Serveware
Behold the Porter End Grain Board
The Porter End Grain Board from J.K. Adams is new this year. It’s 17 inches by 12 inches, and since it’s only 1.5 inches thick with undercut handles on each end, it’s easily portable enough to carry from the kitchen counter to the dining table for carving, which is extremely unusual for an end-grain board. Made of American walnut, it’s a visually stunning statement piece that’s easy on knife blades. It retails for $150.
New Meyer Collection Targets College Sports Fans
Targeting the more than 195 million college sports fans nationwide – the largest fan base of all sports – Meyer Corporation, U.S. introduces the College Kitchen C
ollection™. This crowd-pleasing, officially licensed collegiate line of high quality cookware, bakeware, serveware, and kitchen tools will be on display at the 2019 International Home & Housewares Show at McCormick Place in Chicago (March 2-5).
Developed in collaboration with IMG, which manages over 200 colleges, universities, conferences, bowls, the NCAA, and the Heisman Trophy, Meyer’s expansive new College Kitchen Collection features top college sports team colors and logos emblazoned onto skillets, stockpots, covered cake pans, covered muffin pans, platters, bowls, and spatulas. Making every day “gameday,” the sports-themed collection, which includes such notable schools as University of Alabama, Louisiana State University, and Texas A&M University, can be used for weekday cooking and festive occasions with friends and family, including tailgates, barbecues, picnics, and more.
Anchoring the collection are several cookware items, such as the Sizzle ‘N Score[TM] 10-inch ($29.99) and 12-inch skillets ($39.99), featuring stain-resistant porcelain enamel exteriors in signature team colors and the team logo at the base. The skillets’ aluminum construction heats quickly and evenly, and a high-quality interior nonstick offers easy food release and clean up. Securely fastened, dual riveted stainless steel handles are wrapped in silicone for a comfortable grip that stays cool on the stove. The versatile Sizzle ‘N Score Skillets are oven safe to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Crafted in fast and even heating enamel on steel, the new extra large 12-quart Gameday Stockpot ($49.99) easily tackles mammoth-sized chili, macaroni and cheese, slow-simmering pulled pork and other favorite one-pot meals. Generously sized handles offer a comfortable and secure grip and snug-fitting lid seals in heat and moisture. The Gameday Stockpot is compatible on all stovetops, including induction, and oven safe to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, when filled with ice, the durable Gameday Stockpot can pull double duty as a cooler for party beverages.
The College Kitchen Collection’s new bakeware items include the Tailgate Traveler[TM] 9×13 Covered Cake Pan ($24.99) and the Playmaker[TM] 12 Cup Covered Muffin Pan ($24.99). Perfect for baking and toting cakes, muffins and cupcakes to festivities without damaging baked goods, the bakeware’s tight-fitting, durable covers feature school team logos and team-specific slogans, such as “Love Purple, Live Gold” for LSU (Louisiana State University).
No party is complete without trays and bowls to serve big-league portions of chili, and pass around dips and chips. The generously sized 16-inch by 12.5-inch Serve ‘N Score[TM] Party Platter ($19.99) is made of durable and long-lasting melamine, and features built-in handles that make passing a breeze. Equally durable and easy to clean melamine Party Bowls are offered in an assortment of sizes to match every need. All bowls are purposefully shaped for easy passing without tipping and feature a rubberized base to prevent slipping and sliding. The large capacity, 4.75-quart Big Party Bowl ($19.99) is ideal for serving popcorn, salads, and side dishes, while the Three-Piece Party Bowl Set ($39.99) with 1-, 2- and 3-quart bowls is perfect for mixing, prepping and serving various snacks and dishes. Also included is the handy 4-Piece Prep Bowl Set ($19.99) with four 8-ounce size bowls for prepping, and serving dips and sauces.
To facilitate meal prep and presentation in the spirit of winning, the College Kitchen Collection includes the 2 Piece Smackdown[TM] Servers ($14.99) – spatulas made of comfortable wooden handles and flexible, heat-safe silicone heads featuring school logos. The Smackdown Servers reach deep into serving bowls, mixing bowls, and stockpots, and for convenient storage, each tool features a hole in the handle for hanging.
Meyer Corporation’s new College Kitchen Collection will be available at retail nationwide in spring 2019. All prices are suggested retail and subject to change.
Instagram-Worthy Accessories for Cheese Service
By Lorrie Baumann
This year’s winter gift shows featured a wide array of boards and condiment bowls for 2019’s cheese service and the Instagrammed photos that will be showing them off. From the subtle to the spectacular, these essential accessories are camera-ready for their close-ups and sturdy enough to stand up under the critiques of the social media commentariat.
Pacific Merchants Trading Company offers an array of options in its Acaciaware® line of hard wood trays and serving pieces. Its K0571 oval baguette board is 16.5 inches by 5.5 inches by 1 inch, and three sizes of square plates measure 7 inches square, 10 inches square and 12 inches square. Each is handcrafted, turned from a solid piece of acacia wood, also known as monkey pod wood, from the Philippines. The hard grain of Acaciaware repels liquids without picking up stains or odors, so while it’s not dishwasher safe (and it should never go into a microwave oven), it’s reasonably durable and easy to care for.
