DALLAS-Jerry Hughes, co-owner of Der Küchen Laden in Fredericksburg, TX and a long-time member of Gourmet Catalog & Buying Group, passed away on June 11.  He was 61.

Hughes and his wife Penny purchased Der Küchen Laden in 1993 from Jan and Lou Buehn, who opened the store in 1979. Before purchasing Der Küchen Laden, Hughes worked in a number of other career fields including retail, the oil business, and was a bank examiner for four years. 

By David Gill
There are reasons for the manufacturers of kitchen and personal-care appliances to look forward to 2010.
First, the shaky economy has actually provided a boost to sales of these products by keeping consumers home. The results from a recent Harris Poll indicates that this behavior will continue even as the economy emerges from its funk. Two-thirds of those surveyed in this study, which took place from Sept. 8 to Sept. 15, said they will slim down their spending on restaurants and entertainment.

By David Gill
Small-electrics manufacturers have begun the year with an outlook that can be described not so much as “optimistic” as “un-pessimistic.”
Despite the bad economic news, many said there are reasons to look upon 2009 with at least a sliver of hope.
Much will depend on what the new presidential administration tries to do with its economic stimulus package.

By David Gill
Recession or not, consumers’ desire to look their best will continue to drive sales of personal-care products in 2009.
Comments from manufacturers indicated that the industry is coming off a comparatively robust year in 2008.
“Even though the economy is tough, I’m seeing nationally that our business was up in both units and dollars,” said David Williams, group marketing manager for personal-care and professional products for Panasonic.

By David Gill
Rising home utility costs helped put the home-comfort products category on an upward growth curve during the past two years and are expected to continue fueling this industry going forward.
Research conducted by HFN found that U.S. retail sales of air cleaners, humidifiers and heaters rose by more than 4 percent from 2006 to 2007, to nearly $1.3 billion. Industry executives interviewed by HFN said they believe that sales have continued to grow into 2008, in spite of the troubled consumer economy.

By Andrea Lillo
While there are some young urbanites or newlyweds that live in palatial spaces, there are many that do not, and for the square-foot-challenged, Boston Warehouse has a new collection that targets them.
Called Urban Kitchen, it offers multifunctional pieces that are well designed to boot, and can help the young bride—or city dweller—with her cooking needs, without sacrificing style.

By Andrea Lillo
With food prices on a continued climb, keeping perishables fresh is imperative for many consumers who are tired of throwing food—and money—away when it goes bad.
And for many consumers, there seems to be more fruits and vegetables at home, as people shop at their local green markets more and try to cook healthy meals at home. In response to consumers’ needs for fresh produce, several manufacturers have debuted food storage products recently to address the category.

By Andrea Lillo
SEATTLE–With its new design-oriented brand, called ärta, Chef’n has begun its push into new categories such as entertaining as it reaches beyond its established food prep business.
The new brand will also court a younger consumer and allow the company to offer products with more of a tabletop focus as well.

By Nancy Meyer
CHICAGO–New furniture, lighting and home decor products aimed at driving retail sales will be presented at the International Home & Housewares Show here this week.
They range from new seating options and folding furniture to juvenile- and tween-oriented high-tech gear and vision-saving lighting. Some address the eco-conscious consumer’s desire for environmentally friendly goods, while others simply promise to be value-priced and easy to use.

By Allison Zisko
CHICAGO–The Japanese influence on cutlery is stronger than ever, evident by the number of introductions of Japanese-styled knives or those made from Japanese steel at the International Home & Housewares Show this week. Block sets and open-stock assortments are debuting in equal numbers, accompanied by myriad accessories, most notably cutting boards and sharpeners. And the wood of the moment is most definitely the eco-friendly bamboo.

By Nathan Weber
CHICAGO–While most of the appliances found at this week’s show are of the small electrics variety, there are some notable major appliance items to be unveiled as well. Here are a few highlights.

By David Gill
CHICAGO–Innovative technology continues to drive new product development in the personal-care category, as can be seen from the product launches planned for the International Home & Housewares Show this week. Manufacturers are targeting consumers who want to do more of their grooming and health care at home with these innovations. The grooming products offer technologies and accessories that provide a more professional look, while health-care product vendors have aimed to give consumers more accurate results in body monitors.

CHICAGO–Gadgets has always been somewhat of a catch-all category and this year’s introductions at the Housewares Show are no exception. Show-goers will see all sorts of zesters, slicers, can openers and gizmos of all shapes and sizes. Here’s a sampling of this year’s introductions.

By David Gill
CHICAGO–The lure for consumers of preparing good food quickly and conveniently is behind many of the new products from manufacturers of small kitchen electrics at this week’s show. Blenders, food processors and hand mixers that promise plenty of power and versatility are among the key product introductions this week. The added influx of new coffeemakers and espresso makers demonstrates that this category continues to be an important one, with plenty of growth ahead.

By Andrea Lillo
NEW YORK–For all the consumers that see a plastic bag tumbling down the street and wonder how long it will be before it degrades, a number of biodegradable products are making their way to market, offering an alternative to products that will last long after the customer has tossed it away.
In a growing green industry, these products target consumers who don’t want to add to landfills, and yet still want style and the same level of performance for the products in their home.

By David Gill
Innovation, design and strong brands—plus the willingness to put some marketing muscle behind those brands—will keep the kitchen electrics market at high heat in 2008, according to executives in the industry.
The combination of these three factors has maintained the sales growth this market has experienced over the past few years, and will continue to keep things interesting in the category. In addition, individual product categories that surged in popularity in 2007 have plenty of opportunities for more growth in 2008.

By Allison Zisko
The Asian influence on cutlery will continue in 2008, but will become more nuanced, vendors said.
“Consumers are excited about developing their own skills. This comes from the santoku craze,” said Bob Reichenbach, president of the cutlery division of Lifetime Brands. “Key trends include specialty knives, Damascus steel, and a unique assortment of prep sets and specialty santokus.”

By Michael Rudnick
Home environment sales this year may be driven by both older, more established filtration technology and from new sensors and digital readout features.

By Allison Zisko
The Asian influence on cutlery will continue in 2008, but will become more nuanced, vendors said.
“Consumers are excited about developing their own skills. This comes from the santoku craze,” said Bob Reichenbach, president of the cutlery division of Lifetime Brands. “Key trends include specialty knives, Damascus steel, and a unique assortment of prep sets and specialty santokus.”

By David Gill
Personal care products manufacturers will look for new ways to raise the bar on design and innovation in 2008, as they seek to grow sales in what has become a highly competitive industry.