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The Knife Rack THE KNIFE RACK 1 0 KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW ■ SEPTEMBER 2014 ■ www.kitchenwarenews.com BY AMBER GALLEGOS J.K. Adams has rolled out new personalization options for its cutting boards and entertaining products. From monograms to letters and text, retailers can now offer custom markings that shoppers may order right from the store and pick up in person a few days later. While the company has offered single monograms on many popular items for years, the process is now being formalized and made more widely available with expanded options. Customers may choose from six different monogramming or personalization options that cover J.K. Adams most popular products ranging from wooden cutting and carving boards of all shapes and sizes to their line of slate coasters and cheese servers as well. The company has developed a standard ordering form for retailers to complete with the customer which can then be emailed or faxed to J.K. Adams for fulfillment within five business days. The customer is able to select the product, the font style, and placement with their choice of one-, two- or three-letter monograms or up to three lines of text. Retailers offering the service will receive a personalization kit that includes an in-store promotional sign with stand and order forms. A discount of 25 percent off the standard wholesale price is also being offered to retailers for personalized items to display Personalization Options from J.K. Adams a Profit Center for Retailers in their store as samples. "If you can offer the customer something that's unique and is truly special that the larger retailers aren't offering as much, that in our mind is a great way to differentiate and also not have to fight for the price on every single sale in your store," said Jon Blatchford, J.K. Adams Chief Executive Officer. That all of the products are made in the company's Dorset, Vermont factory f rom North American hardwoods adds to the appeal. The customization is done through high-quality laser engraving to produce a clear image that will last for years, making these boards an ideal gift for weddings, anniversaries, housewarmings, and holidays. The Edonist Collection from Lion Sabatier Rousselon Dumas-Sabatier has celebrated the bicentenary of its brand Lion Sabatier by creating the Edonist collection. The brand was acquired in 1991 by Pascale Sol-Bruchon, who represents the fifth generation in the Rousselon family business started in Lyon in 1852. This collection is forged in Thiers, the cradle of French cutlery, by hot stamping from a single piece of steel. This process is known as "full forging" and it gives the knife qualities of fineness, balance and strength. Each knife is hand-polished. In addition to the steak knife, this collection comprises 11 other knives, each of which meets the needs and gestures that are specific to the cook: slicing, chopping, paring and transporting chopped ingredients from cutting board to pan. The series is completed by a countertop storage block made from natural ash wood to hold five of the most-used knives close to hand. For further information, see the web page devoted to this new collection at www.edonist.fr. As a 70-year-old company, J.K. Adams has a vast network of small specialty gift and kitchenware retailers that have carried the company's products for years. The company's latest move comes as a nod to those retailers who are now competing against online retailers in addition to the big box stores they have always had to compete with. "There's a market and demand for it. If you can do it and do it well, and we can help you execute it pretty easily, then it's a great way to make the sale, and in fact, at a higher price than what you might sell it for if you were trying to compete against Amazon or another big box store," said Blatchford. The personalization program also gives the customer a reason to return to the store to pick up the item and possibly make another purchase while there. Although the order form lists several of J.K. Adam's most popular items, nearly any item the company makes can be personalized upon special request. Contact J.K. Adams to order a personalization kit.

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