

covering confectionery, cupcakes and celebration cakes. Each style is available in a rose gold polka dot or gold star luxury foil print and includes an insert card for extra strength and structure.

Creative Party T: 01202 590222 W: www.creativepartyltd.com

Simplicity, form and function are at the fore with a host of new introductions from Built for 2021.

For example, each new 500ml Planet Bottle is made from approximately 15 recycled PET plastic bottles and is made up of three sections for easy cleaning, including the lid which turns into a cup. Available in four organic

Developed from the revolutionary Wusthof Classic

shades – sea, natural, coral and

range, the new Classic White series is here.

green, the bottles feature 100%

Adapted with crisp, white handles, simplicity has

plastic free packaging and there is

been refined. These timeless knives offer

also the availability of a POS unit

everything needed for precise and efficient

for retail display impact.

preparing and plating of delicious food. The bright

Lifetime Brands Europe

handles are colour resistant, staying clean and fresh for years to come.

T: +44 (0) 121 604 1111 E: saleseu@lifetimebrands.com W: www.kitchencraft.co.uk

Easy Glass is an entirely new concept in oven-to-table ware from Kuhn Rikon.

Tough borosilcate glass with super smooth non-stick coating; nothing sticks so it’s always super easy to clean. Available in three sizes.

Kuhn Rikon UK T: 01902 458410 E: sales@kuhnrikon.co.uk

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Haus T: 01782 572910 E: info@inthehaus.co.uk

alls or c nw inets ab

Hangs o

New Puro Hanging Caddy

The new EKO Puro Food Waste Caddy is clever, convenient and versatile. It hangs on walls or cabinet doors, without leaving a trace - thanks to the handy hook and invisible sticker included with the caddy. Alternatively, it can simply sit on a worktop or windowsill.

Available in different colours and sizes, and with matching compostable bin liners. Many other new products launching soon.

Please contact Sam Taylor at info@ ekohome.co.uk and we’ll develop a unique proposal to help your business thrive.

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NEW PRODUCTS

‘The most useful pan in the kitchen’ is how Kuhn Rikon would describe the All-round 24cm Sauteuse. Perfect for risotto, stir fry, casseroles and stews, or just a plain fried egg.

Kuhn Rikon UK T: 01902 458410 E: sales@kuhnrikon.co.uk Eddingtons is pleased to add Icebreaker to its distribution line including the Icebreaker POP and Icebreaker Freezer Cool Bag. The Icebreaker POP is a portable ice cube tray that is sustainable, hygienic and easy to use. Simply fill, freeze and serve with no mess or need to handle loose ice. The freeze cool bag allows users to transport ice to parties and picnics with style.

Eddingtons T: 01488 686 572 E: sales@eddingtons.co.uk

ProCook launches the exquisitely designed Damascus 67 Knife range this month. Using the most advanced materials, design and manufacturing techniques, each knife is crafted from world-renowned, authentic Japanese Damascus stainless steel and features an inner core of high- carbon steel encased in 66 layers of anti-corrosive steel. These stylish, slimline knives have G10 handles and are finished with a stylish stamped rear bolster bearing the Japanese symbol 強 which translates as ‘strength’.

ProCook T: +44 (0) 121 604 1111 E: info@procook.co.uk W: www.procook.co.uk

The new MasterClass Smart Ceramic is a highquality range of bakeware that lets you cook, bake, stack and store and features a revolutionary ceramic coating with a non-stick surface like no other, offering exceptional performance. The surface is also slightly

Earth Pan by Prestige is made from

textured, allowing for fat-free cooking and

100% recycled and 100% recyclable

ensuring flawless food release and easy

materials, and is produced in an

cleaning. Eight pieces make up the collection,

energy efficient way using 88% less

all of which are designed to nest together

CO2 emissions. With handles formed

without risk of surface damage, for unique

from recycled plastic bags and a

space saving storage of multiple yet essential

toxin-free ceramic non-stick coating,

bakeware items in one footprint.

this pioneering product is a revolution in environmentally sound cookware.

