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ISSUE 1624 June 13, 2016

The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Active Lifestyle Market

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JUNE 13, 2016 | SGBWeekly.com

ISSUE 1624 June 13, 2016

The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Active Lifestyle Market

9 Gourmet On The Go

Photo courtesy Igloo

SSI DATA | OUTDOOR

FEATURES

5 Could The 'Glamping' Trend Be Starting To Wane? SSI Data|Outdoor powered by SportsOneSource looks at the retail sales data

6 Surviving Grizz Certification from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee has become synonymous with durability in the premium cooler market

14 Industry Calendar

9 Gourmet On The Go Cast-iron cookware and heavy-duty coolers forgo weight restrictions for durability

EDITOR'S PICK 15 Gourmet Meals and Cold Beer Highlight products coming to the Camp Kitchen

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Cover Photo courtesy Backpacker's Pantry

SSI DATA

Could The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Glampingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Trend Be Starting To Wane? Lighter, more versatile single-burner stoves fuel early-summer camp-kitchen gains at retail. Photo courtesy Mountain House

By Ben Pickel

ales for multi-burner stoves and family camping cookware declined year-to-date (YTD) according to SSI Outdoor sales data. Overall, Camping and Backpacking Essentials sales had minor growth, up 1.5 percent YTD and just 1 percent during the most recent rolling 52week period. But Family Camping Cookware headed the opposite direction, falling 11 percent YTD with Plates/Cups/Utensils, the largest subcategory, declining 39 percent. Travel Grill sales continued to slide with an 8-percent drop during the recent trailing 52-week period and plummeted 47 percent YTD. And Single Burner Stoves gained 29 percent, while Two-Burner and Three-Burner Stoves fell 13 percent and 34 percent, respectively. During the week leading into Memorial Day weekend (May 22-28) Camping and Backpacking Essentials showed strong growth, up 28 percent, driven primarily from increased sales in Single Burner Stoves which surged 116 percent and Stove Systems gained 46 percent while Three-Burner Stoves declined 44 percent. Family Camping Cookware had meager gains at two percent while the more minimally inspired Backpack Cookware category grew 53 percent, which could be an indicator that outdoor enthusiasts are increasingly seeking to find backcountry experiences and/or are preferring to pack lighter even when car camping. Product advancements in Single Burner Stoves and compact Stove Systems coupled with more appetizing options in the Food Products Category have made it easier for backpackers and car campers to enjoy a gourmet meal in minutes by simply boiling water. The Food Products category gained 28 percent during the week leading to Memorial Day with Entrees up 55 percent and Side Dishes/Desserts growing 34 percent. These gains are consistent with the overall growth trend highlighted below. It would seem that outdoor enthusiasts are becoming less interested in bringing the indoors outdoors but instead are valuing versatility and pursuing products that provide a convenient and comfortable experience on multi-day backpacking trips as well as at a road-side campground. Fortunately, Single Burner Stoves, compact Stove Systems and delicious dehydrated food options are making the choice an easy one for consumers. *SSI Data, powered by SportsOneSource, collects and analyzes POS data from more than 15,000 retail doors across nine channels of distribution. To learn more contact SSI Data | SportsOneSource at 303.997.7302 or email Solutions@SportsOneSource.com.

JUNE 13, 2016 | SGBWeekly.com

“THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF CONTAINER TESTING IS TO BENEFIT WILDLIFE OUT IN THE WILD. IF THEY DON’T GET INTO THAT COOLER, THEY WILL MOVE ON AND FIND THAT FOOD IN THE FOREST.” - RANDY GRAVATT, FACILITIES TESTING MANAGER, GRIZZLY & WOLF DISCOVERY CENTER

CLICK TO PLAY Photo courtesy Yeti

Surviving Grizz Thanks in part to the success of Yeti Coolers, certification from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee has become synonymous with durability in the premium cooler segment. By Charles Lunan

f your customers are shopping for high-end coolers, you wouldn’t blame them for thinking campsites nationwide are under assault by a horde of angry grizzly bears. At deadline, 103 cooler models made by two dozen companies had been certified bear-resistant according to standards set by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC), including five certified in May by four companies. The list of new entries included 35- and 55-quart Orion cooler made by Jackson Kayak and new models from Grizzly Coolers, Canyon Coolers LLC and Magellan, which is owned by Academy Sports & Outdoors. Igloo Products Corp. now offers 21 IGBC-certified coolers, including the Yukon Marine and Sportsman models sold by many sporting goods dealers.

