By Andrea Lillo
NEW YORK–Barware, barbecue tool and cookware manufacturer Outset Inc. has expanded its lines with a personality from the kitchen and a brand name from the grill in two new licenses: chef Tyler Florence and Clorox’s Kingsford charcoal.
Florence’s collection will begin with cookware pieces and sets, while the Kingsford line will consist of barbecue and grilling accessories. Both will debut at the International Home & Housewares Show.
The Food Network chef’s cookware will have an anodized aluminum exterior and a stainless-steel interior, said Jeff Norling, Outset’s chief executive officer, and a set will retail for about $199.90. Florence has been “very involved” with the design process, he added. The cookware handles “are very unique, with exaggerated arcs” and the lids will be made of glass. The line will launch at a national television retailer in June, though it is expected to migrate to brick-and-mortar retailers as well, he added. In the fall, the company plans to add cutlery, gadgets and small electrics to the collection.
Called the Grilltop collection, the Kingsford-branded license will contain approximately 100 barbecue and grilling accessories. “It allows us to remain focused on the gourmet and high-end categories, while allowing us to create something for the mass, or ‘unrestricted,’ market,” Norling said. Items will also be available in different materials, such as stainless steel, rosewood and non-stick, so the customer can choose the one he wants to work with. Price points range from $2 for bamboo skewers to $55 for a three-piece stainless-steel tool set.
Outset has worked with chefs before, including chef Tim Love, whose collection launched last August with a national television retailer.