Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/948603
Kitchenware News & Housewares Review Show Daily 8 5 Saturday, March 10, 2018 ZA: In 1978, we established Down To Earth Distributors and began wholesaling to retailers with products that fit our per- sonal lifestyle. From those humble begin- nings, Down To Earth has grown into three distinct businesses: manufacturing, wholesale distribution and retail (we have a beautiful home and garden store in Eugene, Oregon). The manufacturing division pro- duces premium, natural and organic fertilizers. We formulate, blend and package naturally occurring nutrients for both commercial users and home gardeners. The distribution division wholesales to a diverse group of retailers including upscale grocery markets, garden centers, hardware stores, co-ops and internet retailers. These businesses range from small, single shops to national independ- ent chains. KNSD: Where is your current product emphasis? ZA: Our tagline has always been "Products for Natural Living" and it still rings true today. We emphasize product lines that support the Garden-to-Table Lifestyle – tools that enable people to grow, prepare and serve nutritious food. More and more consumers want to know where and how their food was produced, and many feel the only way to do this is to supplement their diet with homegrown ingredients. KNSD: What do you anticipate to be your greatest change in the year ahead for your customers? ZA: When we started Down To Earth, our catalog could fit on one side of a Down To Earth (Cont'd. from p. 1) piece of paper. Today, ecommerce has changed how everyone is buying prod- ucts, opening up a literal world of possi- bilities for retailers. To compete in this marketplace, we have invested in a robust distribution website, which allows customers the convenience of online ordering. But we are backing it up with the personal, one-on-one sales support that we have been providing for many years. We're expanding into a new era of shopping/distributing, but we don't want to leave any of our customers behind, so we still have a print catalog. We're not moving to the internet for short-term goals. It's just another tool to help build the same kind of solid relationships that we have been forging all along. KNSD: How do you help engage cus- tomers in a changing marketplace? ZA: Down To Earth has always advocat- ed for a natural lifestyle, and our content marketing supports this core belief. Our videos on cooking, canning and garden- ing underscore the environmental and social concerns that have exploded in popularity since the late '70s. As the movement has grown to meet the needs and challenges of a much wider audi- ence, and newer generations have pushed this culture online, we are contributing our traditional knowledge and practices that are as applicable today as they were when we began trailblazing four decades ago. For more information about our products, services and corporate culture, find our Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Brenda Black, at booth #S2280. For more information, go to www.down toearthdistributors.com, call 800.234.5932, email sales@downtoearthdistributors.com or stop by booth #S2280. 16-ounce double wall vacuum insulated coffee press and hydration bottle in the world. It's lighter than leading brands, all without compromising insulation or con- struction, and while also letting users make a perfect cup of coffee or tea inside. KNSD: Who is the Ultralight a fit for? BC: Discerning housewares customers love beautiful things that work excep- tionally well. We listened to what our customers had to say and we heard that many of you wanted a hydration bottle that was lighter, and much more flexible to fit the beverages you make and love through your day. So we created the Swiss army knife of bottles. KNSD: What makes it unique? BC: Every part and every surface is opti- mized to reduce weight without compro- mising strength or style. The essential loop makes it easy and fun to carry. This is the lightest 16-ounce vacuum insulated stainless steel hydration bottle in the world and with our proven double micro filters installed, it produces the ultimate cup of coffee or tea and stays hot for hours. KNSD: Does it really brew a better cup of coffee? BC: Espro has been working with spe- cialty coffee/cafés and fanatics for 15 years. We have never disappointed before and we are so sure we won't disappoint and guarantee not only the product but the cup of coffee. It will make a better cup than you are used to. We aspire to have every Espro user be a friend for life. KNSD: Does Ultralight mean ultra frag- ile? Espro (Cont'd. from p. 1) BC: Not at all (but you be the judge – come hold and test it at the show!). When we optimized the weight, we moved thickness to where we needed it, the outer wall, to accommodate normal use. The inside and outer walls have highly specialized thicknesses. The outer walls are almost three times thicker than the inner walls so the bottle can with- stand normal use and still be extremely light. KNSD: Is the Espro Ultralight made of food-safe materials? BC: Absolutely. We