Lifetime Brands Europe

Prestige uses recycled and recyclable

T: +44 (0) 121 604 1111

materials wherever it can, with zero

E: saleseu@lifetimebrands.com

compromise on the quality and

W: www.kitchencraft.co.uk

lasting performance you’d expect.

Meyer Group T: 0151 482 8180 W: www.prestige.co.uk PROGRESSIVE

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Product Directory

6 great brands under one roof

customer services - 01252 828055 cust.serv@dkbrands.co.uk cust.serv@dkbrands.c co.uk

XXXXX-DKB-95x78mm Logos advert.indd 1

T | +44 (0) 1488 686 6 572 E | sales@eddingtons.c co.uk W | www.ed . dingtons.c co.uk

A w ard winning specialt y c offee and kit for c offee l o vers

Seee the full range aatt baristaandc anndcotra

Easy Glass Truly non-stick oven-to-tableware Kuhn Rikon (UK) Ltd for more information contact sales@kuhnrikon.co.uk 01902 458410 PROGRESSIVE

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01/12/2020 12:18

PH PRODUCT DIRECTORY.qxp_Layout 1 12/02/2021 14:11 Page 2

Product Directory EW

N

E THE AL LL NEW N EPOS® FROM MEL LIT TTA. A

Experi excep coffee Melitta® EPOS®.

For trade enquires please contact David D Price: T: 01952 671 077 E: david.price@me elitta.co.uk W: www.melitta-momentum.com

The Innovation Continues

Calll today!

T: 0151 651 2265 • sales@phassocs.co.uk www w..phakitch henessentials.co.uk

PLAN FOR GROWTH WITH RKW

WIPE O OUT DIRT IN NA

EUROPE’S LEADING DISTRIBUTOR OF SDA AND HOUSEWARES A PRODUCTS. If you’re not already working with us, get in touch today! www.rk . wltd.com sales@rkwltd.com 0333 220 6070

sales@whatm moreuk.com www.whatm moreuk.com tel: 012 282 687047

Over ON NE MILLION air fryers so old!

PROGRESSIVE

Certain tradem marks used under license from o The Procter & Gam mble company or its affiliates. affiliates

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NEW PRODUCTS New to Tala is the Performance Silver Anodised Bakeware range (pictured). Manufactured in the UK from professional grade materials, the surface will never peel, blister, warp, or rust.

The special alloy core heats quickly and evenly for consistent and perfect bakes, superior performance, and easy release. Offered with a 10-year guarantee; the range is proudly featured in our brand new 2021 catalogue. Please contact your account manager for details.

George East T: 01728 833400 E: sales@george-east.com\ W: www.george-east.com

DMD may not be able to show off new ranges at this years’ Spring Fair, however it can bring its customers a bit of Spring to their stores with the new Pressed flowers collection. A beautiful delicate floral decorated collection of porcelain teaware and home accessories. Products include teapot, two-tier cake stand, cup and saucer, mugs, tea plates, bowls and serveware.

David Mason Design W: www.davidmasondesign.co.uk

51% of people CHOOSEE the wrong coffee ma keer

NOT TO STRONG BREW IT STICK

tea and coffee One Brew

If you would like to take advantage of the growth in home om you. coffee brewing, we would love to hear fro sales@baristaandco.com / 01202 619 500 / baristaandco.com

FULLL BODIED COREE COFFFEE PRESSS

How do you like your coffee?

With one question and a simple guide, we want to help your customers find their coffeee.