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The brands proudly market the certification as a symbol of their products’ toughness as contenders look to take a slice of the high-end cooler market that Yeti pioneered and still dominates. To earn certification, coolers must endure a “live bear test” at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, MT, where workers may opt to smear peanut butter or fish oil on a product to entice one of its captive bears. The tests are considered complete after 60 minutes of bear contact, which the IGBC describes as “biting, clawing, pounding, compressing, licking, chewing or scratching.” “Products may undergo contact by a number of bears of various sizes and with varying levels of experience with containers,” noted the IGBC’s product testing protocol.

The IGBC was formed in 1983 by four federal land management agencies and their counterparts in Canada and state and provincial governments committed to restoring grizzly bear populations in designated areas. Along the way, the committee developed standards for containers designed to discourage bears from associating humans with food. Careless storage of food and garbage, it turns out, is the leading cause of unwanted bear encounters, which result in dead bears far more often than mauled or dead humans. “The ultimate goal of container testing is to benefit wildlife out in the wild,” said Randy Gravatt, who oversees the actual testing for the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. “If they don’t get into that cooler, they will move on and find that food in the forest.” The IGBC has certified more than a dozen food containers for backpackers over the years, but the idea of certifying coolers has become popular only in the last decade as Yeti Coolers proved large numbers of consumers would pay hundreds of dollars for high-performance coolers. While Yeti built its brand catering to sportsmen looking for a way to keep their provisions cold for days in the backcountry or offshore, the brand’s success has made IGBC-certified, rotomolded construction a de facto standard in the market for $200-plus rigid coolers. While IGBC-certification may seem like overkill, it’s much easier to understand than some obscure technical standard from a laboratory — particularly after watching a video of one of the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center’s live bear tests. “It certainly speaks to overall durability of product,” said D.J. Bell, director of product marketing for Yeti. “Even folks buying it for more sedentary uses want to be prepared for an extreme event. If it falls of

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Yeti’s success has made IGBC-certified, rotomolded construction a de facto standard in the market for $200-plus rigid coolers.

the back of your truck, it’s good to know you can pick it up and keep on trucking.” Thanks to Academy Sports + Outdoors, that kind of durability is now available below the $200 price point. The company began selling an IGBC-certified, 27-quart Magellan cooler in May for $150. That's less than half what Jackson Kayak is asking for its Orion 25 and about half what Yeti’s charges for its smallest rotomolded cooler, the Tundra 35.

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JUNE 13, 2016 | SGBWeekly.com

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Gourmet On The Go Cast-iron cookware and beefy coolers show a new willingness to forgo weight restrictions in the name of durability By Courtney Holden

Photo courtesy Industrial Revolution

JUNE 13, 2016 | SGBWeekly.com

his summer’s camp kitchen accommodates high-end consumers who value their creature comforts and expect to take them along when sleeping under the stars. “The trend follows pretty closely the interest in gourmet/foodie culture in the U.S.,” said Peter Pontano, director of marketing and product development at Industrial Revolution. “With more importance and relevance being put on food in our culture, we are constantly surrounded with information and the presentation of ‘good food’ and good-food preparation.” That extends to those cooking in the great outdoors. Brands are lowering the barrier to entry for outdoor recreationists more likely to reach the campsite via Ford than foot. Expect to see a decrease in consumer sensitivity to the weight of their kitchenware — after all, as car campers they’re hauling gear in their car, not on their backs — and an increase in consumer sensitivity to the ingredient list — GMO-free fare and all-natural based ingredients are now on the menu. And as consumers have proved willing to open their wallets for high-end coolers, brands are upping their tech game to offer more durable options that deliver long-term insulation properties.

Photo courtesy Stanley

Overall, there’s a push toward comfort rather than going hardcore. “These days the casual side of the outdoors is embraced by the whole industry,” said Eric Shear, Stanley’s director of global product management. “Great times outside with the people you care about don’t have to involve challenge seeking, and for many brands, design principles have been reexamined to ensure this shift is incorporated properly.” An Elevated Camping Experience The camp kitchen category has undergone a transformation in recent years as it caters to consumers who spend less time on the trail and more time cooking elaborate and fresher meals. “Young people are more focused on the relaxing

