Industry Update

• Drip coffee machines hold their grounds
  Drip coffeemakers remain a favorite with coffee lovers despite the growing popularity of single-serve coffee machines. Krup, DeLonghi and Bella Dots are among the manufacturers continuing to make drip machines outfitted with modern features. Chicago Tribune (tiered subscription model) (11/23)     

• Accessories make useful gifts for wine lovers
  Wine accessories can make good gift choices for wine aficionados and help gift-givers avoid the pitfalls of trying to select the right bottle of wine. Manufacturers are offering a variety of new accessories this holiday season including glasses, carriers and corkscrews. The Wall Street Journal (11/22)     

Trends & Innovations

• Kipkay uses flashlights for Thanksgiving dinner
  Kipkay has come up with an innovative way to cook a Thanksgiving turkey. The tech guru put out a YouTube video using Wicked Laser Torch flashlights to roast a turkey to a golden brown. CNET (11/23)     

• Chefs still appreciate the ancient mortar and pestle
  American chefs from Portland to Los Angeles are ditching the food processor in favor of the mortar and pestle, the ancient way to grind ingredients and flavors together. Chefs say that although it may take more time, the end result is worth the wait and the work. "If I see a mortar and pestle, I know that I'm gonna get a good meal," says chef Nancy Silverton. "I can see the difference; I would like to think I taste the difference too. I just feel like I taste the care, you know?" National Public Radio/The Salt blog (11/25)     

• Williams-Sonoma releases tablet accessories for home chefs
  Williams-Sonoma has unveiled a set of products intended to help home cooks using tablets during their holiday food preparations. The set features a stand, splash screen and the Williams-Sonoma Smart Tools Bluetooth Speaker. CNET (11/20)     

• Other News

• Cooks clamor for cast iron cookware
  Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model) (11/24)     

Retail News

• Canadian shoppers take the money and run south
  Canadian consumers are expected to spend about $5 billion of their holiday budgets at US retail outlets this season, spurred by lower prices and higher duty-free limits, according to Douglas Porter, deputy chief economist at the Bank of Montreal. Financial Post (Canada)/Bloomberg (11/23)     

• Stonewall Kitchen opens new store in Massachusetts
  York-based food and housewares company Stonewall Kitchen has opened its eleventh store. The company’s new Newburyport, Mass., store joins outlets in Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Maryland. Portland Press Herald (Maine) (11/21)     

Finance & Policy

• U.S. is closer to free-trade deal with Europe
  Momentum is picking up in negotiations that could lead to a free-trade agreement between the U.S. and the EU. Although trade with China gets much publicity, the EU buys more U.S. exports than China. An agreement could increase economic growth in the U.S. and the EU by 1.5 percentage points, according to the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (11/25)     

• Index shows higher industrial activity in China
  Chinese factory output increased this month for the first time in 13 months, according to HSBC Holdings' Purchasing Managers' Index. The benchmark hit 50.4 on a scale in which anything higher than 50 indicates expansion. The fastest growth was in export orders. China Daily (Beijing) (11/23)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by Housewares SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• New York chef picks favorite kitchen gadgets (The Daily Meal)

• Joseph Joseph wins two major business awards (HousewaresLive.net)

• Single-serve makers brew holiday strategies (The Wall Street Journal)

• Creator hopes cutlery design will affect eating (DVICE)

• Le Creuset moves to establish greater presence on Indian market (The Economic Times (India))

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

IHA News

• IHA partners with Good360 to help hurricane victims
  IHA is partnering with Good360 to assist the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Good360 works with specific agencies to assess the needs of victims and target product and other donations from IHA members to those in need. There are three ways IHA members can help: donate money, donate products or transportation, or join Good360's disaster coalition. To donate products or transportation, e-mail Doyle Delph at doyle@good360.org. Learn more.     

• Become a fan of IHA on Facebook
  Connect with industry professionals and consumers alike through the IHA Facebook page! Join the discussion on topics ranging from housewares news to fun photos and videos from the International Home + Housewares Show. Interact with other members via comments, check out the photo albums of exhibits and products and share your own links and insights on the wall. Become a fan of IHA on Facebook today. Like us.     

SmartQuote

The passion for setting people right is in itself an afflictive disease." --Marianne Moore, American poet and writer