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Leading platform connecting brands with buyers, Product Guru, is launching POP – a series of tech-powered popup concept stores in London throughout September, to get brands exposed to hundreds of key players in their market.
As part of the inaugural events, Product Guru will host a POP concept store for home and gifting from 18 to 23 September, in Islington, London.
POP will look like a retail store and invite stakeholders including buyers, distributors, investors, influencers and more, to browse innovative products in the category.
The events will integrate Product Guru’s platform to display product details and videos, allowing attendees to connect with brands and take actions. 3D technology will enable other attendees to join the experience virtually.
POP events will move from London across Europe, USA, Dubai and Sydney, offering brands a budget-friendly opportunity to reach international markets.
Product Guru’s CEO, Simon Coyle, says: “We’re very excited to launch POP, our new concept store events to get brands in front of hundreds of industry stakeholders. We’re taking the best aspects of trade shows, re-imagining the pop-up concept store, and creating a new tech-powered, cost-effective, and highly targeted event for introducing brands to new markets.”
Bridal is back with spend matching 2019 levels, says Beatriz Ball
Beatriz Ball says 2022 is set to be one of the biggest years for weddings with spend matching 2019 levels. Taking information gleaned from its wedding planning digital platform, the company is reporting a “rush to traditional bigger weddings again with many event sites report reservation backlogs and long wait times.”
“Brides and grooms are lining up to say I Do. Sign-ups on wedding registry sites are soaring,” says Beatriz Ball, founder of the company. “This is good news for so many in our industry who sell engagement, bridal and wedding items that make their way onto bridal registries. We have heard attendance and spend on weddings in 2022 is back to 2019 levels,” she adds.
“I think after a mostly two-year hiatus, people are excited to get back together again to celebrate the union of the married couple with close family and all friends,” adds Kelly Wenzel, national sales manager.
Zwiesel launches
United Tables
Zwiesel Kristallglas AG is now expanding its portfolio and launching a full-service provider for table settings in the hospitality sector: United Tables by Zwiesel.
From April 2022, under the corporate umbrella brand United Tables by Zwiesel, extensive top-quality ranges from the Fortessa brand in the tableware and cutlery product categories will complement the wide range of crystal glassware and tableware collections under the Zwiesel Glas and Schott Zwiesel brands. This new subsidiary of Zwiesel Kristallglas AG will showcase its product range for the very first time at Internorga in Hamburg.
The aim behind United Tables is not to look at individual tableware categories only, but to present the set table as one overall concept. It will focus on dine-out hospitality and promote the idea of “Get inspired – Get united” in gastronomy, with plenty of suggestions for pleasurable get-togethers round the table.
The national and international sales divisions of Zwiesel Kristallglas AG will look after sales for the entire United Tables range. More ideas and information about the “Perfect Match” of the United Tables ranges can be found at www.united-tables.de and by contacting sales at United Tables.
All smiles!
Tableware International’s Paul Yeomans pictured with 41 Madison’s senior vice president Kristi Forbes at the most recent showcase in April.
New brands join
India’s thinKitchen
thinKitchen can boast some exciting new brand launches this year. Kilner, part of the Rayware Group, has joined the outlet, says CEO Anand Baldawa who tells us more well-known brands have also joined thinKitchen.
“We have had new launches in dinnerware with new ranges added to Burleigh and the introduction of Denby’s Greenwich collection. Also new to thinKitchen is Lifetime Brands, a leading global provider of kitchenware, tableware and other products used in the home. We have on board their sub brands Mikasa with its glassware and dinnerware range, La Cafetiere and London Pottery with their tea and coffee ranges and Kitchen Craft with its serveware range.”
Denby celebrates 70 years of tourism
Denby has recommenced tours of its pottery – the first since pre-pandemic times. Tours of the historic building have been brought back due to popular demand, heightened by Denby's recent appearance on BBC's Inside the Factory.
This year also marks 70 years since Denby first opened its doors to the public, with the inaugural group being a local Women’s Institute association. Tours of the pottery are bookable online.
