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Cheeky Pairs with French Bull for New Collection
Cheeky™, the lifestyle brand redefining the boring paper plate and giving back to those in need, today announces its first designer collaboration in partnership with French Bull™. French Bull for Cheeky is a limited-time collection of paper and plastic tableware featuring French Bull’s signature designs. The line launches exclusively at Target® stores nationwide and on Target.com, just in time for Memorial Day. For every French Bull for Cheeky item purchased, Cheeky helps donate a meal to Feeding America®, the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization. Since Cheeky launched in November 2014, the company has already donated close to 3 million meals.
French Bull is a global lifestyle brand known for making people happy with their iconic look and signature designs. The brand can be found on a broad range of fashionable products including home goods, tech, and travel accessories. Together with Cheeky, they are putting a modern twist on everyday tableware.
After discovering how dull disposable tableware options were, CEO and founder of Cheeky, PJ Brice, decided to redefine the antiquated category by incorporating cause and design. From this point forward, Brice not only committed to making a positive impact in the world, but also to using the paper plate category as a canvas through collaborations like this one with French Bull.
“Over the course of Cheeky’s launch, I’ve not only become more aware of the problem of hunger in America but also of the way Cheeky can raise awareness through our products,” said Brice. “Everyone loves French Bull’s recognizable prints. Joining forces we introduce more people to the brand and recruit more people to the cause.”
“I’m excited to be working with Cheeky and bringing attention to their amazing cause,” said designer Jackie Shapiro, Founder of French Bull. “With our mutual passion for vivid color, along with our desire to create accessible products for design-conscious consumers, I knew this partnership was a perfect fit from day one.”
With bold visions for this collaboration, Cheeky and French Bull hope to inspire customers with a variety of vibrant prints for summer they can mix and match to compliment any and every occasion.
The Cheeky and French Bull collaboration starts appearing May 17 in Target stores. For further information, visit www.cheekyhome.com.
Fiskars Corporation Acquires WWRD and Extends Its Portfolio
Waterford
Fiskars Corporation, a global supplier of consumer products for the home, garden and outdoors, has agreed to acquire the WWRD group of companies and its portfolio of iconic luxury home and lifestyle brands, which include Waterford, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Royal Albert and Rogaška. Fiskars continues executing its growth strategy and becomes a leading global branded consumer goods company in the luxury and premium home and lifestyle products market, with a clear focus on tabletop, giftware and interior décor. For Fiskars Living business, the WWRD acquisition will create a strong presence in the U.S., and will further enhance Fiskars’ market position in Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Fiskars has on May 10, 2015 agreed to buy 100 percent of the shares in the holding company of the WWRD group, including its brands and business operations from the U.S.-based private equity firm KPS Capital Partners. Fiskars will also acquire certain intercompany receivables. The purchase price payable is $437 million (EUR 406 million) on a cash and debt free basis, subject to a post completion adjustment based upon the level of net working capital and cash and debt in the acquired business on a closing date. Fiskars will finance the acquisition by monetizing its holdings in short term interest rate funds. The transaction is subject to the completion of the antitrust filing under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act (HSR Act), and it is expected to close in the beginning of July 2015.
Upon the closing of the transaction, Fiskars and WWRD will start building a successful future together as part of a strong family of highly renowned brands. The management of WWRD will report to Mr. Kari Kauniskangas, President and CEO of Fiskars Corporation.
“We are delighted to be bringing together WWRD’s portfolio of iconic luxury home and lifestyle brands with Fiskars’ highly regarded Living brands of Iittala, Royal Copenhagen, Arabia and Rörstrand, which are renowned for their Scandinavian design and heritage. After the acquisitions of Iittala Group Ltd. in 2007, Royal Copenhagen A/S in 2013 and now WWRD, Fiskars Group is set to become a leading global branded consumer goods company in the area of luxury and premium home and lifestyle products focusing on table top, giftware and interior décor,” says Kari Kauniskangas, President and CEO of Fiskars Corporation.
