ROSEMONT, IL (Jan. 28, 2019)—American consumers are searching for ways to customize their homes with housewares products that let them create personalized items, décor and dining experiences. Many are interested in products that help them express their own individuality, such as specialty craft beverages, smart home appliances that can be customized to their personal needs, and specialty cookware that allows them to re-create restaurant-quality meals or ethnic foods and flavors.
Products highlighting these and other top trends will be on display at the 2019 International Home + Housewares Show March 2-5 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
“Consumers are trying to create their own look, their own individuality,” said Joe Derochowski, home industry analyst for market research firm The NPD Group Inc.
The consumer’s desire for “distinction” is one of the major movements identified by trend research company Trend One in its Mega Trends 2021 report. They said consumers are increasingly searching for personalization of products, services and experiences. What’s more, people are also increasingly projecting themselves as a brand and curating their own identity via social media. “The creation and possession of highly individualized products and experiences is becoming a new status symbol and gives consumers the feeling of living uniquely,” the report found.
According to the Forbes 2019 cookware trend report, consumers want options to personalize their cookware or tableware collections as they enjoy a variety of different culinary cuisines: “From cast iron to non-stick, consumers will be looking for cookware pieces that meet their individual needs while showing off their style in the kitchen.”
As consumers search for ways to express their own personalities, the specialty craft and beverage market has also grown in popularity. In fact, 65 percent of restaurants responding to the National Restaurant Association’s annual What’s Hot Survey said craft, artisan and locally produced spirits is the No. 1 alcoholic beverage trend for 2019.
To help retail buyers identify the latest products in the specialty beverageware category, the Housewares Show will offer the “Trending Today Preview: A Marketplace for Specialty Beverages & Accessories.” Held on Saturday, March 2 before the Show opens, Trending Today will feature 60 exhibitors highlighting various types of craft beverage trends including coffee, beer, cocktails, tea and water, along with specialty glassware, accessories and kits or appliances for making craft beer and cocktails.
One new product example is the new JURA D6, which easily prepares coffee classics and specialties to professional barista standards. Offering a new twist on cappuccino, the D6 is compatible with JURA’s new exclusive coffee app to ensure quick interface functionality from a smartphone or tablet.
There’s also Capresso’s new Pour-Over Kettle, an electric kettle that offers adjustable temperatures to bring out the best in gourmet coffee and tea, and the Paris Press coffee mill by Peugeot, which combines fine grinding and cafetière functions with a stylish, contemporary design.
Consumers Dine Out “At Home,” Want Healthier Meals
Eighty-two percent of meals Americans eat are prepared at home, a much higher percentage than a decade ago, according to The NPD Group Inc. At the same time, they reported, restaurant dining has declined. The average American ate out 185 times in 2018 compared to 216 times a year in 2000. They say a changing workforce, the ease of online shopping and a boom in streaming entertainment has made the home the most popular place to eat out in America.
Better Homes & Gardens Food Factor 2018 found 93 percent of Millennials eat dinner at home four nights a week.
Fueling the continuing trend is consumers’ desires for healthier eating, as well as convenient cooking and meal preparation. Those consumers interested in changing their behaviors to live healthier are looking for more fruits and vegetables, more homemade meals, less processed foods and more exercise, all of which lead to a greater need for the housewares industry’s products, explains NPD’s Derochowski.
Products such as multicookers, fryers, toaster ovens, food storage items, cooking gadgets and specialty gadgets are leveraging the tailwinds of consumer needs regarding health and wellness, according to Housewares Market Watch, a quarterly newsletter from the International Housewares Association and The NPD Group.
One example is the new Hamilton Beach 6-Quart Multi-Function Pressure Cooker, provides the functionality of a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, food steamer and more. Another new product is the Fissler SousPreme Multi-Pot, which has the convenience and ease of a countertop cooker but also offers sous vide functionality.
Make Cooking Convenient and Expanding Palates
Cooking at home is also more convenient today because of the availability of premade meals and online grocery delivery. Market research company Mintel predicts “elevated convenience” will be one of the biggest food and drink trends for 2019. This trend focuses on a new wave of shortcuts such as individual meal kits sold at retail, foodservice-inspired packaged beverages, and a new generation of prepared meals, sauces and sides that emulate the flavors and formats of restaurant meals. An increase in healthy eating, as well as an interest in personalization, is fueling this trend, according to Mintel.
