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Tovolo Mini Ice Brings Trend Home

Mini Ice (a.k.a. nugget ice, pellet ice, or chewy ice) has become increasingly popular with consumers due to its satisfying light and “chewy” texture and refreshing chilling qualities. However, to have this at home, consumers have been limited to buying from fast-food restaurants, using poorly designed in-home trays that don’t work, or buying expensive ice-making machines … until now. Tovolo, a leader in go-to kitchen innovations, is changing the game by bringing this trendy ice option to consumer kitchens with two innovative new Mini Ice products.

The Tovolo Mini Ice products are designed to make the popular nugget-style ice easily and affordably. Both designs feature flexible, durable materials that easily release the mini ice; while tight-fitting lids seal out odors and prevent spills. All the materials are BPA free and dishwasher safe.

This whimsical solution is fun to use and satisfyingly addicting! Featuring a compact-sized, squeezable design, the innovative and easy-to-use cylinder makes enough ice to chill more than two drinks–creating 200 mini ice cubes per batch. Simply squeeze to pop the ice free.    

  1. FILL the ice mold to the water-line marker and push in the plunger core/lid.
  2. FREEZE for 4-6 hours.
  3. SQUEEZE. When you are ready to use, run the mold under warm water and simply squeeze to pop the ice free.

The set includes two ice cylinders with Charcoal-colored lids.  MSRP $17.99

The diamond-shaped orientation of the ice on the Twist & Release Mini Ice Trays makes popping the ice out simple. Featuring flexible, stackable trays that easily release with a simple twist, the set includes two trays with tight-fitting lids, a handy serving scoop, and storage bin to keep ice fresh and clean. Each tray makes 150 mini cubes—enough to chill more than two drinks each.

  1. FILL the tray to the water-line marker and cover with the lid.
  2. FREEZE for 4-6 hours.
  3. TWIST. Run the tray under warm water, remove the lid, and just twist to pop the ice free.

The set includes two ice trays with Charcoal-colored lids, one scoop, and one storage bin. MSRP $19.99

“Our mission is to make innovative and high-quality kitchen gadgets accessible to everyone,” said Elaine Mundorf, product manager at Tovolo. “With these uniquely designed new mini ice-making products, anyone can now upgrade their beverages and enjoy America’s favorite ice easily and affordably at home.”

Tovolo Mini Ice Sets are available on Amazon.com.

Spectrum Diversified Designs, LLC creates innovative storage and organization solutions for all rooms of the home. Spectrum and Tovolo brands are the sources for kitchen, pantry, bathroom, closet/storage organization, and more. By offering unmatched results through customer service and an extensive portfolio of patented designs, Spectrum Diversified Designs, LLC is a leader in housewares committed to developing innovative new items, finishes, and product collections.  

For more news of interest to the housewares industry, subscribe to Kitchenware News & Housewares Review.

Made by Gather Names Hoke CRO

Brian Hoke (Photography Rights: Made by Gather)

Kitchenware leader Made by Gather has named Brian Hoke as its first chief revenue officer. Hoke will lead both the sales and product management teams, combining two important teams that bring Made by Gather’s portfolio of consumer brands to market. This investment is a testament to the company’s growth as it continues to expand Beautiful by Drew and look toward the fall relaunch of beloved flagship brand, bella.

“I had the pleasure of working alongside Brian during our time together at Macy’s,” said Shawn Austin, Made by Gather’s President. “Over the past 20 years, I have watched Brian grow into one of the most successful business drivers and leaders that any organization could ask for. As chief revenue officer, we are creating a major step change for Made by Gather that will position us for even more accelerated growth.”

Hoke joins Made by Gather from Vitamin Shoppe where he most recently served as chief merchandising officer. Prior to that he held chief merchandising officer roles at both Sheex and Lord + Taylor and held various senior executive roles at Macy’s – including the divisional merchandise managers of housewares and the small kitchen electrics buyer during his tenure. He has deep experience in driving retail and wholesale businesses and leading large cross-functional teams. Hoke prides himself in being growth minded, a strong communicator, a relationship builder, and has a passion for developing talent.

