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Giants of General Merchandise
General Merchandise Trailblazer Award winners are champions of new product development and merchandising that help their categories thrive.
Nora Caley
January 1, 2018
14 Min Read
Competition is not always about speed and flash. Often the real test is in creativity and problem solving, and the competitors that have those skills are the ones that thrive. The 2016 winners of the Grocery Headquarters General Merchandise Trailblazer Awards are top GM companies that showed real innovation this year, not only with their products, but also in how they merchandise them. The Grocery Headquarters editorial team reviewed the candidates with criteria including new product innovation, product integrity, marketing initiatives, social responsibility and environmental sustainability.
Without further ado, we present the winners.
In the greeting card category, innovation is about more than new cards. Cleveland-based American Greetings offers a comprehensive social expressions solution with a broad range of consumer-endorsed products, award-winning merchandising and in-store service. Tim Tillia, divisional vice president of sales, says retailers have the opportunity to work with American Greetings’ marketing department to plan strategic programs designed to build sales throughout the year.
“We propose programs and provide the support to ensure seamless execution, along with the necessary materials to create awareness and participation,” says Tillia. “All of this comes to life through our Collaboration Joint Business Planning process to ensure American Greetings and our retail partners are strategically aligned to deliver a holistic year-long plan.”
This year, American Greetings launched cards that feature characters from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel, and also introduced a line called P.S. Hello to celebrate big, small and in-between moments. The company also introduced several birthday card collections including: Chill Outs, refrigerator-themed cards that show characters singing and dancing to music; Hyper Pop-Ups, multi-sensory pop-up cards; Remote Control Wishes, with funny photos of furry friends that the consumer can pop off the card; and Wish Wonders Birthday gift bows. For Halloween, American Greetings will debut Fun House cards with a displayable pop-up design, music, lights and motion.
Avanti Press makes bold, fun cards that retailers can sell in the card aisle as well as in different parts of the store. “It’s a two-fisted punch,” says Marc Trobman, vice president of business development for the Detroit-based greeting card company. “We have Avanti for the inline set with its character imagery, and then we have A*Press, our Pretty and Funny line that blends high-end embellishment techniques with humor, working as an outpost.” The cards—as well as the company’s licensed products from other manufacturers including calendars, plush toys, puzzles, clocks, magnets and other stationery items—sell very well in the floral department, back to school section, and even in the wine aisles.
Avanti Press has approximately 150 new SKUs being introduced this year. The company is not just creative but operationally technologically savvy as well. “We are EDI capable and we can meet the logistic demands any retailer might have,” says Trobman.
Big Time Products has already launched 50 unique SKUs this year. “We are the best at making high quality products at an affordable cost,” says Michele Rikard, director of marketing for the Rome, Ga.-based company. “We are consistently creating new and innovative products for our consumers.”
The company makes gloves and other products to make people’s jobs and household tasks easier. Among the newest gloves are the 2-pack GardenChem long cuff disposable nitrile gloves, Soft Scrub Premium Fit Reusable Latex gloves, Digz brand Waterproof, Honeycomb and Full Grain Goatskin gloves and Premium Defense Heat Resistant Gloves. Many of the gloves have touch screen technology and there is antimicrobial protection on household cleaning gloves. Also new are three collections within the successful raingear brand, Rainbrella.
There is more to success than new products. “Big Time Products prides itself on superior customer service not only to our individual retail partners but to the consumers as well,” says Rikard. “Our team cohesively coordinates programs and offers product training to our retail partners. We also support our customers via social media, driving traffic to their sites by tagging, posting, pinning and tweeting.”
Bradshaw International offers a wide scope of products for almost any kitchen need, for any cooking season of the year. “Whether it be all the major holidays, or baking season, or barbecue season, or just everyday dinner prep, we are able to fulfill those cooking needs with the perfect tool, gadget, cookware or bakeware,” says Tom Barber, vice president of product development for the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.-based company.
Bradshaw International helps retailers keep the products moving on store shelves with promotional ideas, new merchandising concepts and functional, attractive packaging. For example, cross-promotional programs help keep the items on consumers’ minds while they are shopping for groceries. The produce gadgets are retailed in bulk tubs that hang from produce shelves, while pizza pans are in vending racks that mount directly to freezer doors where frozen pizzas are sold.
There has also been innovation in color, which Barber says can stop traffic, and can refresh and add newness to everyday necessities. The products reflect research based on color palettes that appeal to specific demographics. Other design developments make products helpful for multiple tasks, such as the Lemon Reamer tool that can juice, peel and slice citrus fruit. The company makes cooking and baking tasks easier, and makes them fun. “Our Sweet Creations brand might be the best example,” says Barber. “For the home baker who also has a bit of craftsman/craftswoman in him or her, this line recognizes the joy in baking, decorating, creating and giving each baked masterpiece to friends and family as gifts.”
