Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/281101
Ki t c h e n wa re N e ws & H o u s e wa re s Re vi e w S h o w D a i l y 1 0 3 S u n d a y, M a rc h 1 6 , 2 0 1 4 CT: Takeya USA was established in 2009, and specializes in beverage prod- ucts with a focus on TAKEYA ® iced tea makers, premium loose leaf iced teas and accessories to inspire and enable hand- made iced tea beverages. KNSD: Where is your current product emphasis? CT: TAKEYA is focused on making iced tea cool by enabling anyone to easily make handcrafted, artisan beverages in minutes – using the patented Iced Tea Maker, perfectly pre-portioned loose leaf teas and proprietary recipe. Combining healthy lifestyle and convenience with design innovation, Takeya makes the art of preparing and enjoying healthy and refreshing, fresh-brewed iced tea year- round more convenient than ever. KNSD: What distinguishes your prod- ucts from the competition? CT: Takeya's unique brew system uses patented Flash Chill ® technology, cou- pled with pre-measured tea packets, per- fectly portioned loose leaf teas that revo- lutionize what was once a laborious Takeya ( Cont'd. from p. 1) process to make delicious iced tea in three simple steps. Simply pour your favorite Takeya loose leaf Iced Tea pack- et into the infuser, fill the Iced Tea Maker halfway with hot water to steep, then top off with ice and shake for 30 seconds. Additionally, our Iced Tea System fea- tures a Fruit Infuser and Citrus Juicer that attach directly to the Iced Tea Maker to enable you to make our proprietary recipes adding fruit, herb and citrus juice directly to your iced tea, to create unique hand-made beverages. KNSD: What is your outlook in general for this product line? CT: Iced tea is a healthier alternative to almost any beverage. TAKEYA Iced Teas have zero calories, are all-natural, use no preservatives, no additives and no artificial colors. The Takeya Iced Tea System enables and inspires iced tea drinkers to create healthy hand- made beverages with their favorite ingredients, quickly and simply. Iced tea has never been more popular, and TAKEYA makes it easy to freshly brew premium loose leaf iced tea in just minutes. Visit booth S3643 or go to www.takeyausa.com for more information. Balsamic. "The Art of Slush" has a sug- gested retail price of $16.95. In 2013, Zoku also introduced the Slow-Pop Collection, for freezing differ- ent sized, easy to remove, sets of pops. Zoku offers an array of additional acces- sories for its Quick Pop products, includ- ing Tools, Super Tool, Storage Case, Set Zoku ( Cont'd. from p. 4) of 6 Sticks and Drip Guards, and "Quick Pops" recipe book by Jackie Zorovich and Kristina Sacci. All accessory parts are washable and reusable, preventing added costs and environmental waste. All Zoku products are BPA and phthalate free. Visit Zoku at booth S747. For more infor- mation, go to www.zokuhome.com or email sales@zokuhome.com. manufacturer and marketer of cool, cre- ative, fun and affordable personal con- sumer products. Today, we are the indus- try leader in battery-operated fans, mist- ing fans and misting drinking bottles. We also have hydration backpacks, cooling mats, cooling towels and other cooling essentials. KNSD: What makes your company unique? EL: We provide solution-based products in order to make life simpler and easier. There is an innovative and thoughtful design process behind every one of our products. O2COOL strives to make our designs more than they are. For example, instead of just buying a water bottle, O2COOL gives you a water bottle with a misting feature. Instead of just a fan, we give you a fan that is USB compatible and has a rechargeable battery. For us, it's about providing versatile, multi-func- tional products. KNSD: You are new to the company, correct? EL: Yes. I came over to O2COOL in September 2013. I was formerly at Focus Products Group International, where I spent 15 years with them. Most recently, I was the President of the Hospitality Division, and prior to that I was the COO of the company. O2COOL ( Cont'd. from p. 1) KNSD: What future plans do you have for O2COOL? EL: I really would like to expand our distribution. As of now, O2COOL prod- ucts are found in nearly every major retailer, with an emphasis on sporting goods stores. But, many think of O2COOL as a seasonal product. However, we are much more than that. Our products are perfect for all environ- ments and have additional features that make them perfect for the house, the office and even the outdoors. We want to see our products on the soccer fields, providing hydration and cooling to players, in the office, giving you a fan that is USB compatible, and at sports parks, where you can keep cool while enjoying the game. O2COOL wants to show the world the benefits our prod- ucts can bring to their lives. KNSD: What is next for O2COOL? EL: Right now we do some