We love to eat, and the kitchen represents mealtimes and gathering of loved ones. For many people, it’s a creative space, as more and more ingredients are available that foster culinary ingenuity. Food shows and media featuring recipes are proliferating like dandelions in spring. TV infomercials are showing the latest in kitchen gadgets more than any other type – and retail is bursting with kitchen appliances and doodads to make our food adventures fun and easy. Hence, the meal-making arena is the preferred space of the kitchen ninja.
For those who don’t have the time to indulge in true “from scratch” cooking (visiting farmers’ markets and supermarkets to hunt and gather ingredients, clean, chop, puree, prep) – the meal-kit delivery service market has expanded.
In fact, according to a March 15 2018 article, “Blue Apron is Heading to Stores as Meal Kit Competition Heats Up,” by Dale Buss (on www.branchannel.com), this market now has more than 150 brands and accounts for $1.5 billion in the US. New entrants are Weight Watchers and Walmart.
Why is focusing on kitchen items a great idea for your clients? Because in a press release about its new meal-kit program (WW Healthy Kitchen) Weight Watchers asserts, “As part of the WW Healthy Kitchen, WW is launching a line of more than 100 products and tools – ranging from cookware to storage and meal prep tools – with Gibson Overseas, Inc.”
Therefore, where there is demand – there will be fresh supply. If there is significant demand that appears to have a long shelf-life, household-name multi-billion-dollar players enter the arena.
And, as the expert in promotional items and campaigns, using this as an example is a powerful door opener to the concept.
Sarah Hobson of Webb Company agrees: “In this day and age, people are more health conscious than ever. What’s important for end users is that anything that they would receive to use in their kitchen and home is a quality product that won’t break in a few uses and is really functional and saves them time.”
Although the primary function of the kitchen has remained static for centuries – modern lifestyles have created newer ideas as to what this space means and its expanded role in health.
Kevin Andrews of PolyConcept North America (PCNA) observes that the “goal for today’s kitchen is form and function, with sleek, orderly and multi-purpose living spaces. That translates to more time in the kitchen for everyone. It’s the place we hang out, and the place where memories are made.”
He adds that in the promo world, the kitchen is “branding gold.” And you don’t need to know how to cook yourself or what home chef wants, he assuages; it’s more important to know that with the time spent in or near the kitchen is an awesome opportunity for impressions.
Efficiency and health hallmark the idea of today’s kitchen, agrees Carrie Lewis of BIC Graphic, who observes that indeed while people are busier more than ever, there has been a significantly increased interest in healthy eating and food knowledge. “This has led to people returning to the kitchen to create healthier meals at home, but they are looking for tools that make things more efficient,” she emphasizes. She points to the popularity of meal kit delivery services as evidence of the trend of using fresh ingredients while also being speedy in the kitchen. “Tools like the Lil’ Chizler (#10027) speed up clean-up while Flip-Out Measuring Spoons (#45991) keep utensils together to grab what you need quickly,” she offers.
In Hobson’s viewpoint, retail-inspired, high-quality products are definitely trending in this category. “Our new bamboo and slate cutting board is my personal favorite. It is all natural and has a high perceived value,” she says.
Bamboo is itself trending in kitchen products; it is a renewable resource that is also a versatile material. Josette Bosse of Bay State says the company’s Bamboo Coast Kit (#K344) with four bamboo coasters that are portable in a linen bag, is extremely popular right now. “This item can be used in the kitchen, out at the patio or at the bar,” she describes. “I have heard of customers using the coasters to put hot plates on top of at the dinner table.
Some even use them (opposite side of imprint) to cut their limes and lemons! Customers have also included some of their own literature inside the linen bag when they gift them out.”
Andrew agrees, noting that some of the biggest trends he has seen in the category at retail are the use of natural, but elegant materials like wood, marble, and slate. “Some of our best performing kitchen items are doing well because they incorporate those materials. The Marble and Bamboo Coaster Set (#1401-20), the Laguiole Black Knife Set (#1250-40) or Black Cheese & Serving Set (#1250-39) are great examples of how you can bring retail trends to your customers’ kitchens with your branding on them.”
Healthy on-the-go begins in the kitchen. More people are planning healthy lunches to tote with them to work – making salads, wraps, etc. Therefore, end users would love food-storage containers with compartments, dressing containers, utensils and freezable gel lids to keep their healthy lunches fresh. “A great example is our Cool Gear™ Salad To Go (#45642), the KOOZIE® Square Food Container (#51019), and the KOOZIE® Rectangle Food Container (#51018),” Lewis says.
Andrews agrees, commenting, “Another common trend you will see is products you can take on the go. As part of everyone living such busy lives, products that make it easier to stay on the move can be a big hit. Some examples of this are Bullet’s Salad to Go Container and the Soup To Go Mug.”
Similarly, Stan Dohan, MAS, MASI of the Allen Company notes that his company’s BlenderBottle line is valuable in the kitchen for today’s on-the-go and healthy lifestyle. BlenderBottles are portable and BPA-free, so they are eco-friendly, which is increasingly important to many people.
Hobson summarizes, “Kitchen products are just a no brainer for any industry. People spend so much times in their kitchens and if the product is of a great quality and functional – your clients will get long lasting brand visibility.”
CASE STUDY
Carrie Lewis of BIC Graphic: “A middle and high school was interested in promoting healthy lunches for students in grades four through 12 as part of an active lifestyle campaign. Local chefs were invited to come in and teach classes on building layered salads (popular on social media) using interesting and healthy ingredients. The day of the classes, the school served free layered salads in our Salad Cups (#45956) to each student. Students were able to keep the cups and were encouraged to use them in making healthy lunch choices.”