Social media is important too. Bradshaw International has a healthy fan base on Facebook and a substantial e-club membership, and is developing its Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube pages to further reach consumers.
Butler Home Products continues to reach out looking for people’s feedback about products, says Michael Silverman, senior vice president of marketing. “It is important that the consumer feels connected to the products they are buying and using,” he says. “The voice of the consumer is an important part of our product development cycle and process.”
That voice has helped the company, which is now based in Hudson, Mass., to develop products that are not one-size-fits-all. “We make sure we have the right product with the right features at the right price with the right brand,” says Silverman. “Each offering is specific and makes sense in the marketplace.”
The company also works with retail partners and creates in-store promotions to encourage consumers to purchase high volume consumables with high margin durables. “We continue to drive sales with our retail partners with innovative POP, creative promotions and strong joint merchandising programs with our licensed brand partners,” says Silverman. Among the most popular items are the Mr. Clean mop, Mr. Clean Loving Hands gloves and the Clorox Spin Dry mop.
Cool Gear International takes innovation seriously. Its team of designers is constantly researching trends in hydration and lifestyle products. “We find what is missing on shelves and are first to market to fulfill those needs,” says Maryann Stracuzzi, marketing manager for the Plymouth, Mass.-based company. “This allows our retail partners to continuously place programs at store level that their consumers are shopping for.”
One of Cool Gear’s bestselling items is the coolgearcan, which is shaped like a soda can and is made with BPA free plastic. Also popular is the EZ-Freeze gel, which keeps drinks cold. The company has more than 250 patents and is constantly creating new designs and products to stay ahead of the curve in trends and needs for consumer products.
“We think outside the box and are able to solve problems,” Stracuzzi says.
New this year is coolgear BRU, a single-serve brewing system for producing smooth and rich iced coffee by a cold brew drip method. The consumer can adjust the brew time setting for anywhere from 1.5 to 10 hours to make the coffee at their preferred strength and taste. BRU includes a BRU cone with water reservoir and ground coffee filter, a cone stand, and a 21-ounce double wall insulated Tritan tumbler with pressure fit lid and reusable straw. BRU is designed to be portable for on-the-go brewing.
Calico Brands calls itself the “One Stop Lighter Solution” for all lighting needs. The Ontario, Calif.-based company offers standard flame, jet flame, XL nozzle, folding and licensed products. “Our products provide the largest selection of varieties and features that no other utility lighter company can match,” says Krista Shaw, marketing manager. “We provide consumers with quality lighter products with a variety of features and highly impactful packaging.”
Among the newest products is the Scripto Collegiate Multi-Purpose Lighters, available with the logos and school colors for 38 different higher education institutions in the U.S. The Scripto Collegiate Multi-Purpose Lighters can be used for lighting grills, candles, campfires and fireplaces. They are designed for everything from tailgating at an event to lighting a candle at home, and provide a way for consumers to show their school spirit. A rounded nozzle makes access easier to lighting grills.
Shaw says Calico Brands has a long history of innovation. “Our company introduced the first utility lighter into the U.S. marketplace. Our new product development team continues to develop new items and new features to drive sales in the utility lighter category.”
Designer Greetings makes cards on fine-caliber, heavyweight stock, and the cards feature embellishments such as foil, ribbon and glitter for standout appeal. In addition to an extensive line of seasonal and everyday cards, there are also Glitterwrap products that include decorative gift bags, tissue, roll wrap and gift accessories.
Steven Gimbelman, president of the Edison, N.J.-based company, says Designer Greetings is constantly updating product designs to reflect current market trends and customer preferences. “Our title selection is always increasing in order to satisfy the changing needs of the public,” he says. “Additionally, Designer Greetings’ state-of-the-art scanning technology helps replenish cards rapidly so displays always remain full.”
This year the company increased its humor and juvenile offering with the debut of two collections. Awesome Sauce is a humor line that sarcastically and playfully pokes fun at life’s special moments with witty verse and hand-lettered designs in an appealing vintage color palette. Way To Go, Kid! is a kid’s achievement line that boasts uplifting messages and fun illustrations. “At a time when many companies are decreasing their offerings in many smaller titles, Designer Greetings keeps increasing selection,” says Gimbelman.
Hallmark has a portfolio of more than 10,000 new and redesigned greeting cards annually. “We are unique because we offer retailers more than just products,” says Scott Young, vice president, strategic relationships and business development. “We offer a highly-regarded and recognized brand that stands for quality, innovation and ‘the very best.’”