licensing with sports teams, which has been a great success. Our water bottles are absolutely perfect for hot days at the ballpark. We are working on licensing with colleges, so that we can bring our products to cam- pus bookstores. Students and alumni are looking for products that show their school spirit. Our water bottles give them a perfect way to do this. For more information, stop by booth S1905 or visit www.o2-cool.com. increase in farmers' markets over the past 20 years, not to mention the continued do- it-yourself at home trend, we're seeing more and more home vegetable and fruit processing tools coming into high demand," said Weston Products CEO Michael Caspar. While the number is indeed stagger- ing, what does that mean for the house- wares industry? "It means products that empower the home consumer to do more with their garden yields are only going to increase in popularity," said Caspar. "Making fresh tomato sauce, pressing your own wine, pickling vegetables – these are things that people are seeing on TV and reading about in magazines, and now they're scooping up the products to make them happen." Weston delivers tools for just that. With 86 percent of home gardens grow- ing tomatoes, it's no wonder they're see- ing increasing sales in both their Roma Weston ( Cont'd. from p. 1) Electric Tomato Strainer and Roma Food Strainer & Sauce Maker. If you're a member of the 14 million households that have an herb garden and you're looking to chop a large amount quickly, they have a Roma 3-in-1 Grater for that. Various Weston mandoline slicers make even the most irregular produce look perfect. French fry cutters turn those tubers into the ideal fry. An array of mills and strain- ers help with purees and jams. If you end up with more fruit than you know what to do with, dehydrators make fruit snacks to last you all year long. Even if you're just looking to freeze the crop to use through- out the winter, Weston has a full line of vacuum sealers. To find out more about U.S. gardening households and the kitchen products they use to take care of their harvest, visit Weston at booth S752. For more informa- tion, go to www.westonproducts.com or call 440-638-3131. AMANA KITCHEN GADGETS, LAUNDRY ACCESSORIES OFFER STYLE AND VALUE Amana, the popular consumer brand known for kitchen and laundry appli- ances, is now available in kitchen gadg- ets and laundry accessories. The line will be showcased for the first time at the International Housewares Show by Licotec International Ltd. Licotec International, the Hong- Kong based manufacturer, has secured the rights to manufacture and market kitchen gadgets and laundry accessories under the Amana brand through an exclu- sive licensing agreement with Whirlpool Corporation. "Consumers have a built-in comfort level with Amana brand. It's a name they trust. Our strategy is to build on that trust with reliable products while leveraging Amana's existing credibility in the kitchen and laundry room," said Lionel Sun, Managing Director for Licotec. Amana brand kitchen tools are designed for every task, from food prep to cooking and baking. Amana brand gadgets come in durable nylon, silicone and stainless steel and feature heat-resistant, ergonomic handles so they are easy to use. Culinary sets are a one-stop shop for new households and kitchen updates, and are ideal for gifting. Amana brand laundry accessories keep consumers organized while con- serving space, time and money. Products range from hampers, totes, rolling organizers, drying racks and mesh wash bags. Collapsible and pop- up hampers are ideal for dorms and small apartments, while the X-frame hampers make it easy for family members to pitch in and help with chores. Removable bags make it easy to transport laun- dry to and from the bedroom, bathroom and laundry room. The Amana brand Smart Hinge Hamper features a dial on the side that folds the hamper flat, locking it in place when not in use, and securing it in place when deployed. Two rolling products – a divided hamper with steel mesh baskets and lift- out bags, and a basic three section ham- per – provide ease when gathering and delivering laundry. About Licotec International Ltd. Licotec International Ltd. is a privately- held company based in Hong Kong. Licotec is dedicated to offering homecare solutions through developing and manu- facturing stylish, smart and innovative product in partner- ship with licensors and creative minds. About Whirlpool Corporation Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $18 billion in 2012, 68,000 employees, and 65 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn- Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world. Additional informa- tion about the company can be found at www.whirlpoolcorp.com. For more information, visit booth N6222, go to www.amanagadgets.com, call 573-442-2742 or email holly@3loophousewares.com.