Appointment-only General Merchandise

The GMDC 2015 General Merchandise Marketing Conference is designed to enhance the supplier/retailer relationship. Global Market Development Center (GMDC) wants its members to be well prepared when they attend the upcoming 2015 General Merchandise Marketing Conference in Orlando. Last year Colorado Springs, Colo.-based GMDC launched the GMDC/Nielsen GM Hierarchy, a tool that tracks sales information across all general merchandise categories. The reports are available to GMDC members only. Unlike other conferences in which attendees spend most of their time walking from booth to booth or listening to seminars, the GMDC events consist of Controlled Casual Conferences (CCCs) between retailers and suppliers. These appointment-only, face-to-face tabletop meetings are designed to help attendees build partnerships. “In a 10-minute meeting you have to get to the point quickly,” says Patrick Spear, GMDC president. “We have a platform of tools available to our members that enable both the retailer and supplier to quickly identify category opportunities and merchandising best practices.” For example, a supplier can show what the sales trends have been for a general merchandise product category in the grocery channel over a period of time, while also providing guidance on the latest trends in category merchandising and fixturing, through the RNG Store Tours database available to members on GMDC’s website. Another resource to help members is Conference Launchpad, GMDC’s web-based tool that guides the attendee before, during and after the event. The member logs into a website and can access helpful items such as a preconference checklist, tips for how to apply everything they learned at the conference, and instructions for what to do after the conference using GMDC*Connect technology. Over the past few years GMDC hosted its Health Beauty Wellness (HBW) event in the spring and the General Merchandise (GM) event in the fall. The group switched the schedule this year in response to retailer member feedback about buying cycles for GM and HBW. The GM15 event will take place May 28 - June 1 at the Orlando World Center Marriott. GMDC expects 300 suppliers and 65 retailers and wholesalers to attend this year. They will gather for approximately 11,000 meetings, up from 8,000 meetings at the 2014 GM conference. “We prepare all of our members, including those attending for the first time, to win at the conferences,” says Spear. “Our goal is to deliver the most productive workdays of the year for our members, and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone in Orlando.” Here are some of the companies that are attending the conference: American Greetings www.americangreetings.com Consumers are looking for fresh and exciting ways to celebrate birthdays and holidays, so Cleveland-based American Greetings has developed, through its Pipeline of Innovation, a variety of social expression products with visual features, funny messages and music. Among the newest launches are Sparkleshines, with unique paper engineering and a pop-out window that pulls open to activate twinkling lights and music; Yakety Plaques, featuring a shiny trophy that sings while its googly eyes bounce along to the beat when the recipient presses the button; Party Poppers, with real confetti that bursts out at the push of a button, upbeat songs and colorful illustrations; Warm Fuzzy Wishes, with brightly colored fur, googly eyes and a funny song; and Wish Launchers, kids’ birthday cards that include a game that involves a launcher, metal ball and baskets. For Halloween, Graveyard Greetings invite the user to open a creaky, coffin-shaped card to see a silly message, fun illustration and a character that sings and moves. For Christmas, Wonderland Wishes show cute photo animals, felt stockings that light up and seasonal songs. There are also Loony Loot musical gift card holders, and Turbo Button Gift Card Holders with a button to speed up the sound and motion of the quirky characters. New gift bags include Yakety Yak, Warm Fuzzy, Let Me Out, Wish Wonders, Zip Happy and Zippy Cutes. Avanti Press www.avantipress.com Everyone wants to laugh, says Marc Trobman, vice president of business development for Avanti Press, and the greeting card company is willing to help. “We are a niche greeting card company,” he says. “Nobody does what we do. We have crazy characters, high impact color and the verse makes you smile. We are very much a humor brand.” Trobman says Avanti Press has looked at much data that indicates consumers prefer to buy humor cards, so the cards can help the category by building incremental sales. “We are not going to offer, ‘Roses are red, violets are blue,’” he says. The Detroit-based company’s newest offerings include Big Funny, which are large, 6- by 11-inch die-cut cards that feature close-up photos of animals or babies. Peel & Stick cards feature reusable stickers. Write Your Own are blank cards created to appeal to Millennials who like to customize their messages. Historic Detroit is a 45-card collection that showcases historic news photos of the city, and the cards are blank inside. The A Plus Motion