COOKWARE BUYERS HAVE DESIGNS ON NEW AT EXPO

JOEL ELSON

CHICAGO -- A number of supermarket retailers said they would be on the lookout for new designs and colors in kitchen housewares when they gather Jan. 16 to 19 for the International Housewares Show at McCormick Place here.

The two largest housewares segments in the food channel are cookware and bakeware, representing 18.9% of total housewares sales in the channel, and kitchen tools and accessories, 17.5%, according to the National Housewares Manufacturers Association State of the Industry Report 1999.

For Affiliated Foods, Amarillo, Texas, the trade show provides a chance to search "for any new food-storage systems and kitchen tools and gadgets that lend themselves to the home-meal replacement trend," said nonfood buyer Rodney Rich of the co-op wholesaler.

"We'll be looking for new and improved items that will fit into the grocery market niche," he added.

South Bend, Ind.-based Martin's Super Markets will travel to the show to explore "anything unique in housewares concepts and ideas and display techniques that we can take back to our stores, " said Ken Luzney, the chain's nonfood merchandiser.

For example, at last year's Housewares Show, Martin's found a candle program that represented a new product category, said Luzney.

Dan Black, managing buyer, drug and general merchandise, Raley's Supermarkets, West Sacramento, Calif., will be at the show looking for new items to enhance an existing housewares program, he said.