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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 M o n d a y, M a rc h 1 7 , 2 0 1 4 the United States. The company's early production of decorated drinkware fea- tured acid etch, decals, sandblasting, hand-painting, banding, sand-cut mono- gramming and silk screening. In the late 1950s, Culver introduced the application of 22k gold to their glass- ware. Their super-heated, roll-on process of gold remains a secret to this day. Culver was known for its lavish designs and the decorative use of gold embellish- ment. The patterns of Culver were exten- sive, from gilded mushrooms, owls, cats, wildlife, Moroccan-style trellis, Egyptian and Asian inspired design themes, scroll- ing leaf patterns, holiday designs and many others. The company gained notoriety, and its products became highly collectible, selling at high-end department stores. Mark "Mickey" Rothenberg took over the company in 1987 after his father, Irving, passed away. He eventually sold the company in 1996 to the Moderne Glass Company, Inc., located in Aliquippa, Penn. Culver Industries currently offers a number of exclusive licensed products on glassware, including Fiesta ® , Ned Smith and Keith Kimberlin. For almost 20 years, Culver Industries has been the exclusive licensee/decorator for all Fiesta glassware. Available through many dot coms and major retailers including Dillard's, Belk, Bon-Ton, J.C. Penney, Kohl's, etc., Fiesta's bold, bright colors translate seamlessly into the ever-popular Fiesta stripes design. The reproduction of the Ned Smith Wildlife series on glassware has main- tained its popularity for over 45 years. E. Stanley "Ned" Smith was a self-trained artist and naturalist, whom in his 46-year career created thousands of astonishingly Culver Industries ( Cont'd. from p. 1) accurate drawings and paintings of wildlife for books, magazines and other publications, as well as dozens of limited edition prints. His illustrations of game birds and water fowl are two of the most popular designs available on a variety of drink ware. Sold in sets of four on double old fashions, wine glasses and beverage coolers, these glasses can be purchased on Amazon.com. The KEITH KIMBERLIN brand, another exclusive drinkware offering from Culver, represents the most diversi- fied and comprehensive portfolio of kit- ten and puppy photography in the world. According to his worldwide Licensing Agent, Peter LoCoco, "Keith's portfolio is really several portfolios in one, offer- ing a multitude of options that cater to the consumers' and retailers' varied prefer- ences. As a result, the KEITH KIMBER- LIN brand has something for everybody and doesn't matter which country you are in." The KEITH KIMBERLIN brand is currently licensed on over 350 different products in more than 70 countries. You will also see Culver Industries' screened glassware in the Museum of Modern Art, including the Mondrian Tumblers, Butterfly Tumblers and Coonley Tumblers. The vivid geometric patterns on the Mondrian Tumblers are based on Composition in Red, Blue and Yellow, a painting by renowned Dutch artist Piet Mondrian, which is in the museum's collection. The Butterfly Tumblers feature a geometric butterfly design adapted from a window detail designed by Frank Lloyd Wright ® in 1902. These glass tumblers from the Museum of Modern Art add some cultur- al chic to a barware collection. Visit Culver at booth S113. For more information, call 800-862-0070 or email culversales@culverind.com. for Disease Control and Prevention. With all WRAP-N-MAT ® patented products opening flat into a placemat, parents are loving the fact that their loved ones can eat on something clean that will promote healthy eating. "The staff here at Wrap-N-Mat Inc. continuously hears from our customers about their joy in using our products, since their kids can now eat at their friends' tables rather than being separated to designated allergen tables," said Wrap- N-Mat's Inventor and President, Bonnie Smith. The Wraps open up into a 13.5- inch by 13.5-inch octagon which serves as a great placemat, keeping food away from harmful allergens. Even their snack pouches open flat, if desired, converting into a placemat. Additionally, since there are no cor- ners to trap food and no need to invert to clean, all WRAP-N-MAT products make cleaning up a snap. They are top rack dishwasher safe or can be simply hand washed and air dried. Packing a lunch without plastic sand- wich bags is easy. Wrap a sandwich in a WRAP-N-MAT Wrap, enjoyed by con- Wrap-N-Mat ( Cont'd. from p. 1) sumers for over 16 years, and place snacks in the popular Mini Snack Pouch. To ensure freshness, Wrap-N-Mat, Inc. uses a LDPE lining (free of lead, phthalates, BPA and PVC) to help keep air out and freshness in. This smooth surface is stain resistant as well, so orange snacks, for example, don't permanently discolor the inside lining. Wrap-N-Mat Inc.'s products have always been made in the United States. The full line of products is available to specialty stores and retailers domestical- ly and internationally. To meet the need of price-conscious consumers, a Made in China line is also offered, manufactured to meet all the same high quality and CPSIA requirements. "Time has brought many changes to families and I'm thrilled that something invented 16 years ago has an even greater need than before. We celebrate that our products are reusable and long lasting, but are ecstatic that families and friends can use