CLICK TO PLAY

10 SGBWeekly.com | JUNE 13, 2016

location they arrive to than the journey to get there,” said Jeremy Dodge, marketing manager at Mountainsmith. There are many reasons for the shift toward a plusher campsite. One, the increase in urbanization means consumers have a harder time getting outside as much as they would like. When they do exchange their skyscrapers for more scenic vistas, they want the experience to be enjoyable, not taxing. Two, these consumers tend to be less practiced in outdoor cooking methods and need more user-friendly equipment. And third, they like — and expect — good food. Notably, the cultural swing seen in everyday life toward well-prepared food made from responsibly sourced, good-for-you ingredients is making inroads in the camping kitchen space. And it no longer carries the stigma of “glamping,” explained Industrial Revolution’s Pontano. “In the same way ‘gourmet’ food has lost the preconception of being ‘snobby,’ … you can be hardcore and like good food and drinks,” he said. “We are surrounded with great, innovative fare. Why not enjoy the same while outdoors?” More Weight? Why Not? Dutch ovens and skillets were the original frontiersman cooking vessels, and today’s consumers are returning to those roots. Because so many recreationists are setting up camp close to their cars, we’re seeing an uptick in heavier cooking

season look for exciting new flavors like Indian vegetable korma from Good-To-Go, chicken piccata from Backpacker’s Pantry and New York-style cheesecake from Mountain House. “Consumers want more flavorful meals in this category,” said Melissa Fukushima from Backpacker’s Pantry. “Consumers want a meal that they may not typically create at home, and/or one that has more complex flavors than the DIY meals typically provide.”

Good-To-Go Founder Jennifer Scism (right) with her husband and business partner, David Koorits Photo courtesy Good-To-Go

equipment. The clearest examples of this trend: the rise in two-burner stoves and, in particular, cast-iron cookware. “Part of the increase is that outdoor cooks, especially new people cooking outdoors, are becoming more attuned to a wider variety of recipes that can be prepared in cast iron,” said Mark Kelly, PR and advertising manager for Lodge Cast Iron Company. Cast-iron skillets are “much more versatile than most cooks can imagine. It is considered the best pan for searing steaks and other pieces of meat, but it can also be used to sear more delicate items like salmon, tuna, trout and other fish.” For consumers heading farther down the trail, brands offer seasoned carbon steel as a lighter weight alternative to cast iron, which is faster to heat up and cool down. Collapsibility is another must-have “because it minimizes space in your backpack once it is empty,” said Holly Hansen, marketing communications manager for Avex. Campsite Gourmet Ok, so Bear Grylls’ style of eating snakes, spiders and grubs was never a pastime of the general camping public, but it’s clear that backpacking fare has been taking it up a few nutritional notches of late. The most noticeable difference is the number of brands going gluten-free and touting nutrition labels with recognizable ingredient lists. A few take it further with organic and non-GMO offerings.

The change is driven by today’s more conscious consumer, explained Jennifer Scism, chef and co-founder of Good-To-Go. In the past, backpackers focused entirely on the gear — how light the pack was, the added ounces of one stove variety versus another — and forgot about the type and quality of the calories. “Food became the bottom choice. They would throw in some ramen noodles and then figure, ‘I’ll eat crappy for two days and be fine.’ Now, I think people are realizing that food and nutrition is really important, especially for good energy levels,” she said. Cuisine is also taking on an international twist as manufacturers offer globally inspired fare —and we’re not just talking about the typical pasta primavera and beef stroganoff. This

The Big Chill Whether it’s a hunter deep in the backcountry who needs to prevent his meat from spoiling or a car camper who expects his beer to still be cold after three days in the woods, consumers have heightened expectations from their coolers. As a result, brands are tweaking the technology to offer highly durable products that keep items colder for longer. In addition to upping the amount of foam and adding robust lid gaskets, many manufacturers are turning to rotational-molded construction. Built through a slow-baking process that creates a thicker, more durable wall and made in a single, continuous piece, roto-molded coolers — as they’re commonly called — have greater impact strength and greater ice retention due to thicker foam and heavier walls. Brands are also tailoring products to a consumer base with an anti-consumerism, “buy it for life” mentality. These buyers want quality products, and they’re willing to pay for them. “We’re seeing a movement away from the disposable lifestyle,” said DJ Bell, Yeti’s director of product marketing. “People not only want to make purchase decisions that are better for the environment, but of products that stand up to the elements and last for years.”

Photo courtesy Primus

JUNE 13, 2016 | SGBWeekly.com

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