Housewares SmartBrief

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December 27, 2012

News for and about the housewares industry

Industry Update

Plates designed to promote healthy eating habits
Slim & Sage founder Tatyana Beldock says her company's distinctive plates are designed to promote healthy eating habits with appealing presentation. The plates, available with red or blue patterns, are nine inches in diameter and feature designs that easily divide into quarters for serving sizes. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (12/26)

New machine makes all-natural nut butters
Nostalgia Electrics has rolled out a machine that will turn any kind of nut into nut butter, without using preservatives. The Peanut Butter Maker retails for $39.99 and comes with a separate container for storing nut butters in the refrigerator. Food Business Review (12/26)

David Tang prepares launch of new venture
Entrepreneur David Tang has revealed plans to re-enter the retail market with showrooms set up as apartments full of Tang-chosen products. The new venture will target China’s expanding middle class. South China Morning Post (Hong Kong) (free registration)/Wealth blog (12/24)

Trends & Innovations

Parisian luxury comes to market
THG is bringing Pierre-Yves Rochon’s Perle faucet to the commercial market. Rochon originally designed the crystal-coated faucet for the Four Seasons Hotel Georges V in Paris. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (12/26)

Mug designed to wake up with hot beverages
The Fred and Friends Wake-Up Cup is designed to wake up as a user consumes their favorite hot beverage, shifting designs from sleepy eyes to wide-awake eyes. The mug is not dishwasher or microwave safe but can make an unusual and fun gift. Business Insider (12/24)

Retail News

Retailers offer post-Christmas deals to boost sales
Retailers offered big discounts on the day after Christmas in a bid to entice consumers into stores and improve a sluggish holiday season sales performance. Sales in several key categories, including electronics, clothing and jewelry, posted 1% growth for the season, less than the 3-4% growth retailers had hoped to see. San Jose Mercury News (Calif.) (free registration) (12/26)

Finance & Policy

Home prices post another gain for October, survey finds
The S&P/Case Shiller index says U.S. home prices rose 0.7% in 20 metropolitan areas in October, marking the ninth consecutive monthly advance. The year-on-year increase was 4.3%. "[I]t is clear that the housing recovery is gathering strength," said David Blitzer, chairman of the Standard & Poor's index committee. Reuters (12/26), National Mortgage Professional (12/26)

Washington readies final effort to avert "fiscal cliff"
With President Barack Obama and members of the Senate headed back to Washington, D.C., political leaders are preparing to make a final attempt at averting the "fiscal cliff" that economists say could send the U.S. economy back into recession. In a sign that there may be a way to break the standoff, Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, head of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, urged the Senate, where Democrats hold the majority, to offer a proposal that could restart movement toward a budget compromise. Reuters (12/26), Politico (Washington, D.C.) (12/26), Bloomberg (12/26), The Hill/On The Money blog (12/27)

IHA News

Going Green deadline extended to Jan. 4
The deadline for submissions for the Going Green display at the International Home + Housewares Show has been extended to Jan. 4. Trend spotters’ research indicates that careful consumers are looking for greener alternatives. Going Green attracts media and buyers looking for the latest products that save energy, save money and help consumers make better choices in their daily lives. Exhibitors, get attention for your sustainable products and packaging. Entries will be reviewed by sustainability experts who will select the items to be displayed. Enter today.

IHA's blog offers industry news, features and housewares trivia
Stay in touch with the pulse of the housewares industry with the IHA blog. Get in-depth coverage of industry news, ranging from Show info to global topics like shipping and international business. Take in some of our lighter coverage with series like Housewares History, a combination of photos, nostalgia and videos of housewares past. And check out our guest blogs, like the Inside Discover Design series, which features interviews from the designers that made up our newest exhibit, Discover Design. Read it here.

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	Recent Housewares SmartBrief Issues: Wednesday, December 26, 2012 Monday, December 24, 2012 Friday, December 21, 2012 Thursday, December 20, 2012 Wednesday, December 19, 2012			Lead Editor: Liz DeHoff Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004