Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/472393
K i t c h e n w a r e N e w s & H o u s e w a r e s R e v i e w S h o w D a i l y 1 9 M o n d a y, M a r c h 9 , 2 0 1 5 THE ORIGINS OF THE GRUND COMPANY One cold winter night in the Czech Republic, an innovative family watched as an outdated machine produced its first product, a bath mat, which was to change the family's fortunes. The story of the Grund family and its company of the same name begins in 1990 in the Czech Republic. The country had newfound freedom, and Mr. and Mrs. Grund wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to change their lives. That's when Mrs. Grund discovered the need for upscale bathroom rugs. Mr. Grund, a tex- tile engineer, began further developing this idea, and soon the family was pro- ducing its own product in the garage of their home. The Grund family headed to Prague to sell its products. It was able to sell 13 rugs and pay for the trip, an indicator of its product's potential success. By 1991, the company had begun to take off. It increased production and established a facility in a small cottage in the Giant Mountains. Just a year later, in 1992, the company had acquired over 20 employ- ees and was in the process of building a full line factory. In 1993, the company exhibited its product at the Heimtexil Trade Show in Frankfurt, Germany. It was the first time the product was exposed to a global economy and competitors. Despite these challenges, the tradeshow was incredi- bly successful and pro- vided Grund with many customers who still work with the company to this day. By the early 2000s, Grund had grown in size with about 200 employees, a major manufacturing facility, an auto- matic machine that allowed it to compete with China and partnerships with numer- ous designers including Luigi Colani. Grund then received its first major award in 2013 as the Company of the Year from the Czech Republic. Today, Grund is growing as a global brand. It has sold its prod- ucts in more than 40 coun- tries, has established branches in Germany and now is working towards bringing its products and a textile factory to the United States. The beliefs and goals of the Grund family when it established the company have continued to this day and are reflected in the company's mission state- ment and corporate values. Its mission is based on innovation, social responsibili- ty, partnership and the idea that this is a family company. Visit Grund in the North Hall, booth #8344. For more information, go to www.grundamerica.com. NEW LOOK, SAME VALUES: WESTON DEBUTS BOLD BRAND IDENTITY Weston Brands, a leader in specialty food processing equipment designed specifi- cally for those whose passions lie in Field-to-Table and Farm-to-Table foods, has recently unveiled a new brand identity that aligns the c o m p a n y ' s mission, val- ues and goals with those of their con- sumer. Weston's mission is to fuel a move- ment of hunters, gatherers and locavores with the enduring, well-built products needed for a self-sustaining approach to food. Weston makes products that empower people to reconnect with their food. The new logo, which features the tagline Reconnect with Real Food, embodies both the passion and values that go into making the company's prod- ucts, as well as those of the people who use them. New product packaging has been designed to reflect Weston's new brand identity. The new packaging ties in perfectly with the new logo, creating the perfect balance of modern and vin- tage, while maintaining a bold, clean new look. The new packaging will fea- ture in-use photos of products in both rustic and outdoor settings that better capture the passion of the people who use the products. Look for the new packaging to be phased in throughout 2015. Along with the branding changes come many new products. Weston will be expanding its line of food preservation equipment by adding multiple new mod- els of vacuum sealers. It will also be expanding its line of home "harvest" products by adding a tomato and fruit press, a corn cutter and a vegetable shredder/slicer. Weston will also be mak- ing cosmetic changes to many existing products to better align with its new brand strategy. Visit Weston at booth #S2035 to see the new products, packaging and logo.