“Through the acquisition we will create a strong presence for the Fiskars Living business in the U.S., and further enhance Fiskars’ market position in Europe and Asia-Pacific. Fiskars will now have a balanced portfolio of businesses. Our Functional products and Living products business units will become approximately equal in size and all business units, including Outdoor, will continue as important parts of our company and will be developed according to our strategy,” continues Mr. Kauniskangas.
Royal Albert
The brand portfolios and product offerings of Fiskars Living business and WWRD complement each other well. Fiskars will continue to develop all WWRD and Fiskars Living brands, as the success of each brand stems from preserving their intrinsic values. As a company with centuries of history, the heritage and longevity of WWRD’s brands resonates strongly with Fiskars. The unique offering of each brand is based on a combination of their heritage and history. Fiskars will focus on strengthening these unique brands based on Fiskars’ consumer insight and deep understanding of consumer goods industry drivers and on leveraging common success models across them.
“We look forward very much to building a joint future with Fiskars. There is an excellent fit with the brand portfolios of both companies, and we will be able to build a joint success that will stem from the deep roots and core values of both the WWRD and Fiskars’ Living brands. We are delighted to be getting an owner that has strong industry experience and an impressive 365 years of heritage in Scandinavian design. I am confident that these strengths, together with our continued focus on contemporary relevance, will ensure that the WWRD brands will retain and indeed grow their iconic status around the world and capture the ongoing growth in luxury demand,” says Mr. Pierre de Villeméjane CEO of WWRD.
WWRD manufactures, distributes and sells globally renowned brands with centuries of heritage. The portfolio includes Wedgwood (established in 1759), Waterford (1783), Royal Doulton (1815), Royal Albert (1904), and Rogaška (1665). WWRD has a global footprint and has manufacturing sites in England, Ireland, Slovenia and Indonesia. The retail store structure consists of 226 stores, of which 76 are owned by WWRD and the remaining 150 are concession stores. WWRD products are also sold in luxury and premium department stores and by specialty retailers in over 100 countries and 10,000 locations. WWRD employs 3,800 employees across 14 countries and, after the acquisition, Fiskars Group will employ a total of 8,600 employees.
WWRD has high-profile licensing partnerships and collaborations with leading designers and innovators in the home and lifestyle market, including: Vera Wang, Jasper Conran, John Rocha, Monique Lhuillier, Gordon Ramsay, Donna Hay, Miranda Kerr, Jo Sampson, Barber and Osgerby.
New Kyocera 3-Inch Revolution Mini Prep Knife: A Small Size with Big Sales Potential
Kyocera expands its bestselling Revolution Series with a 3-Inch Mini Prep Knife, perfectly sized for everyday food prep tasks such as mincing herbs or garlic and slicing small carrots, celery, mushrooms, radishes, bananas and more. Its size and perfectly balanced shape – combined with the benefits of Kyocera’s lightweight ceramic blade – give it special practical and ergonomic advantages.
“It’s rare for a new knife size to have such broad sales potential, but the 3-Inch Mini Prep Knife would be a welcome addition to most knife sets in most kitchens. It’s your go-to knife for mincing and cutting herbs and small fruits and veggies,” said Denise Bernstein, Marketing and Sales Manager at Kyocera.
The 3-Inch Mini Prep Knife features a contoured black handle and a pure white blade made of Kyocera’s proprietary Zirconia 206 ceramic, which offers superior edge retention versus metal competitors. The razor-sharp blade will hold its edge at least ten times longer than other professional knives, including carbon steel.
Kyocera’s ceramic blade is rustproof and easy to clean, so it will always stay beautiful. It will never alter the taste, smell of appearance of food as metal knives may due to the transfer of metallic ions.
Kyocera knives do not need to be sharpened often, but when they do, the company offers complimentary sharpening to a factory-new edge for a nominal shipping and handling fee. Kyocera is the only ceramics company to offer a limited lifetime warranty and lifetime sharpening on its cutlery.
The new Kyocera 3-Inch Mini Prep Knife is available for immediate shipment, with a suggested retail price of $24.95.