only use FDA approved materials. That means metals are stainless steel. All plastics are BPA/BPS/Phthalate-free, so you know they will never leach into your food. We back that up with independent testing by accredited labs, like Bureau - Veritas. KNSD: Is the Espro Ultralight too hot to pick up from the sides? BC: Our double-wall, vacuum insulated construction offers a high level of insula- tion that's cool to the touch, even when filled with boiling water. It stays hot or cold for hours, just like the products we knew everyone would compare us to! KNSD: Why do consumers need an Ultralight? BC: If you need to pack one hydration bottle a day, this is it. Coffee in the morn- ing, water throughout the day, and what- ever pick me up you might need along the way! Espro is hosting all-day tastings in Discover Design, booths #N8323 and #N8423. For more information, visit www.espro.ca, email sales@espro.ca, call 844.377.7622 or stop by booths #N8323 and #N8423. the kitchenware and cleaning categories respectively, together under one fully integrated business. Company co-Presidents Brett Bradshaw and Rob Michelson will con- tinue to head the new enterprise, marking a major milestone in the history of both companies. Bradshaw purchased Butler Home Products in 2003, but both busi- nesses have run independently for the past 15 years. Bradshaw International has grown to lead the kitchenware industry, while Butler has done the same in clean- ing. In mid-2017, it was announced that Michelson and Bradshaw would become co-presidents of parent company Bradshaw Holdings. The formation of Bradshaw Home is the next phase for the housewares leaders. "This structure clearly puts us in a great strategic position to expand for the future. It will allow us to use our consid- erable assets and experience in both kitchenware and cleaning to build on our already strong market positions," says Brett Bradshaw. "We have long been known for our service oriented philoso- phy – operationally, this streamlining will benefit the way we do business and make us as efficient as we can be." Rob Michelson adds, "Bringing the companies together allows us to maxi- mize scale in the departments that sup- port our ever-changing customer needs, and keep independent the departments that rely heavily on category specific Bradshaw (Cont'd. from p. 1) experience and expertise." Michelson went on to say, "It is important for us to note that our warehouse footprint will stay exactly the same and we will contin- ue to deliver best in class service to our retail partners." Bradshaw Home will maintain its family-owned business style, as Michelson and Bradshaw – both succes- sors to their respective family businesses, lead the charge for this new organization. This restructure positions the company for future success, as it continues to grow by building on its strong heritage and assets – its valued customers and great people. About Bradshaw Home Formally Bradshaw International and Butler Home Products, Bradshaw Home is a privately owned company based in Rancho Cucamonga, California, with family heritage dating back to 1905. The company is a premier marketer of house- wares and the largest kitchen gadget and cleaning products supplier in the U.S. Its family of brands span the areas of kitchen tools and gadgets, cookware, bakeware and cleaning products, which includes: GoodCook ® , T-Fal ® , AirBake ® , Bialetti, Emeril Lagasse, Betty Crocker ® , Butler ® , Evercare ® , Mr. Clean ® , Dawn ® , Casabella ® , CleanOnes ® , Clorox ® , Liquid-Plumbr ® and Black & Decker ® . For more information, stop by booths #S1837, #S1843 and #S2043. After the show, visit www.goodcook.com. wheels, the racks can be moved with ease to any room or stay firmly in place," Ng said. "All of our products are built with our own patented designs to solve com- mon problems in the home, like not hav- ing enough workspace or too little stor- age space," said Ng. Besides kitchen Oasis Concepts (Cont'd. from p. 4) islands, serving carts, baker's rack and pantry, Oasis Concepts also carries bas- kets, foldable racks, foldable cabinets and other storage and organization prod- ucts. To learn more, visit booth #S4054. For further information, contact Sophia Wong at 949.600.6990, email sales@oasisconcepts.com or go to www.oasisconcepts.com. the CitrusZipper you no longer need to use a fingernail for the peeling process, leaving you with a sticky mess on your hands. Simply use the peel cutter end to cut through the peel, then use the peel lifter end to release the skin from the cit- rus. The built-in zester and channel knife lets you create different size zest and peel strips for flavoring and gar- nishing delectable sorbets, desserts, Fusionbrands (Cont'd. from p. 4) espressos, salad dressings and cool sum- mer drinks. For those that love to eat or cook with oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, tangerines and more, these three citrus tools will become your new best friends. Visit Fusionbrands Discover Design booth #N8307 to see all the new 2018 products. For more information, go to www.fusion brands.com or call 877.279.2002.