The wood is responsibly forested, and Pacific Merchants has an active replanting program to ensure sustainability and supports local communities with scholarships, lunch programs and free eyeglasses for those who need them, said Bruce Mannis, Pacific Merchants’ Owner. “Others talk about it. We actually do it,” he said. “I’ve been doing it for about 25 years.”
Slates from J.K. Adams are a collection of light gray or sea green stone serving pieces for cheese service. In round, oval, hexagonal and rectangular shapes, the Sea Green pieces include a little piece of soapstone that can be used to label them with the names of the cheeses sitting on top. After the event, the soapstone label wipes right off. The pieces have cork feet to protect the tables beneath them, and any one of them would make for a presentation worthy of the handcrafted cheeses and charcuterie of the most festive occasion. All of the items in the collections are American-made and guaranteed for life, and they can be engraved.
In addition to a range of bamboo boards that includes its Bambu Artisan Board in two sizes, Bambu offers Large Condiment Cups that would be perfect for jams and nuts. Each holds about 1/4 cup, and a set of two retails for $11.20. Bambu also offers a range of spreaders and a honey dipper. The utensils are certified organic by the U.S Department of Agriculture and they retail for around $2.50 to $5 each.
Talisman Design also offers an array of spreaders in three collections: Nature, Woodland and Bee as well as the Bee Cheeseboard. Made of beechwood harvested from a responsibly managed forest, these items are decorated with etched designs that won’t fade.
A Taste for Cheese is a brand new offering from Martin’s Home Wares. Made by an Amish Mennonite family that’s been in the business of making hand-crafted custom furniture since 1960 and then turned to smallwares about five years ago, these round cherry wood cheese service boards are laser-engraved with the names of various cheese styles. The 16-inch diameter board retails for $70, a 12-inch board retails for $54.95, and the 8-inch board retails for $29.95. A 12-inch by 20-inch cherry tray with wrought iron handles retails for $89.95.
Primeware’s Cambridge 5 Tier Server is multifunctional, as a five-tiered food display stand and as individual appetizer plates. Made of rubber wood, the plates come in a set of four with a base and stand. The plates can be stacked and assembled onto the display stand, then fanned out to be filled with cheeses and meats, or the piece can come apart to make individual cocktail plates designed to hold a wine glass so guests can move about without spilling their red wine onto their host’s carpet.
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Finds from Las Vegas Market
We saw plenty of interesting things at Las Vegas Market recently. Here are some of our favorites.
Impwear Reversible Tub
Impwear, the maker of a line of aprons and table linens made from a buttery-soft and pliable oilcloth, now offers new fabrics and a new shape – the Reversible Tub. These waterproof containers are 6 inches in diameter and 8 inches tall, so they’ll fit around a 4-inch or 6-inch flower pot, and their maker recommends them to enhance the pots for succulents, sedums or any other kind of indoor or outdoor plants. They can also be used as a fruit basket or candy bowl or simply as a handy receptacle in which to toss the sunglasses by the front door. The Impwear Reversible Tub retails for $16 to $20.
J.K. Adams Porter End Grain Board
The Porter End Grain Board from J.K. Adams is new this year. It’s 17 inches by 12 inches, and since it’s only 1.5 inches thick with undercut handles on each end, it’s easily portable enough to carry from the kitchen counter to the dining table for carving, which is extremely unusual for an end-grain board. Made of American walnut, it’s a visually stunning statement piece that’s easy on knife blades. It retails for $150.
Bambu Cork Bowls
Bambu cork bowls are stain-resistant, water-resistant and machine-washable. The cork from which they’re made is an abundantly renewable natural resource, and the bowls make beautiful display pieces for fruit, serving bowls for bread rolls or hold-alls for the mail. They are offered in three sizes: a 6.5-inch diameter Mini Soft Cork Bowl that retails for $18, the 8-inch and a 10-inch bowl that retails for $28. Bambu also offers the 8-inch bowl in a limited edition that’s embossed with a swirling leaves pattern for added flair.
Vintage Inspired Utensils from Talisman Designs
This gorgeous line is inspired by the historical art of woodturning. High-quality nylon echoes the designs of spindles made on a lathe, but it’s dishwasher-safe and durable. A Mixing Spoon, Silicone Spatula, Balloon Whisk, and Dough Whisk each has its own spindle design, and they hang on diecut pegboard tags to enhance their retail appeal. The Silicone Spatula has a permanent debossed design on its head that won’t peel off, and the whisks are made with high-quality stainless steel for enduring beauty. They retail for $10.99 each.