FEA’s Light Equipment and Tableware (LET) Forum had a two-year hiatus but was back with a bang at Whittlebury Hall, Towcester, May 10-11.
The over-riding feeling of the event was positivity. Steve Goodliff, chair of FEA’s LET Group, said: “It was an absolute joy to be part of this year’s forum. Dealers and suppliers are reporting a strong bounceback, some seeing sales even higher than pre-Covid. But you know what? Another reason for all the smiles was the simple pleasure of meeting people face-to-face again.”
In terms of the big trends, melamine and polycarbonate were strongly in evidence. Many foodservice professionals were putting this down, at least in part, to the huge increase in outdoor eating and drinking. In addition, manufacturers have excelled themselves in developing new and exciting designs – many of them very much in keeping with another of the big trends: all things organic. Textured melamine dishes and bowls, many in natural, uneven shapes, were the order of the day. Meanwhile, over in ceramics, reactive glazes add to the natural, spontaneous ambience of the organic approach.
Colours continue to fly. Although white tableware will always be popular, delegates and suppliers alike attested to the popularity of colour. Certain hues were clearly winning in 2022, though finding a common theme is not easy – the most popular range from rich, bright marine blues to muted sage.
After Covid, hygiene and safety occupy an even bigger part of the buyer’s criteria. That was evident in, for example, buffet products that presented food in single portion, covered containers. Similarly, suppliers noted strong sales for sauce dispensers that minimised the potential for cross contamination.
Personalisation is another clear trend, with many companies offering relatively inexpensive and low volumes on personalised products ranging from plastic squeeze bottles to wooden pepper mills.
And personalisation continues to play its part in Covid-safe hospitality, with products such as bespoke signs directing customers to help maintain social distancing.
Sustainability is clearly going to be ever more important, both as part of product development and within buying selection processes. Launches here includes low cost, reusable stainless-steel cutlery (for ‘aldesko’ eating), highly energy-efficient grills, knife-lifeprolonging sharpeners, scouring pads made of walnut shells, and compostable coffee pods.
Viewpoint
“We faced a situation that was certainly unique. Global health emergencies, war and heavy financial speculation drove up the cost of raw materials, transport and energy, making it very difficult to continue ensuring the standards we were used to. But we were able to manage the complexity and even seize some competitive opportunities by investing in advance in infrastructure – starting with systems for producing energy independently. It is essential to have clear objectives and the flexibility to respond quickly to sudden shocks, such as those we faced.”
Andrea Sarasso, marketing manager, Sambonet Paderno Industrie SpA on how they responded to challenges in the market such as cost of raw materials and freight. Turn to page 40 to hear more viewpoints.
Remembering Bernd T. Dibbern
The iconic Bernd T. Dibbern passed away on 20 March, 2022 aged 80. Bernd was considered a visionary when he started his career in the 1960s as an importer for Scandinavian designer brands. In 1982, he achieved his international breakthrough as a lifestyle brand with the Solid Color product line. The series, based on a form from the early 1930s, was awarded various design prizes. To this day, Dibbern is known for Solid Color - simple form combined with a modern colour palette. He is survived by his wife and four children.
Lifetime Brands Europe
announces director appointments
Lifetime Brands Europe’s recently announced new director appointments.
Following their contributions heading up the business’ UK and EMEA sales channels, David Titterington has been promoted to the position of UK sales director and Sharon Harris to the position of EMEA sales director. Gary Porter has been appointed as business development director, responsible on a global basis for exploring strategic opportunities to support the Lifetime Brands global business development strategy.
Jonathan Forrester-Cliffe has moved into the role of ecommerce director and will continue to play a key role in meeting the company’s growth goals.
Did you know?
Lifetime Brands Europe has opened a new Euro Hub in the Netherlands. The new Euro Hub is in a prime location with major transport links to mainland Europe.
With streamlined pick, pack and despatch and 5,500 pallet spaces, the Lifetime Brands Euro Hub will deliver a curated proposition of over 2,700 SKUs.
