Technology top attraction at Housewares Show 2000

Discount Store News, Feb 7, 2000 by Mike Duff

The company's major competitor in laundry care, Whitney Design, debuted a realignment strategy of its own at the show. It has divided its product line into two segments, The Clothes Line, for traditional mass-market placement, and Design Trend, for upscale ironing boards, covers and accessories.

While Calaphelon wasn't offering anything new for the mass channel, a representative noted that the company was approaching the anniversary of its boutique displays at Target. The arrangement is expected to continue past the February anniversary in essentially the same form, at least for the immediate future.

T-Fal introduced its open stock line of Thermospot pans which signal consumers when the cooking surface is preheated. Scheduled for April shipment, Thermospot product range in price from $20 to $30, with specialty items, including a wok, running up to $36.

Mirro celebrated the recent acquisition of Regal's aluminum cookware business by introducing the first-ever line of bakeware under the Regal banner. Regal's Baking Essentials products will retail between $3.99 and $9.99 and will ship in April. Sitram introduced its Cybernox stick resistant metal cookware, and, although price points between $89.99 and $119.99 were a bit steep for mass market, the company is refining its technology and hopes to bring out product at a reduced cost later this year.

Proving that cooking isn't only for the gray and grizzled, Once Upon a Recipe introduced a line of kid-friendly, dishwasher safe utensils at the show. In both full-sized and mini sets, the character-inclusive utensils, "funtivity" books and accessories are available in price points ranging from $3 to $30.

While much of what Pfaltzgraff showed were line extensions, the Housewares Show is the company's premier opportunity to show its Christmas accessories for next season, and those included, under the Winterberry line, 12 Days of Christmas promotional mugs, priced at $37, ornaments for $11 and a sculptured bowl for $30.50, all for shipment Aug. 1. For its part, Anchor Hocking was showing tableware that combined ceramics and glass, as well as product under its new Coca-Cola license including Genuine Coca-Cola glasses at 99 cents for the 16-oz. size and $1.09 for the 22-oz. size for April shipment. Gibson offered new 16-piece "urbanware" and "bistroware" settings for $30 to $40 price points. Bed, Bath & Beyond is set to try the lines, according to the vendor.

Packerware was also looking forward to the holidays, but in this case it was Halloween. A new line of Halloween plastics included dishes, serving bowls, treat tubs and drink containers.

Nearby, Lifetime Hone introduced oversized redwood handle utensils with a February shipping date and a $9.99 price point. At World Kitchen, Oxo was unveiling several new products, one such being an eight-inch carving/serving knife with serving fork for $39.99. Among other World Kitchen brands, including Baker's Secret, Correlle, Corningware, Ekco, Grilla Gear, Pyrex, Revere and Via, Farberware was showing its Copper Clad line, with two sets of eight and 10 products shipping April 1 at price points of $199.99 and $299.99.