Members of the International Housewares Association (IHA), organizers of the annual International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago, recently had the chance to meet UK consumer press at an event in London’s West End.
The Inspired Home event, which saw 25 companies exhibit at The Icetank in the heart of London’s Theatreland, drew interest from some of the country’s top consumer media – from Olive, Bella and Ideal Home to the Evening Standard, Saga and Great British Food. Busy journalists who couldn’t attend but requested information meant the ‘pool’ of contacts for the participants numbered over 80.
Also visiting the show were a host of top celebrity bakers and bloggers, including Eric Lanlard, Edd Kimber, Juliet Sear and last season’s Great British Bake Off favorites Chetna Makan and Martha Collison.
The show, now in its third year in the UK, is receiving excellent feedback from the media, according to Derek Miller, IHA’s vice president, global marketing.
“Many said it was a real ‘inspiration’ to see all these brands – some they knew, some they didn’t – under one roof,” Miller said. “That’s just what we want to hear as we seek to increase consumer awareness and interest in home products via our Inspired Home initiative. The Inspired Home website is a source of artfully curated content, emerging housewares trends, expert entertaining and design tips and fresh home ideas to help consumers select the right housewares products.” 
Among the top brands on display were: Addis, Cole & Mason, Jura, KitchenAid, Mauviel, Meyer, Microplane, Robert Welch Designs and Wusthof. Several companies used the event as their first major foray into meeting the consumer press.
The full list of exhibitors were: 1% Studio – Rotaire, Addis Housewares, Aerolatte, Berghoff International, Bobble, Burton McCall, Concept Housewares – Corelle, DKB Household, Finum by Riensch & Held, Haus, ICTC, Jura Product, KitchenAid, Lenox Corporation, Meyer UK, Microplane, Neatfreak , Nordic Ware, Robert Welch Designs, Root 7, Sistema, Smash Global, Sodastream, The Cookware Company and Tradestock.
For more information on Inspired Home, visit www.theinspiredhome.com and www.housewares.org/inspiredhome or contact Rachel Agee at ragee@housewares.org.
