Food for thought

Inset: Beautiful picnics with Royal Doulton’s Pacific collection. Below right: Divertimenti’s windows are filled with inspiration for outdoor living.

air thinking Fresh

This summer is destined for garden parties, with outdoor socialising known to be safer and families and friends eager to reunite. However, aside from the pandemic’s influence, the trend to embrace our gardens as extra living ‘rooms’ has been gathering momentum. PH asks suppliers and retailers how the rise of outdoor living is influencing product development, marketing and publicity, sales and displays.

Since May 17 up to 30 people have been allowed to get together outside for garden gatherings and picnics. Moreover, consumers are now grabbing opportunities for leisure and socialising in the great outdoors as (due to Covid travel restrictions) most people will remain in the UK this summer. However, this is not merely a post pandemic phenomenon. In recent years, we have been embracing outdoor spaces as our antidote to all-consuming technology. So, will garden party culture – and a love for cooking and eating in the fresh air - be perpetuated far beyond summer 2021?

Outdoor enthusiasts

“I think outdoor living is here to stay,” states Jason Somers, general manager at Divertimenti in London. The retailer has been building up its outdoor product offering over two or three years, in line with Jason’s own enthusiasm for the sector. “Everything we sell is used by members of staff, so we are passionate and informed about all of our products,” he confirms. In Jason’s view, outdoor living is a lifestyle shift that has been happening over several years. Of course, the pandemic has acted as a catalyst; consumers have had been cooking at home, and many have had cash to invest in their living space, including gardens. Moreover, Jason admits that - despite Divertimenti’s location in London, where local customers are unlikely to have much garden area - demand for outdoor living has soared in recent months, spurred on by ‘the rule of six,’ which came into force at the end of March, and subsequent easing of restrictions outdoors. “People have been decking out their balconies for outdoor cooking and dining and we’ve been supplying hotels with picnic hampers so that they can provide a bespoke offering for their guests. Investing in an outdoor space is a natural progression from kitting out an indoor kitchen and many customers have put a lot of money into buying outdoor ovens, al fresco tableware and accessories. Now they are keen for people to come round so they can show off their new gear.” However, outdoor living is not just about entertaining, as Jason highlights: “Customers show us how they’re cooking an everyday meal for two people on their Lotus Grill.” Hence the team at Divertimenti is enjoying sharing recipes, such as sourdough pizzas and other ideas for different ways for cooking outside. Outdoor ovens such as the Big Green

Egg and Ooni Pizza Ovens saw one or two sales annually when first stocked by Divertimenti four years ago, but now the retailer is selling out on the same day as new Ooni stock is released online. Jason even admits that he was scared to talk about the Big Green Egg four years ago, due to its considerable cost, but, with the benefit of training on its versatility and the fact that consumers are embracing outdoor cooking, he now has an appreciative audience. Another premium line, Yorkshiremade Delavita wood-fired portable ovens have been a popular introduction for Divertimenti this year. The retailer’s spring windows have set the scene for outdoor living, featuring three Big Green Eggs and two pizza ovens, along with melamine and other outdoor tableware. “Our window display has had really good results, even though there hasn’t been a lot of sun,” states Jason. “We started planning this year’s outdoor living range in January, and we have been reordering melamine, so we continue to have a good mix of product, including candles and bright linen textiles. People are keen to have bold summer colours for outdoors. We are also finding that Skeppshult cast iron is really popular for outdoor use.” In conclusion, Jason reflects: “During the past year, people have developed their cooking skills, turned their attention from indoors to outdoors, and have realised how beautiful their homes and gardens can be.”

Above: Staub has been showing the versatility of its cast iron- including skillet pans - for outdoor gatherings. Below left: Epicurean Lemon Fresh platter from Eddingtons. Bottom left: With somewhere to plug in, Gastroback’s Design Table Grill Plancha & BBQ provides the means to cook a huge variety of meals.

Bright and beautiful

An increase in al fresco dining and entertaining is influencing design of outdoor tableware, such as Epicurean’s ranges from Eddingtons.

“Consumers are becoming bolder and less conservative in their quest to add fun to outdoor entertaining,” acknowledges Tabitha Monkhouse, Eddingtons’ marketing executive. “They might well pick a Monstera leaf platter for outdoors when they would choose something more subtle for dinner inside the home, and, of course, our break-resistant melamine is perfect for safe family entertaining outside, when spills and breakages are more likely.” Reflecting consumers’ yearnings to be in more exotic locations - and the power of tableware to create new settings despite being at

