Jun 20, 2011

Red Hot Gourmet/Housewares Sector Takes Center Stage

ATLANTA – AmericasMart is continuing to service the red-hot gourmet/housewares market with more than 250 permanent product lines – plus an entire floor of gourmet Market Temporaries – at the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market July 13 – 20 (with Temporaries taking place Friday July 15 through Tuesday, July 16) and The Atlanta International Area Rug Market July 14-17.

The Gourmet/Housewares product center has more housewares product than ever before including several major players such as L’Equip and Now Designs. The strength of the segment at AmericasMart can be seen in the new presence of distinguished chefs such as Cat Cora and Linton Hopkins who will not only discuss their culinary philosophies but demonstrate the latest culinary products.

As the trend for cooking at home heats up and the popularity of such the Food Network and the Cooking Channel and their celebrity chefs increases, more and more individual gourment/housewares lines are being offered. As a result, more companies are securing their own individual permanent showroom space in the product center for the July Market. The result is more options for retailers and designers and more sales.

Of course, cooking demonstrations continue to be popular and several world famous chefs will not only cook but hold book signings throughout Market, including:

Riedel Wine Tasting Course, Thursday, July 14 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Building Two, WestWing, Floor 8, Room 899. Join interactive demonstration of a Riedel Glass tasting, featuring four different grape varietals and four wine glasses, including the newest addition to the line, Vinum. Sponsored by Ben Tally & Associates and AmericasMart Atlanta, all participants will keep the $123 kit. Seating is limited, $50 per person. The event will also take place Friday, July 15, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the same room. Still American as Apple Pie will feature a presentation by Chef Linton

Hopkins, sponsored by All-Clad Metalcrafters LLC and Ben Tally & Association. Chef Hopkins will prepare regional American cuisine and demonstrate how to prepare an all-inclusive meal in one pan. The demonstration will take place Friday, July 15 in Building Two WestWing, Floor 8, Demonstration Kitchen.

A Taste of Atlanta: Dueling Chef Demo sponsored by Taste of Atlanta. Two of Atlanta’s favorite chefs square off to prepare a Southern-inspired dish using the best seasonal ingredients. Friday, July 15, Building 2 WestWing, Floor 8 Demonstration Kitchen.

The Staff of Life with Natural Baking will be presented by Mary Moore, owner of Cook’s Warehouse in Atlanta, and sponsored by L’Equip. Moore will demonstration innovative dishes made from heart-healthy grains using BOSCH Universal Plus Kitchen Machine and L’Equip Nutrimill. Friday, July 15, 30:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Building 2 West Wing, Floor 8, Demonstration Kitchen.

Cooking with Celebrity Chef Cat Cora will take place Saturday, July 16 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Cora, the only female Iron Chef winner on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America” will demonstrate her recipes that are reflective of her Greek upbringing in Jackson, MS. Book sale and signing to follow. Building 2 WestWing, Floor 8, Demonstration Kitchen.

Southern Food the Serenbe Way includes a cooking demonstration by Chef Marie Nygren of Serenbe. Nygren cooks her mother’s traditional Southern dishes with her own healthier twist. Building 2 WestWing, Floor 8, Demonstration Kitchen. 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Come to the Housewares/Gourmet floor on floor 8 and Building 2 WestWing– and shop the permanent product center as well as the Temporaries, which will be located in close proximity – and welcome the latest new, relocated or expanded showrooms. All are located on floor 8 of Building 2 WestWing.

New to AmericasMart are the following

L’EQUIP, which manufactures and distributes small kitchen appliances and products that promote healthy lifestyles, will open a 241-square foot showroom on floor 8 of Building 2 WestWing, showroom 8119A. Now Designs, a distributor of table linens, diningware, giftware, kitchen wear, kitchen linens, paper napkins, bags, throws, cushions, and bath linens, will open at floor8 of Building 2 WestWing, showroom 879A. It will have 916 square feet of space.

Lynne’s Whim, which offers high quality, hand-made aprons with a removable hand towel and matching potholders, will have 311 square feet of space located at floor 8 of Building 2 WestWing, showroom 8101A. La Crema, which offers 100 percent Colombian coffee beans impeckably packaged, opened on floor 8 of Building 2 WestWing, 8101A and will occupy 311 square feet.

European Designs, which manufactures Polish pottery stoneware valued for its beauty and functionality, will occupy 218 square feet on floor 8 of Building 2 WestWing, 8112B.

Just Perfect Inc., whose brands are new patented inventions which bring practicality to all homes, will occupy 218 square feet on floor8 of Building 2 WestWing, 8112B.

Lifetime Brands, which designs and distributes cutlery, cutting boards, cookware, dinnerware, and home décor for 30-plus brands, including Cuisinart, Farberware, KitchenAid, Mikasa, Pfaltzgraff, and Salton, will occupy 241 square feet on floor 8 of Building 2 WestWing, 8113B.

Relocated or showrooms that expanded their space include:

Mussels & More Pottery, which offers hand-sculpted out of high-fired porcelain clay, gourmet pottery seashell dishes look just like seashells, will now have 314 square feet on floor 8 of Building 2 WestWing 878.