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Kitchenware News & Housewares Review Show Daily Sunday, March 11, 2018 3 8 Neatfreak Transfers 'W' Innovation to Shoe Storage For three decades, Neatfreak Group has designed, manufactured and distributed innovative products to retailers around the world. Neatfreak provides imaginative solutions that make life easier, keep things organized and helps control chaos from the closet to the laundry room and beyond. First, it took inspiration from dispos- able shaver handles, which offer stiff durability yet are lightweight, and devel- oped a thin "W" profile structure to its hangers. The result was a 10 percent increase in strength for the same material weight compared to a simple plastic tubular hanger design. With maximum durability while using less material, reducing the carbon footprint, it's a true environmental story. Now, it has transferred that innova- tion to the Neatshoe, a stackable shoe rack with unlimited configurations and retail possibilities at a reasonable cost. This innovative shoe rack goes beyond the simple plastic OPP shoe rack with its strength and durability, stylish design and functionality, as well as affordability. The "W" profile gives this structure the sturdiness and strength of a heavy-duty shoe rack, while keeping it light- weight by using less plastic than a solid structure. The honey- comb design allows the con- sumer to place cross poles wher- ever they are needed to config- ure a shoe rack that suits their needs by moving poles closer together for kids' small shoes, stagger the front and back poles for high heel shoes or remove a pole to make room for tall boots. Even place the Neatshoe on its side to store shoes under a bed! The innovative lock- ing mechanism allows you to stack the Neatshoe without fear of it slipping off the one below. The Neatshoe is also available to retailers with a variety of options, like plastic or metal shelves, casters, shorter or longer poles, and can also be made in any color. The possibilities are endless. For more details about the neatfreak innovative home organizing products, visit booth #N7740, Clean & Contain, or con- tact Tracey Doherty at 905.624.6262, ext. 293. Go to www.neatfreak.com to learn more. 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, Lékué 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 col- lege 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 min- utes." In microwave time, that's a long time, but you don't have to wait for water to boil, Steffen points out. That tools for quick breakfasts are also getting a lot of interest from con- sumers, according to Steffen. Single egg poachers, omelet cookers and bacon cookers are all available, giving the con- sumer the chance to actually cook break- fast 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 ves- sel. 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 from 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 item." 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 confi- dent in using their microwave ovens for new tasks, Joseph Joseph offers guid- ance. "All of our stuff comes with instructions. For the microwave cook- ware, 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." Hilary's Introduces Culinary-Inspired Millet Medleys at Expo East Hilary's, which makes foods from real ingredients that are free from common allergens, has introduced Millet Medleys, a new line that offers a flavorful and clean twist on traditional rice pilaf, pack- aged in convenient microwaveable pouches. On display at Natural Products Expo East in September, Hilary's Millet Medleys come in four versatile and savory flavors: Traditional Herb, Golden Curry, Savory Mushroom and Fresh Greek, and are perfect as a bowl base, side dish or meal starter. The new heat- and-eat medleys are rolling out now nationwide. "We were inspired to create this line because of the powerful and nourishing benefits of millet, which is also naturally gluten-free," said Becky Harpstrite, Vice President of Marketing at Hilary's. "Millet's higher protein content, sustain- able growing methods and alkaline prop- erties make it the perfect base for a vari- ety of flavor profiles and recipes, allow- ing us to infuse bold flavors with clean ingredients. With fresh, on-trend and mouthwatering flavors, our Millet Medleys are a tasty, free-from option in the frozen aisle. They're perfect for busy consumers who want convenience, whether they're clean eaters or have spe- cial dietary needs." Millet Medleys are made with a har- monious blend of ancient grain millet, extra virgin olive oil, organic vegetables and protein-rich pulses. They can be heated and served for a plant-based side dish or meal that's ready in minutes. Millet is a hot trending ingredient, known for its high fiber and alkaline properties, in addition to being a drought resistant crop. Like all Hilary's products, Millet Medleys are free from common allergens, including wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, nuts, sesame and corn. They are vegan, USDA Certified Organic, Non- GMO Project Verified and certified gluten free. The Traditional Herb Millet Medley offers a combination of carrots, peas and white beans along with parsley and thyme, while Golden Curry Millet Medley has a warm mixture of lentils, peas and golden raisins seasoned with turmeric and cayenne. Savory Mushroom Millet Medley offers up the earthy, com- forting tastes of mushrooms, herbs and roasted vegetables, while the Fresh Greek Millet Medley's garbanzo beans, Kalamata olives, red onion and sun-dried tomatoes accented with parsley and mint provide an authentic taste of Greece. Hilary's new Millet Medleys are available at conventional and natural gro- cery stores nationwide and in Canada, as well as online for a suggested retail price of $4.99 per package. For more information and recipe inspira- tion, visit www.hilaryseatwell.com. 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 commu- nication professionals and key retail partners. After careful con- sideration, the Freeheart name was chosen. "We're entering our sixth year of operation and have transi- tioned from being simply an injection molding company to an emerging consumer brand. We thought the time was right to make this move and create some excite- ment and passion around our high quality, innovative products," said Kuhn. Freeheart is in the process of developing a new logo and build- ing a new website with the URL www.gofreeheart.com.