Young says the Kansas City, Mo.-based Hallmark uses proprietary tools and consumer data such as future population trends, neighborhood dynamics, demographic information, marketplace research and retailer loyalty databases to ensure the company provides the right cards for customers of each individual store. “For example, a store with a customer base of young families might need larger sections of wedding, baby and kid birthday cards,” he says. “Our rooftop segmentation tools and approach allow us to not only plan the right space for each card segment in each store, but also to customize the price mix and space allocation for each recipient.”
Hallmark also provides an in-store brand experience that makes it easy for shoppers to spot and pick out greeting cards. Throughout 2015 and into 2016, Hallmark has been working with retailers on a new greetings department experience. Elements of the brand experience include amplified branding through new signage, flexible fixtures to give retailers freedom to highlight products in different ways, less clutter to make it easier for consumers to scan and select cards and solutions outside the greetings department, including a display of cards that can be sold next to gift cards during Christmas, Mother’s Day and graduation seasons.
There is also national marketing. Young notes that Hallmark has a long history of marketing greeting cards on TV, radio, digital and social media. One recent campaign was the Mother’s Day campaign (#NoOrdinaryCard) for its Signature card line, with ads on syndicated television, digital, radio and social channels.
The products from Multipet International—which include the popular Loofa dog toys and other toys—are all created by the Moonachie, N.J.-based company’s design team or have been brought in by outside designers. “By working with our own creations it gives us an advantage as we don’t carry me-too type product that is found when companies use trading companies to source product,” says Leslie Yellin, executive vice president. “This is one of the toughest and most rewarding aspects of product design and we are continually mastering it by bringing original product to the market.”
Multipet also makes sure the products sell well in stores. The company continually updates the products’ packaging to meet consumers’ needs. “By calling out the specific functions of our toys it helps purchasing decisions become quick and easy,” Yellin says. “What we have learned by working with consumer focus groups is that customers want to know what a product does in a five-second window of time.”
One way to innovate is to use new fabrics. Multipet is forever traveling the world looking for new materials, Yellin says. Some fabrics are available only in certain areas and are not available to common trade. The company also owns many design patents.
This year Multipet entered several new categories, including grooming, treats, carriers and more. “By expanding we have been able to incorporate Multipet’s signature designs and innovation and bring to our customers a greater selection that ties in with our other brands,” says Yellin.
Ideavillage Products Corp., which develops and markets its wares under the As Seen On TV banner, debuted several products in the past year. Hamper Hoops is a basketball hoop and backboard that hangs on the door to children’s bedrooms to get the kids to toss their laundry into the hamper below. Miss Belt wraps around the waist and uses compression technology to help women get an hourglass shape, and is available in black or nude. Magic Pens Amazing Color Changing Pens feature erasable colors so the user can write and decode secret messages and create three-dimensional colors.
One of the Wayne, N.J.-based company’s biggest hits is Snackeez, which company officials say was a Product of the Year in 2015 and voted the No. 1 kids’ novelty item in a survey of 40,000 consumers by TNS. Snackeez is a combination snack and drink cup, and holds a beverage and snack in one container. The company has expanded the product line with licensed Snackeez from the Disney movie Frozen design. Also new is Snackeez DUO, which holds any 12-ounce drink in the cup while the 6-ounce snack bowl nests into the cup’s rim and snaps in place for a tight seal. The snack and drink cup includes a straw and a no-spill, flip-top snack bowl lid, and is designed to be disposable.
Next year will be Whink Products Co.’s 70th anniversary. The company, based in Eldora, Iowa, is keeping up with changing times by updating its equipment and adding robotics to some systems. Steve Throssel, Whink CEO, says the new machinery will not cause any employees to be laid off, but will help the company fill retail orders more quickly. “The larger retailers are giving us shorter lead times to deliver product and we are a small company using lean manufacturing,” he says. “We are redoing our entire filling line and mixing room. We are upgrading our facilities to incorporate the most modern technology.”
This year, Whink launched several items. Whink Lime and Rust Remover is now packaged in a 32-ounce economy-size squeezable brown bottle, and is formulated to clean a variety of surfaces such as shower door glass and stainless steel sinks. Whink Lime and Rust Remover also cleans stubborn deposits. Also new is a Mossy Oak laundry detergent with the same scent-killing properties as the pre-soak. The lack of scent on clothing is important to the product’s main target audience, hunters. The Mossy Oak agreement has been extended and Whink will soon launch additional cleaning and scent neutralizing products for the outdoorsman’s laundry needs. The company also makes Game Stain Remover, which has been so well received in some areas that one retailer sells it year-round, and merchandises it in an end cap during hunting season.
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