Highlighting the ease and convenience of nonstick cooking, Fissler is introducing its new fry pan line called Adamant Comfort. This line features an unusually tough but smooth nonstick sealing that allows for use of metal spoons and spatulas.
Along with eating healthier, consumers have developed an even greater interest in global cuisine. Better Homes & Garden’s survey found that 80 percent of Millennials like to cook new regional or ethnic foods, and 40 percent are cooking more regional and ethnic dishes than they were two years ago.
One example of a new product playing to this trend is Peugeot’s Spice Cubes. A collection of spices packaged in square class jars, the Spice Cubes include black, white, wild and red pepper from Vietnam, Malaysia, Nepal, Madagascar and Cambodia, salt from Iran, nutmeg from Indonesia and whole chili peppers from Malawi.
In concert with increased eating at home, consumers are also entertaining at home more. According to the Better Homes & Gardens survey, 93 percent of Millennials love to entertain friends and family at home, hosting every seven weeks on average. In addition, 86 percent of respondents said entertaining at home is fun and better than meeting friends out.
Getting Smart in the Kitchen
As smart technology expands in the housewares category, smart home products, particularly assisted-cooking items, help consumers create restaurant quality results at home. They also allow consumers to explore new cuisines and make trying new foods/recipes less intimidating. The global smart home category, which was estimated at $24.1 billion in 2016, is expected to reach $53.45 billion by 2022, according to Zion Market Research.
Artificial intelligence and voice control for assisted cooking, as well as replenishment and home delivery, are huge trends in the smart home market, according to Carley Knobloch, a smart home expert. She noted that pantry storage, where a product automatically senses when a pantry item is running low and reorders it, is among one of the more popular trends.
Coloring the Home Orange and Blue
Bold, bright colors are expected to be popular in 2019. Pantone’s 2019 Color of the Year, Living Coral, is described as an animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge. The Etsy Trend Guide believes burnt orange will be popular in 2019. Etsy describes burnt orange as an earthy, desert-inspired hue that is grounding and natural. Pots and skillets are expected to shed darker hues in favor of more colorful colors, according to the Forbes 2019 cookware trend report.
But while Pantone and Etsy anticipate orange will brighten the horizon in 2019, other industry experts anticipate blue will take center stage. Navy is emerging as a new neutral color offering an alternative to all-white kitchens, according to Delish.com. Le Creuset has launched Indigo, its new line of enameled cast iron cookware and Dutch ovens. The color is described as a rich, deep hue that is a timeless “true blue” and bold neutral.
Paint companies Behr and Sherwin Williams have both introduced blue as their top color for 2019. Behr’s Color of the Year is Blueprint, which is described as warmer than denim and softer than navy. Sherwin Williams’ Color of the Year is Reflecting Pool, a teal blue they say is inspired by our desire for a life of balance that embraces optimism and a sense of humor.
Cozy Homes Highlight Design Trends
Several years ago, the Danish lifestyle trend hygge inspired consumers to transform their homes and create a feeling of cozy contentment by enjoying the simple things in life. Similar to the Danish hygge, “Cwtch” is the latest design and lifestyle trend, according to HGTV.
Cwtch (pronounced kutch) is a Welsh word that loosely means to cuddle. “Much like hygge, cwtch has inspired a warm, comfy approach to design and entertaining that’s hard to resist,” said the popular home and garden channel. “It’s all about a magical, warm state of mind that taps into our emotions and desires to create a truly welcoming home. Cwtch is all about feeling safe and secure at home.”
Some products to make the home warm and cozy include: blankets or throws featuring soft textures like wool, cashmere or faux fur; candles; light dimmers; décor with inspiring messages; or frames that allow you to display customized collections of photos.
All good news for the 2,200 exhibitors and thousands of retailers who will convene in Chicago at the industry’s premier marketplace, the 2019 International Home + Housewares Show. For more information on the Show, exhibitors and products, visit www.housewares.org.