New CDN Displays Showcase Bestselling Thermometers and Timers
CDN simplifies sales for its retail partners with two new Starter Kits that come pre-loaded with its most popular thermometers and timers. Offering a solution for any time or temperature-measuring task, they make it easy to merchandise an array of products with strong sales potential. They are also customizable for those who want a different assortment based on their customers’ tastes.
The CDN Large Starter Kit features a space-saving triangle dolly display, with three 2-by-5-foot grids, on casters to make it easy to move and position at retail. Neatly organized to merchandise CDN bestsellers, it holds a variety of models from the basic to the unique, ideal for highlighting the feature and color choices in each product segment.
The CDN Small Starter Kit makes the most of countertop space as a tabletop display, featuring two 14-by-24-inch grids on a rotating frame, showcasing an abundance of product within a small footprint.
Both display headers feature CDN branding that attracts attention while reinforcing the messaging found on the packaging. These easy to assemble displays can hold 20 to 50 CDN thermometer and timer products, with three to six items on each hook.
“Our new Starter Kits are no-hassle options for retailers who want to maximize thermometer and timer sales. For consumers, they make the buying decision easier, whether it’s a considered purchase or an impulse sale,” said Shawn DiGruccio, Executive Vice President of CDN.
The new CDN Large Starter Kit comes with three grids, dolly, joiner clips, hooks and signage – ready to hold a variety of CDN products with high sales potential. The Small Starter Kit includes two grids, rotating frame, hooks and signage, and kitchen essentials from CDN. Both are available for immediate shipment and are free to participating retailers with a qualifying purchase.
For more information, visit www.cdn-timeandtemp.com, or call 800.338.5594.
Mixers and Blenders Compete for the Premium Purchase
A must-have option for mixers these days is color. Blame it on KitchenAid, c’est la vie. Anyhow, it was only a matter of time until the kitchen color explosion seeped over to the small appliances category. Even the well-established Vitamix has forayed into color – if only in black, white and red for now. Currently, KitchenAid remains the color giant in the realm of mixers – and how could it not? The brand has launched over 85 colors and finishes for the iconic stand mixer and offers an online quiz to determine what color will best suit a customer.
While companies like SMEG look to make a splash on the U.S. market with a combination of color and function, an interesting juxtaposition has arisen where premium blenders have risen to the prominence of premium stand mixers. Now, it is seemingly KitchenAid, with the new Magnetic Drive Torrent Blender, looking to dominate the premium blender category in a fashion similar to that achieved with the brand’s stand mixer.
While the price gap is closing between premium blenders and mixers, there is still a functional gap between the two machines that requires any self-respecting kitchen appliance junkie to absolutely have both. Otherwise, a customer will have to decide if they’d rather bake sweet and savory treats or go on a liquid diet of smoothies, soups and sauces. Perhaps a happy medium could be for a customer to go for premium on the appliance they will use frequently and opt for a more inexpensive version of the machine they know they are less likely to use. Save up that next premium appliance purchase for a major life event, like the kids finally going away to college!
Digital FusionBlade Blender
BLACK+DECKER’s Digital FusionBlade Blender features a two-tip stainless steel blade providing enhanced blending and ice crushing to create smoother smoothies, velvet purees and protein-packaged power drinks. The four function automatic digital control and pulse includes a pre-programmed 30-second smoothie function. Accessories include a 6-cup glass jar with an easy to remove lid, level markings and ergonomic handle, and a 20-ounce BPA-free personal jar with travel lid and blade base. Cleanup is a breeze with dishwasher-safe removable parts.
Suggested Retail Price: $39.99
BODUM BISTRO Blender
The BISTRO Blender from BODUM is a powerhouse tool that easily mixes, chops, grinds, crushes and liquefies everything from nutritious smoothies to satisfying soups. The blender features an easily adjustable continuous speed dial and a convenient pulse function. The pitcher holds 42 ounces, is made of an enormously sturdy BPA-free plastic, and the lid has two openings: one with a filter to hold back any large food pieces, and the other to pour thicker liquids.
