Oser Communications Group

GENERAL NEWS www.kitchenwarenews.com n JANUARY 2018 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW 5 Covo Drinkware Relaunches as Freeheart Precision Products' brand Covo Drinkware, Made in the USA thermal insulated drinkware, is relaunching under the brand name Freeheart™. " We wanted a name that is more emotive and communicates the core brand elements of Adventure, Openness and Passion to our retail partners and consumers," said Rainer Kuhn, President of Covo Drinkware. " The name is all- inclusive, like our brand personality. It 's also more reflective of our target market and retailers we're choosing to partner with as we accelerate our growth." The name Freeheart was decided upon after three months of developing hundreds of options, all focused on the brand 's core attributes. The company consulted with branding agencies, marketing and communication professionals and key retail partners. After careful consideration, the Freeheart name was chosen. " We're entering our sixth year of operation and have transitioned f rom being simply an injection molding company to an emerging consumer brand. We thought the time was right to make this move and create some excitement and passion around our high quality, innovative products," said Kuhn. Freeheart will debut at The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, Dallas Market Center, the Seattle Gift Show and Las Vegas Market. Freeheart is in the process of developing a new logo and building a new website with the URL www.gof reeheart.com. KN illy Serves Joy For Coffee Lovers From college students to connoisseurs, coffee lovers are sure to enjoy the X1 Anniversary Edition Espresso and Coffee Machine, Y3.2 Espresso and Coffee Machine, Maurizio Galimberti illy Art Collection and more. illy gift items can be purchased at www.illy.com and in select illy caffè shops in cities including Las Vegas, San Francisco, Denver, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Toronto. In celebration of the original X1 espresso machine's 20th anniversar y, illy 's new limited edition X1 Anniversary Espresso & Coffee Machine is an evolution in form and functionality f rom the original Luca Trazzi design that has been sold since 1996. It is steeped in heritage, yet has undergone meticulous revisions including a profile accentuated by new curved lines and a new cup-rest that adjusts to var ying heights. Available in stainless steel, red and matte black, the multi-beverage machine prepares espresso, cappuccino, coffee, and latte with ease. Its retail price is $595. The new, compact Y3.2 Espresso & Coffee Machine prepares a perfect cup of espresso and coffee all at the touch of a button with iperEspresso coffee and espresso capsules. Elegant and functional, its compact form makes it suitable for kitchens and offices large and small, and has a retail price of $149. As the latest chapter of the revered illy Art Collection, the Maurizio Galimberti illy Art Collection features Polaroid shots of iconic Italian city views and architectural treasures including Trieste, Venice, Milan, Florence, Pisa, and Rome. The subjects are captured through a sequence of shots and imprinted on the saucer and the iconic illy ceramic cup. Retail price for the six- cup espresso set is $140; the six-cup cappuccino set sells for $170. For more information, visit www.illy.com. KN Microwave Tools Making Waves BY MICAH CHEEK Something about microwaves invites derision. Lots of cooking jokes have the punchline of, "I can't even microwave popcorn!" Gordon Ramsay's starts throwing things every time he catches someone using one on "Kitchen Nightmares." What's with all the hate? A microwave won't significantly brown most foods, and the difference between tender-crisp zucchini and soggy squash is about 30 seconds. Other recipes can be adapted for the microwave but require some significant changes. Still, when used properly, the microwave oven is indispensable when time is of the essence, and there's nothing better for many routine cooking tasks. Furthermore, they present an opportunity for the retailer who carries accessories and cookers that help consumers make better use of the microwave. Tara Steffen, Marketing Manager, Lekue USA says that younger and busier consumers are wanting to get more out of their microwaves. "I think you have the Millennial crowd cooking for themselves; you also have the college crowd cooking for themselves. It's also for the families. If you've got two working parents, you can make a meal quickly in the microwave, or have a child make a meal for themselves," says Steffen. "For my 10 year old, he loves buttered noodles. We use our pasta cooker in the microwave. We can cook pasta in the microwave in 12 minutes." In microwave time, that's a long time, but you don't have to wait for water to boil, Steffen points out. Tools for quick breakfasts are also getting a lot of interest f rom consumers, according to Steffen. Single egg poachers, omelet cookers and bacon cookers are all available, giving the consumer the chance to actually cook breakfast in the microwave instead of heating up a prepackaged, frozen item. As these tools are designed to make food for busy families, many of them are designed to do double duty as serving piece and dining bowl. "We have the Ovo, an egg cooker, I use that a couple times a week as a healthy breakfast. I put one egg in the Ovo with olive oil and a little bit of pepper," says Steffen. "If it's [serving] one person, I serve it in the vessel. Popcorn and omelets, you can eat right out of there." Marc Magnus, President of the Americas, Joseph Joseph is also seeing more consumers interested in using the microwave as a cooking tool rather than just for leftovers. "If you think about it, it makes sense that the trend is on those unique items because it 's more about cooking than about reheating. Someone's buying an egg poacher because they don't really know how to poach eggs, and everything seems easier in the microwave anyway," says Magnus. Healthy eating also ties in to the trend. "I think it comes f rom the fact of what you're putting in the food. If you're cooking on a stainless steel skillet, you're usually cooking with fat. For the popcorn maker, you're not putting the fat in there," adds Magnus. "Popcorn is a trend – some of our key retailers see that. That goes along with healthy eating, it 's a good snack. There could be a trend that we see here in more technique-based items." Joseph Joseph has seen more success in selling specific items rather than large, all- purpose microwave cookers, and is developing accordingly. "We see the sell- through more on these unique pieces," says Magnus. "This is where we're lucky to have a substantial team that reviews trends." For home cooks who aren't confident in using their microwave ovens for new tasks, Joseph Joseph offers guidance. "All of our stuff comes with instructions. For the microwave cookware, you do have to make sure the instructions are pretty clear," says Magnus. "It's making sure you put in the right amount of water and watch it – it's not totally set and forget. You do have to have that instruction manual and be very clear on how to use it." KN (cont. from Page 1)

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