Feeling the heat

Staub has been highlighting outdoor living with its PR and social media, for example showcasing how the brand’s cast iron excels for heat retention, and cold retention (for example, filled with ice and seafood). “Traditionally there has always been an element of focus on Staub’s versatility for outdoor dining, from vibrant, playful colours and the special shaped Vegetable Garden pieces like the tomato, artichoke and pumpkin ceramics, to the characteristics of cooking and serving in cast iron - a material that holds its temperature, helping to keep dishes hot as they're served on picnic tables or under gazebos,” acknowledges Kate Armstrong, retail marketing manager for Zwilling. She also recognises that consumers yearn to see and share images of visually stunning outdoor table settings on social media: “Interesting or unusual shapes in combination with rich, glossy colours are always going to be eye-catching, and it's this that draws attention on platforms like Instagram and attracts wider interest.” Meanwhile, OXO’s product development has tuned into the significance of barbecuing this year with the launch of a new range of Good Grips barbecue tools. As typical for the brand, the tools have design features to make tasks easier, such as the Turner with “a double-bend design for better leverage when flipping burgers and steaks,” notes Tracy Carroll, associate marketing director OXO EMEA. Other clever features include the grilling skewers’ flat design, which enables even cooking of kebabs. The new tongs have a built-in bottle opener, and the Chef’s Precision digital instant read thermometer has “a large display that pivots 90° so you can read it at any angle, as well as coming with a storage sleeve with chefrecommended food temperatures.” Gastroback’s Design BBQ Advanced Smart and Design BBQ Advanced Control have won multiple awards, so it is not surprising that the company has expanded its collection with the new Design Table Grill Plancha & BBQ. “Each grill plate is equipped with a smooth Plancha side and a ribbed BBQ side and they can be turned and reversed as desired,” explains Marcus Lux, Gastroback’s head of export and business development. Recognising that many consumers want to widen their culinary repertoire and create dishes for all times of the day, the Table Grill can be used for “Mediterranean grill recipes, fish fillets, seafood or vegetables and pancakes on the plancha,” notes Marcus. Besides enabling a “fine marking” for more traditional barbecue food, the “ribbed BBQ grill is ideal for French toast, bacon, fried eggs, omelettes or fried potatoes.” Tower (from RKW) has expanded into new product sectors to address the ‘modern-day staycation’ and garden living. Its new Coast & Country ranges include picnicware and outdoor tableware, while Stealth is a range for outdoor cooking and heating. Introductions include Tower’s Pizzazz grill top pizza oven, and, in tribute to the British climate, the 2-in-1 fire pit and BBQ.

Inset: OXO’s new grilling skewers have a flat design which keeps the kebabs steady on the grill.

home - Epicurean’s latest range includes Lemon Fresh. “The collection is inspired by the vibrant hand-painted ceramics from the Amalfi coast, featuring ripe lemon designs and lush green foliage,” says Tabitha. “The range is enhanced by oversized serving trays and even a lemon shaped platter perfect for alfresco entertaining.” Moreover, Eddingtons has expanded its Amazon Floral range, with new “tropical bird side plates adding bursts of colour against a tropical leaf canopy.” Meanwhile, Antony Robson, senior marketing activation manager at Fiskars acknowledges that coastal themes continue to be strong: “Ocean blues are a dominant colour for outdoor dining, whether diners are by the sea or aspire to be.” He adds: “With dinner and salad plates, bowls and tumblers made from durable melamine, Royal Doulton’s Pacific Outdoor Living collection recognises that consumers want to create beautifully coordinated table or picnic settings wherever they are eating outside.”

Get creative when cooking outdoors

Outdoor dining no longer equates to a chargrilled sausage and humble burger in a bun with a dollop of ketchup. Lynsey Abbott, outdoor living buyer at Dobbies has been providing tips for al fresco cooks, including the need for a thermometer. Even though some barbecues have builtin thermometers, she emphasises that: “It’s still handy to make sure temperatures are right.”

Lynsey enthuses: “Be creative on the grill. As much as you can’t beat a classic burger, there is so much more that can be cooked outdoors, from halloumi to whole joints and delicious grilled desserts.” Moreover, Lynsey highlights “plenty of inspiration to be found on Instagram and Pinterest.”

Dobbies’ outdoor cooking range covers high-tech and compact portable barbecues, as well as “eco-friendly alternatives, Bluetooth-integrated controlled fans and wood-fired pellet grills.”

Right: Dobbies’ consumer PR has been focusing on outdoor living, highlighting its range, which includes the Dancook 9000 Firepit, pizza ovens and grills, as well as outdoor tableware and accessories. Below left: Ilminster Home Hardware filled its winning windows with outdoor dining and picnic products from Lifetime Brands Europe. Below right: Restaurantstyle feasts at home: reaching up to 500C, the Gozney Roccbox can cook up an authentic Neapolitan pizza in just 90 seconds.

Window full of summer

Ilminster Home Hardware chose outdoor dining as the showstopping theme for its large windows in April and won first prize in Lifetime Brand Europe’s Re-opening Window Challenge.

Owner Philip Wyatt says the display was prompted by the need for people to socialise outside, as well as the choice of uplifting and eye-catching “bright and colourful” products. He reports: “The reaction to the window from our customers has been very favourable, with lots of comments and increased sales of all of the featured products from Lifetime Brands.”

Philip admits that barbecue sales at Ilminster Home Hardware saw a spike during the first lockdown in 2020, with less demand this year, while stock has also been hard to get hold of. He also explains: “We’re a general hardware store in a rural area where a lot of people have large gardens, and, over the last three years, we’ve seen big growth in outdoor entertainment such as skittles, Jenga and children’s tepees.”

The outdoor kitchen

Last summer searches for 'outdoor kitchen ideas' rose by 60% over 30 days in June and July, according to search trend data highlighted by Gozney.

Already well known for its Roccbox portable outdoor pizza oven, Gozney launched Dome, a wood-fired outdoor oven, on its website a few weeks ago. “In just four hours after the launch, we had sold £5million+ in revenue,” reveals Lydia Vas Nunes, head of marketing. “Early adopters caused us to sell out for the rest of 2021 in a matter of hours,” she reports, reflecting: “It is an incredible testament to how the Dome is changing the world of outdoor cooking.”

Lydia recognises a shift in perception regarding outdoor kitchens. “People don’t view our products as just ‘pizza ovens’ anymore; the term ‘outdoor oven’ is more all-encompassing for the things the Dome can do - slow roasting, reaching high temperatures that are perfect for pizza, baking and smoking. It is incredibly exciting for the future of outdoor cooking.” She adds: “People are starting to demand a lot more from their outdoor cooking equipment and the lucky consumers who managed to get their hands on a Dome on its launch day are just the tip of the iceberg as we did very little to generate demand.”