Primeware Libation
Primeware Libation is a tote bag made of cork fabric with a hidden compartment for two bottles of wine. It’s insulated, and there’s a divider between the two bottles to keep them from clinking together. The eco-friendly cork fabric of the bag can be hand-decorated and personalized with an indelible marker or it can also be laser-engraved. The bag’s straps are made of vegan leather. It retails for $39.95, and it’s part of a line that includes several other models of drink purses, including a few designed to hold wine bladders, for those events that prohibit glass containers.
PG Fondues
PG Fondues is a line of Belgian fine chocolate fondues packaged in porcelain containers and designed to be heated in a microwave oven for three to four minutes for the 8-ounce container. Four-ounce containers are also offered. The line includes six dark chocolate varieties and two milk chocolate varieties. PG Fondues does not sell on Amazon, and the product is shipped across the U.S. from Florida. To help retailers offset shipping costs, the retailer who buys a case of 12 will pay for only 11. The 4-ounce fondue, packaged in a tin, retails for $10, and the 8-ounce stoneware container retails for $19.
Great Scrape
Great Scrape is a barbecue cleaning tool that has no wire bristles, so there’s no danger that wire bristles can detach from the tool and become embedded in the food that comes off that barbecue. It’s made of solid hardwood that burns when it comes into contact with the heated grill, so that its edge takes the shape of the grill’s bars. The Great Scrape will last for years, and it’s offered in four different models.
Heart Boards from Out of the Woods of Oregon
Out of the Woods of Oregon offers heart-shaped serving boards made of red alder, a sustainable hardwood grown in the Pacific Northwest, that will be in stock in March. The Small Heart Board is 8 inches by 8 inches; the Large Heart Board is 11 inches by 11 inches.
For more on this year’s Las Vegas Market, visit www.lasvegasmarket.com.
Instant Brands, Corelle Brands Merge
Corelle Brands LLC (“Corelle Brands”), a leading manufacturer and marketer of such iconic houseware brands as Corelle®, Pyrex®, SnapWare® and CorningWare®, and Instant Brands, maker of the multicooker the Instant Pot®, have signed a definitive agreement under which Instant Brands and Corelle Brands will merge.
The transaction fast-growing housewares company with a comprehensive suite of products and accessories for all steps of the culinary process, from meal planning with recipes, preparing ingredients and cooking food to serving meals and storing leftovers. Since acquiring Corelle Brands in April 2017, Cornell Capital has worked with the company’s management team to strengthen its leading market position, suite of quality products and world-class marketing, service, distribution, sourcing and order fulfillment capabilities, while bolstering Corelle Brands’ commercial position in Asia.
Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Instant Brands specializes in designing and marketing innovative small kitchen appliances for busy home cooks who live a health-conscious and eco-friendly lifestyle. Known for its multi-functional and signature Instant Pot®, which combines up to 10 different appliances into a single product, Instant Brands has experienced tremendous growth and become a leading brand in the small kitchen appliance industry as it expands its customer base and diversifies its lineup of products, including its cooking blender, multicooker, sous vide immersion circulator and related accessories.
Instant Brands will retain its Ottawa headquarters. Ken Wilkes will be Chief Executive Officer of the combined company and Robert Wang will serve as its Chief Innovation Officer.
“As one of the fastest-growing small kitchen appliance brands in the world, Instant Brands has established itself as a leader in innovation and its high-quality products have become a staple in kitchens in North America, fundamentally changing how consumers think about cooking,” said Wilkes, Chief Executive Officer of Corelle Brands. “We are excited to work with Robert and the rest of the talented Instant Brands team in providing operational and marketing support and access to our global sales network to accelerate multi-channel and new product growth as part of the Corelle Brands family.”
“We are thrilled to partner with a global market leader in Corelle Brands as we look to embark on our next chapter of strategic growth and expansion,” said Wang, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Instant Brands. “With an international footprint, integrated supply chain and unique sourcing, design, R&D and comprehensive marketing capabilities, Corelle Brands and Cornell Capital will be true partners in supporting our innovation and expanding product development pipeline. In addition, this combination will allow us to better serve our retail customers to meet their evolving needs and capitalize on exciting new demographic and market opportunities.”
Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2019.
Headquartered in Rosemont, Ill., Corelle Brands LLC (the US operating subsidiary of Corelle Brands Holdings Inc.) and its affiliates manufacture and market products worldwide through a portfolio of well-recognized and respected brands, including Pyrex®, Corelle®, CorningWare®, Snapware®, Chicago Cutlery®, and Olfa®. Corelle Brands and its affiliates employ approximately 3,000 people and have major manufacturing and distribution operations in North America and Asia-Pacific regions.
Instant BrandsTM, the makers of the best-selling Instant Pot®, is driven by a commitment to provide cooking solutions that help our generation live a fast-paced, health-oriented and eco-friendly lifestyle. Product-by-product, Instant Brands is transforming the housewares industry through consumer-driven innovation and comprehensive brand extensions. Instant Brands product line includes the best-selling Instant Pot pressure cookers, Aura multicookers, Ace blender, Accu sous vide, and Wi-Fi enabled cooking products.
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