Suggested Retail Price: $80.00
Dash Go Everyday Mixer
The Dash Go Everyday Mixer saves time so that you can make nutritious, unprocessed recipes everyday. This pint-sized powerhouse can whip up everything from whole wheat pancake batter, to oatmeal cookies, to whipped cream with ease. Convenient and compact, the Dash Go Everyday Mixer has a 2.5-quart capacity bowl and is designed with a smaller footprint that fits underneath most kitchen cabinets. Available in pastel blue, pastel pink, red or black.
Suggested Retail Price: $69.99
Dualit Professional Hand Mixer
The Dualit Professional Hand Mixer (model #88520) has been designed for both commercial and home use and comes with a professional heavy-duty 300-watt power motor. On top of the solid ingenuity, this mixer has four speed selections with rotational speeds of 540 rpm to 1200 rpm, including blending, beating, whipping and turbo settings. Additionally, it is equipped with a unique manually retractable power cord which cleverly winds into the rear cap end, ensuring easy and tidy storage at all times. The mixer comes with a balloon whisk, two oversized flat beaters, and dough hooks. The soft touch finish with easy-grip handle is available in variety of colors.
Suggested Retail Price: $120.00
Magnetic Drive Torrent Blender
KitchenAid’s first-of-its-kind Magnetic Drive Blender for home use, utilizes magnets to secure the pitcher to the motorized base and drive the blades, resulting in an easy front-load, slide-in design. Helpful pre-programmed, hands-free settings for juices, soups and sauces, milkshakes, icy drinks and smoothies take the guesswork out of blending and eliminate the need to constantly monitor the blender. An ingredient feed on the top of the blender allows for the addition of ingredients at any point during the blending process, while an intuitive Intelli-Speed® Control system automatically optimizes blade speed to efficiently complete blending tasks.
Suggested Retail Price: $599.99
Omega TF6064S High Performance Blender
The Omega TF6064S combines power, durability and capacity while turning out tantalizing combinations of delicious drink blends. It features a 3-peak horsepower motor that spins blades at up to 26,500 rpm and propels the blade tip speed over 250 mph, 10 percent faster than its closest competitor. The Omega TF6064S includes a commercial grade motor with the motor mouth engineered with new air flow technology that decreases noise pitch, creating the quietest blending experience in Omega’s line of high performance blenders. Commercial construction coupled with its precision controls make the Omega blender the go-to tool whether blending for business or pleasure.
Suggested Retail Price: $449.95
SMEG 50s Retro Style Stand Mixer
With the SMEG 50s Style stand mixer, recipes take shape thanks to a reliable, robust, and efficient assistant featuring planetary rotation and a 600-watt motor. The 5-quart stainless steel bowl with ergonomic handles enables small and large quantities of mixtures to be prepared, augmenting any recipe. Ten adjustable speed setting guarantee the greatest versatility in the preparation stages, including a Smooth Start function. The numbers printed alongside the lever suggest the correct speed based on the hook in use. A stainless steel wire whisk, aluminum flat beater, aluminum dough hook and anti-spray pouring shield are included. SMEG offers many possibilities, including the use of accessories which are inserted on the front, and will enable you to cut or stretch fresh pasta. Available in cream, red, black, pastel blue or silver.
MAP: $449.95
Vitamix S55, A Powerful, Premium Personal Blender
Vitamix® introduces the latest innovation in personal blending: the S55. Engineered to deliver power and premium results in a compact machine, the S55 makes it easier than ever to create individual smoothies and small batches of recipes including soups, dressings and sauces. Four pre-programmed settings, variable speed control, and pulse function are conveniently housed in a single dial, offering the versatility to create a variety of textures. A 40-ounce container with a two-part lid is included, as well as a double-walled BPA-free 20-ounce container to blend individual servings and take them to go. The interchangeable blade base attaches easily to both containers and features the signature laser-cut, stainless-steel blade design of every Vitamix machine. A safety interlocking system turns the machine off automatically when the container is lifted or rocked from the base.
Suggested Retail Price: $459.00
This story was originally published in the May 2015 issue of Kitchenware News, a publication of Oser Communications Group.
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