cards use lenticular technology to show depth and 3D motion when the person moves the card. The greeting card category needs more humor, says Trobman. “We help people connect and we do it with a smile,” he says. “We are helping the world smile with one greeting card at a time.” Big Time Products www.bigtimeproducts.net Gardening and cleaning gloves have gone high tech. People working in their yards or in their kitchens sometimes need to touch their smartphone screens to look up recipes or instructions, or to take photos of their creations. For these consumers, Big Time Products added touchscreen technology to its True Grip, Grease Monkey and Digz high dexterity gloves. “This is a huge breakthrough in the hand protection industry and a significant benefit that will aid retailers in maximizing sales in the category,” says Tim Stapleton, president, U.S. sales for the Rome, Ga.-based company. Big Time Products has refreshed and redesigned its Digz 2016 lineup, and also added a new category, Rainbrella umbrellas. Stapleton says the company launched the rain protection program in late 2014 and the consumer response has been strong. The Rainbrella products include golf umbrellas, ponchos, fashion umbrellas, travel size umbrellas and other products. Big Time Products will also present its Elegant Fare food handling gloves and the Soft Scrub Kitchen and Bath set. “Our team is excited about the products and programs we will be bringing to the GMDC show this year,” says Stapleton. “We expect both hand and rain protection categories to continue to explode sales in 2015. Big Time Products will be there to support our retail partners.”   Bradshaw International www.goodcook.com Bradshaw International expanded its Air Perfect Bakeware line to 10 SKUs. The company also has more offerings in Microwave ware, such as the new Steam Rice Cooker and Hot Cereal Maker, which are targeted to the student market and to the 95% of households that own a microwave oven. The company has also expanded its Sweet Creations crafting/gifting bakeware line. “Our Sweet Creations brand has grown now to the point that we can offer seasonally themed cookie cutters, cupcake stands and tools, baking accessories and gift boxes decorated in holiday designs,” says Scott Bradshaw, senior vice president of sales for the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.-based company. Sweet Creations now includes products for Easter, Spring, Valentine’s Day,  summertime and an expanded line of Christmas and Halloween products. Additionally, the company presents the newest tools and gadgets from its flagship Good Cook line and the higher end Touch branded products. Bradshaw says retailers can really succeed in the category. “We believe our retail partners can only benefit from more store perimeter merchandising, to feature their core products like bakeware, cookware and gadgets, with more floorstands, counter units, end cap racks, etc., to maximize their sales potential,” he says. “Offering special promotions and cross merchandising also helps and has proven to be a sure fire success.”   Butler Home Products www.cleanerhomeliving.com Butler Home Products makes cleaning tools, sponges, gloves, laundry products and lint rollers under several brands. Under the Dawn brand, Butler offers Dawn Luxe Premium Latex Free Gloves, which have an ultra-plush lining that releases moisturizer onto the hands, and on the outside, an embossed palm grip. Dawn Non-Scratch Scrubber Sponges are wrapped in nylon mesh material for use on nonstick pans. From the Mr. Clean brand, the Cellulose Extra Large scrubber sponge is made for heavy duty cleaning such as a bathtub, furniture or car wheels. The Clorox brand has a new sponge, toilet brush, plungers and scrub brushes, all with the Clorox enhanced antimicrobial agent. In laundry accessories Marlborough, Mass.-based Butler offers Gain laundry bags, fine washable mesh bags, pop up hampers and drying racks. Also new is a lint roller with the original scent of Gain. Butler also has a line of environmentally friendly Twist mops, brooms, and other cleaning products that are recyclable and recycled. Candle-Lite www.candle-lite.com The candle business is a $3 billion business, with half of those sales in specialty and half in food, drug and mass, says Don Kauffold, vice president of business planning and marketing for Cincinnati-based Candle-Lite. “Sales in grocery were up slightly over the last year so there is some growth momentum,” he adds. “Grocery can capitalize on it by continuing to sell candles to more of their candle buying shoppers.” Candle-Lite is launching the Royale Classics line, which is designed to appeal to shoppers of specialty shops. The new line features candles with soft wax and sophisticated fragrance blends in a contemporary glass vessel and metal lid. The candles are available in three sizes and there is also a line of wax melts. “It has an upscale look,” says Kauffold. “The fragrance types are fresh, floral and fruit.” Fresh is the fastest growing fragrance type in candles, and Royale Classics will offer Oceanside, Sandalwood Vanilla, Golden Woods and Amber Teakwood. The Floral fragrances are Imperial