Made by Gather, the parent company of the rapidly growing Beautiful by Drew, also recently announced the relaunch of flagship consumer brand, bella during the International Housewares Association’s The Inspired Home Show in Chicago. The announcement marked a transformational moment for the kitchenware brand, founded in 2011, as it doubles down on its decade-long promise of bringing functionally-aesthetic kitchenware and delightful innovation to the masses. Hoke will play an important role in bringing bella to market as it hits shelves at most mass retailers this Fall.

“Coming off IHA’s The Inspired Home Show one thing is crystal clear,” Austin said, “the growth we’ve seen over the last couple of years is just the beginning – we are about to accelerate even faster, and we truly have unlimited potential.”

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Milton & King Launches Wallpaper Collection

Milton & King has launched Milton & King Studio, its first in-house wallpaper collection, curated by an internal team of designers. 

This new offering now provides the company with the ability to respond quickly to home design trends and quickly adapt to customer feedback, ensuring the fast-growing retailer continues to stay ahead of the curve. The collection itself seamlessly blends creativity with craftsmanship, showcasing unique artworks meticulously designed by the company’s talented in-house artists. 

The first wallpaper from the Studio collection is Gardenia Wallpaper, which kicks off the Milton & King Studio launch, setting the tone for the Studio’s commitment to offering unique and inspiring wallpaper options.

Milton & King added to the collection on March 14, with an exclusive Baseball Wallpaper, which pays homage to one of America’s most beloved pastimes. Rafted with precision and printed on high-quality materials, the Baseball Wallpaper design is offered in seven colorways inspired by various team uniforms. The design includes both plain and pinstriped backgrounds, providing versatility. Its easy-to-install nature ensures a seamless application process, enabling homeowners and interior designers to effortlessly transform any space.

Cloud includes three designs and was released on April 4 and includes Dreamy offering a charming and subtle interpretation of the Earth’s sky; Heavenly wallpaper promises to transform any space into a serene sanctuary; and Serenity, a mural featuring a vast and dramatic skyscape with billowing clouds painted in soft whites, grays and golden tones.

The Snake Charmer Wallpaper was added on April 11 and is a sultry and intricate design that weaves together the graceful beauty of snakes with the lusciousness of fruits and florals in a mesmerizing and maximalist repeat. Hand painted in gouache, the design cleverly balances the serpent’s ethereal presence harmoniously with the delicate charm of rich botanicals. Snake Charmer is a visually stunning and enchanting tapestry that celebrates the dark and decadent side of nature’s diverse elements.

“In creating Milton & King Studio, our goal was to provide customers with wallpapers that not only enhance their spaces but also reflect their individual style,” said Bryce Capp, co-owner. “We’re excited to launch Milton & King Studio, which we believe embodies the best of wallpaper design.”

Milton & King Studio’s commitment to sustainability shines through in its manufacturing process. Embracing an on-demand production model, the studio minimizes logistics costs, lead times, and carbon emissions. Their lean manufacturing approach guarantees that less than 5 percent of production goes to waste, as they exclusively produce what is sold. This not only reduces landfill waste but also prevents the accumulation of outdated inventory, ensuring that their offerings stay aligned with current trends.

The Milton & King Studio collection is now available for purchase on the company’s website.

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Zafferano America Promotes Collins, Fleisher

Zafferano America, the manufacturer of award-winning cordless lighting, handmade tableware and colored glassware, has promoted Chris Collins to executive vice president of sales and Neil Fleisher to vice president of sales, lighting division, effective immediately. The two are seasoned veterans in the luxury home retail and lighting industries, respectively, and have proven themselves as exceptional drivers of the brand’s efforts to build a national sales force in North America.

“Both Collins and Fleisher have been vital players on our team, helping to build a sales force that has generated tremendous success in a short time,” says Barrett Gross, president of Zafferano America. “In 2019, we introduced our brand, seeking to educate customers about the benefits of cordless lighting. Now, with the help of our outstanding sales team, the Zafferano name has become synonymous with cordless lighting, and our tableware and glassware divisions have demonstrated Zafferano’s growing presence in home design, as well as our core values — color and light.”

Collins has worked at Zafferano America since the fall of 2022, launching the company’s new tableware division as the first vice president sales & marketing for tableware. Collins’ deep knowledge of the luxury marketplace has helped the company develop new relationships in lighting, furniture, retail and hospitality. Prior to joining Zafferano America, Collins served as president of Arte Italica as well as vice president and general manager of 7W New York.