our products to share their meals together regardless of their allergies," said Smith. For more information, visit booth 7743, go to www.wrapnmat.com or call 970- 776-9904. DP: Wabash Valley Farms is a real place, owned by a real family (ours), and where we grow real corn, make popcorn pop- pers and take care of our customers. It all started two generations ago when my granddad started farming in 1941. My dad followed in his father's footsteps when he started farming at an early age. My dad also liked to tinker with things, which lead to the invention of the Whirley Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper. The Whirley Pop was patented in 1980, and it has gone on to be one of the best- selling popcorn poppers in the country. KNSD: More than 30 years selling the Whirley Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper? That's quite a run. DP: We've been fortunate by how many people just love the Whirley Pop. They love the smell, taste and experience of making "movie theater quality" popcorn on the stove. We hear all the time, "There is just something about homemade pop- corn that tastes better." Your readers are invited to visit booth S4010 to try some hot, delicious Whirley Pop popcorn. We'll be popping throughout the show, and they can expe- rience firsthand how good the popcorn really is. KNSD: It sounds like Wabash Valley Farms is the unofficial home of the "pop- corn experts." DP: Well, we try to offer our retailers everything they need to create a popcorn statement that offers their customers everything they need to make the best tasting popcorn they can at home. For Wabash Valley Farms ( Cont'd. from p. 1) many, we're their "one stop shop" for popcorn. Having "everything you need to make popcorn at home" has also separat- ed us from the competition. No one else offers the wide selection of poppers, ready-to-give gift sets, fresh popcorn, premium oils, fun bowls, unique season- ings and much more than we do. Retailers appreciate that we can give them a variety of items that merchandise well together and are able to sell 365 days a year. KNSD: What's next on the horizon for Wabash Valley Farms? DP: Wabash Valley Farms has ongoing conversations with buyers, listening closely to what they want, and then developing the products they love. One of our major initiatives this year is to try to expand the thinking that popcorn is not just a fourth quarter item. We will be showcasing more than 100 items at the Show, including new uniquely themed popcorn gift sets, a new Color Changing Popcorn Popper plus new Interactive Popcorn Tubs all designed to make eating popcorn even more fun. We've continued to improve our merchandising efforts to ensure our prod- ucts remain great sellers. In fact, we're debuting 16 different merchandising dis- plays with an emphasis on 3-foot end caps. We've come up with innovative ways to merchandise products so they fly off the shelves. Visit Wabash Valley Farms at booth S4010. For more information, go to www.wfarms.com, call 877-888-7077 or email info@wabashvalleyfarms.com. Victorio Food Strainer, has a long history of helping families preserve the bounty of their gardens. Our line of kitchen tools includes canners, apple peelers, steam juicers, dehydrators, kitchen sprouters and more. We know our focus is right on as we listen to our customers. They are growing more concerned about the nutrition avail- able in processed foods. They are grow- ing their own foods, frequenting farmer's markets, using more whole grains and trying to do it all within smaller budgets Whether they are making and storing applesauce from the box of apples they picked up at the farmer's market or grinding garbanzo beans into flour because they just found out they are gluten sensitive, we've got the tools to get the job done and take back control of their food. KNSD: To what do you attribute your company's success? DP: It comes down to the basics: Make a good product and provide great service. Our products are useful and our cus- tomers are loyal. We hear from them on a regular basis how they sent their neigh- bor, niece or dog-walker to buy a sprouter or apple peeler because they loved theirs so much. When our cus- tomers engage with our staff they always go away knowing that we are here to help and that we love what we're doing. It Victorio ( Cont'd. from p. 1) seems pretty basic, but most companies today don't follow this tried-and-true recipe for success. KNSD: What products do you see as being hottest this year? DP: Sales of the Victorio 4-Tray Seed Sprouter have been phenomenal, and show no signs of slowing. It just ties back to what our customers are telling us. They are looking for more nutrition in their foods, and sprouting at home is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to add more nutrients. We also expect the Victorio Apple and Potato Peeler to continue to be hot. It's such a time saver for peeling and slic- ing apples that people want everyone they know to have one. The price point makes it perfect for gift-giving, so we typically see people buying multiple units. KNSD: Who are your target end-users? DP: The typical Victorio customer is usually a health-conscious individual who enjoys food preservation methods such as canning and dehydrating. We also find them to typically enjoy baking and food storage. For more information, visit www .victorio.info or call 866-257-4741. Visit Victorio at booth S4230. Be sure to mention this editorial to receive a free thank-you gift.