Cherry Blossom and Love Paris. The Fruit fragrances are Strawberry Vine and Tropical Escape. According to Kauffold, 2015 is a significant year for Candle-Lite as the company celebrates its 175th year of continuous operation. “Along with the launch of Royale Classics, we have a number of exciting marketing activities planned as we celebrate our 175th anniversary and work to deliver continued growth for our retail partners.” Design Design www.designdesign.us Design Design has developed a complete program of retail solutions for greeting cards, paper tableware, gift packaging, birthday candles and cocktail napkins. “These quick and easy displays are designed to maximize profit per square foot in non-food, general merchandise, wine, bakery, floral or card/stationery departments,” says Colin Littler, marketing director for the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based company. “For seasonal entertaining, we are debuting a program of seasonal shipper displays that will give our retail partners the ability to offer their guests a high-design assortment of paper tableware for all seasons.” The company will also show its new collections in six core categories: Greeting Cards, Paper Tableware, Gift Packaging, Birthday Candles, Cocktailing and Stationery Gifts. “Consumers continue to seek relevant product choices in social expression and entertaining,” says Littler. Among the new lines are letterpress greeting cards, which combine the old world attributes of letterpress printing with a contemporary voice, greater ink coverage and foil treatments. Design Design anticipates continued success in 2015. “The greeting card category remains relevant and advantageous to the grocery industry,” says Littler. “Greeting cards have an extremely high margin, they are non-perishable, and they come fully serviced, an attribute in which we take great pride.” As for tableware, consumers are continuing to entertain, and Design Design is expanding its party category and its paper tableware offerings. Hallmark www.hallmark.com Hallmark has expanded its greetings portfolio to reflect changing social and cultural trends. “Blended families, single parents, same-sex couples and increasing racial and ethnic diversity are now the norm,” says Scott Young, vice president of strategic relationships and business development for the Kansas City, Mo.-based company. “Millennials, who make up one-third of the population, are 44% ethnic.” Among Hallmark’s newest offerings is Studio INK, a line of nine collections created by up-and-coming designers, artists and writers. Young says Studio INK is targeted to Millennials and reflects the way younger consumers communicate today, such as through social media. “Even the size of the cards aligns with the small images/graphics shared in social networks,” he says. “The collections range from simple and beautiful to weird and absurd. They reflect the way Millennials think and speak because they’re created by people who think and speak the same.” Hallmark’s humor card line, Shoebox, is shifting to a more rebellious nature to appeal to younger shoppers. The Signature Collection features premium cards that catch shoppers’ eyes and are “keepsakeable.” The Mahogany line launched a revision last summer with bolder creative and editorial, while the Spanish line Sinceramente features more authentic and colorful designs and editorial written specifically for the cards, not translated from English cards. The company has also updated the way it works with retailers to match individual stores with the right products. “In the past, we planned based on sales history,” says Young. “Today we are gaining consumer insights from an increasingly rich array of consumer data—future population trends, neighborhood dynamics, demographic information, marketplace research, retailer loyalty databases, Hallmark’s Card Rewards loyalty program and Hallmark learning labs.” Whink www.whink.com Whink offers Kruckenberg’s Gourmet Wood Cleaner, Scratch Cover and Floor Care. “The original formula came to this country in 1922, when a Danish gentleman immigrated to the U.S.,” says Steve Throssel, CEO of Eldora, Iowa-based Whink.  “He had used the formula his whole life, cleaning his family’s furniture.” Whink bought the formula and updated it so consumers could use it on everything from antiques to modern hardwood floors. The products are designed to replenish the lost moisture in wood fibers and revitalize the wood’s natural color without using lemon or wax that can cause bleaching, streaking and build-up. They also do not contain damaging silicones that can break down wood. Kruckenberg’s Gourmet Scratch Cover is available in an 8-ounce bottle and can be used on light and dark woods. The product contains two oils. One is a highly refined oil that works as a solvent, removing shoe scuffs, dirt and grime. The other oil is less refined and fills gaps in the wood. Kruckenberg’s Gourmet Wood Cleaner has an almond scent and is available in a 15.5-ounce bottle. Kruckenberg’s Gourmet Floor Care also features an almond scent and is available in a 32-ounce bottle and removes deep down dirt without damaging the finish, says Throssel.