Fleisher joined Zafferano America in February of 2023 as national sales manager, bringing with him over 40 years of experience as a retail/wholesale lighting industry leader. His expertise and relationships throughout the United States and Canada have proven instrumental in growing the company’s lighting division.

Zafferano America was established in 2019 and has rapidly become the leading purveyor of cordless lighting in the American market, outfitting the most celebrated hotels and restaurants across the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Zafferano’s cordless lamps come in 40 different styles and 49 colors and finishes in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and applications. 

Zafferano America also manufactures dinnerware in Italy to complement its lighting designs and world-renowned colored glassware collections. The company is rooted in Venice, Italy, the birthplace of Zafferano’s founder and lead designer, Federico de Majo. Federico’s vision and his love for the color and light of his native city is the ongoing inspiration for the Zafferano brand.

The company’s offerings include cordless lighting, colored glassware, stemware, ceramic tableware and lighting fixtures. In September of 2023, Zafferano opened its flagship U.S. showroom in New York City, which is the first retail presence for the brand outside of Italy.

For more news of interest to the housewares industry, subscribe to Kitchenware News & Housewares Review.

Kohl’s Expands Home, Seasonal Decor

Kohl’s has unveiled its new approach to home – a strategy designed to deliver customers a fresh and expanded selection of stylish home and seasonal decor, all at affordable prices. The significantly expanded assortment, available now both in-store and online, offers customers an inspiring and discover-worthy curation of home and seasonal products in new categories and styles for every home.

“We’ve been making meaningful changes to reposition and expand our home offerings over the past year and are excited to unveil Kohl’s new assortment of on-trend and affordable home products to customers nationwide,” said Nick Jones, chief merchandising and digital officer. “As part of Kohl’s broader strategy to drive growth, we identified a real opportunity in home, and we’ve been thoughtfully building the category to position ourselves as a destination for home goods. We’re incredibly encouraged by initial customer response to our home decor assortment, and we see Kohl’s becoming a more formidable player in the home business.”

A Home Assortment, Reimagined

To create a meaningful transformation of its home business, Kohl’s expanded select categories in its assortment by 40 percent, offering newness in areas including wall art, glassware and ceramic home decor, barware, botanicals, lighting and more.

  • A Curated Assortment of Unique Home Goods: Kohl’s new home collection will feature a curated mix of unique decorative home products in new-to-Kohl’s categories, such as wall art, botanicals, storage, pet, lighting, frames, glass and ceramics. The assortment is focused on approachable style and affordability.
  • Strengthened Everyday Essentials: Kohl’s home assortment maintains some of its key programs that customers have loved, such as bedding and bath, but has elevated the assortment to include more modern aesthetics and frequent pattern and color injections to offer a constant stream of style-forward options for customers’ evolving preferences.
  • A Seasonal Decor Destination: Kohl’s new home strategy is also positioning the company to be a year-round destination for everyday occasions and seasonal holidays. It will deliver 60 percent newness in home and holiday decor seasonally to keep customers coming back to refresh their homes for each holiday.

Rediscovering Home at Kohl’s

Kohl’s has created an elevated and expanded in-store and digital home experience, making it easier for customers to find something new and exciting for their home every time they shop. To re-introduce its home offerings to customers, Kohl’s is engaging in a multi-channel marketing approach including immersive digital activations that are rooted in inspiration and experimentation, partnerships with home design experts, a live pop-up experience in New York City, and more.

“We know the way consumers shop for home goods is centered around inspiration, and we have a unique opportunity to re-introduce current customers and invite new customers to think of Kohl’s when looking for inspiration for their home,” said Christie Raymond, chief marketing officer. “We’re prioritizing ways to connect, drive awareness and engage with home shoppers to enhance our credibility in the category, reinforce our compelling value, and provide new ideas and solutions that spark creativity for customers, to ensure Kohl’s is a top-of-mind destination for home decor.”

For more information and to see some of Kohl’s exciting new home products, visit stores nationwide and Kohls.com/home.

For more news of interest to the home goods industry, subscribe to Kitchenware News & Housewares Review.