Light and clean Pour O ver

With every purchase we give back

2020 Barista & Co Coffee survey of 348 consumers

PROGRESSIVE

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Short, bla ck & strong Twist Press

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Retailer profile

THE TOP

5 SHELF PORTRAIT

THE SHOP’S CURRENT BESTSELLING HOUSEWARES: l Kilo EuroScrubby from CKS l Judge Double Walled Cappuccino Glasses from Horwood l Stellar Roasters from Horwood l Gin Glasses from Tradestock l Glass Mini Measures from Eddingtons

COOKS BOUTIQUE Cooks Boutique in Letchworth recently turned two years old and launched its online

ON THE WAY UP “Sales of cleaning products have increased: brushes, cleaning cloths, dish cloths. More people are spending time at home and want a better environment to live in.”

shop last summer. PH asked owner Punit Shah about bestsellers, best customers, hopes for the future, and keeping busy during lockdowns.

UPS AND DOWNS

Below: Cooks Boutique changed its signage during November’s lockdown.

“Staying at home has meant we have sold fewer lunchboxes. However, surprisingly, we had an uptake in ‘on the go’ coffee cups because people are going out for walks and want to take a hot drink with them.”

KEEPING IT NEW Inset: Judge Double Walled Cappuccino Glasses are part of a range of insulated drinkware.

THE BEST THING

“We are lucky enough to have space so people can feel free to walk around without knocking anything, and it is good for people pushing prams or in a wheelchair.”

DURING LOCKDOWNS

“Luckily we launched our website during the first lockdown. We have been working on it for about a year, but were delayed when things in the shop took priority. In lockdown we had no choice but to get it finished. Since then our online sales have gathered momentum and we are despatching orders every day. I have noticed an increasing number of local Hertfordshire customers ordering from us online, so word must be getting round. We started to offer click and collect in November’s lockdown. We also changed our shopfront sign. This lockdown, we are using some of our time in the shop to stock take in between doing click and collect orders, which are slower this time round.”

Below: A display at Cooks Boutique.

Facts and stats l The shopfloor at Cooks Boutique, Letchworth is 1,500 square feet and the shop stocks over 2,500 SKUs. It opened in December 2018. l Punit started selling kitchenware in starter packs for students going to university, but was keen to sell premium brands rather than budget products, so, after a period of selling via consumer shows, a bricks and mortar and online cookshop was a natural progression. l Besides Punit, the team in the shop includes two part-time retail assistants and assistant manager Margherita Contu - finalist for Retail Employee of the Year in The Excellence in Housewares 2020 and renowned for her artistic window displays.

STAR CUSTOMERS

“In December a couple came in the shop, picked up a basket, went straight to our Kilner shelves and cleared then; they brought every single jar. I think they knew we would be going into lockdown again.

They were going to fill some of the jars to give as Christmas gifts.”

PROGRESSIVE

“Our most recent new supplier is Alessi – it has been quite well received by our customers. We are always on the look out for new products and, although we have slowed down on ordering new products at the moment, we are holding a lot of Zoom meetings with suppliers to choose new products for the year ahead. We’ll also look at the virtual Spring Fair although nothing replaces seeing things in person when trade shows start again.”

RECENT TRADE

“Before Hertfordshire went into Tier 4 on December 20 our sales were up year on year. Since Christmas, our online and click and collect customers are generally buying core items such as bakeware, cookware and utensils.”

LOOKING FORWARD

“We’re looking forward to getting customers back in the shop in the weeks ahead, and in the longer term, we’re looking forward to opening a cookery school with an area in the shop for demonstrations and classes.

We have 1,500 square foot of stock room in addition to our shopfloor, so we have space.”

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Inset: Christmas 2020 at Cooks Boutique.

Progress Shimmer 90 Years HR.pdf

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PLATING UP WITH THE FAMILY FOR 90 YEARS 1931

2021

Cooking for everyone since 1931, our latest ranges celebrate our 90th birthday in style with brand new colourways and exciting finishes. Progress helps you update your kitchen cupboards without leaving functionality behind. Cookware and kitchen electricals that coordinate across your kitchen, that’s Progress.

N I V E R S A RY N A EST.1931

#plateupwithProgress C

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