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IHA’s blog features informative posts written to keep the housewares industry educated and informed about key strategic issues and IHA member services.

Trends: Consumer Daily Coffee Drinking on the Rise

There is a reason coffee bean sales are solid for many specialty retailers in the U.S.: the number of consumers getting in at least one cup of Joe has reached the highest level in the past six years. And home brewing remained the method of choice for most Americans, over even gourmet coffee shops and the office coffee pot. That’s the latest from the U.S. National Coffee…

2018 gia Global Honoree – The Chopping Block

by Michelle Hespe We catch up with Shelley Young, Founder and CEO of one of the five 2018 gia Global Honorees, The Chopping Block of the USA. There are three major components to The Chopping Block, and although they sit under the same umbrella, they are like three separate businesses. There’s the cooking classes, private events and the retail sector. However, make no…

Truck Capacity Creating Challenges for Importers

The shipping industry has been anything but normal the last five years. During this time period, U.S. importers have dealt with gridlock at the ports, bankrupt carriers, ransomware attacks, customer service failures and severe space shortages. The newest problem looming over the shipping industry is the lack of truck capacity. U.S. importers moving cargo from the ports to…

Retail Profile: Kitchen Kneads

Location: Ogden, Utah Owners: Bruce and Carla Crane Founded: 1973 Square footage (current location): 7,600 sq. ft. The store’s motto is “Shaped by Hands, Powered by Heart” with a company mission to “inspire connections and community by spreading the joy of cooking.” Another motto could well be “All in the Family.” Kitchen Kneads is celebrating its 45th year in…

Let’s Go – Let’s Grow: Reaching Success Factors for Global Growth

As a preview into the upcoming IBC Global Forum, to follow is additional information on the Executive Education Session presented by Dr. Richard Ettenson, Professor of Global Marketing and Brand Strategy of Thunderbird School of Global Management. Dr. Ettenson is an entrepreneur who has founded three start-ups and has published extensively, producing nearly 100 articles,…

What’s Ahead for the Smart Home in 2018

By Ashley Daigneault A few years ago, we were talking about the concept of a “smart” home and integrating connected devices into living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms to make everyday life safer, easier and more convenient. But most of the chatter was happening inside the tech and surrounding industries, and the phrase “smart home” had almost no visibility in actual consumer…

Continued Innovation Crucial to Smart Home Device Adoption

By Brad Russell Continued innovation and messaging are crucial for smart safety and security device manufacturers that want to capitalize on new opportunities in the emerging Internet of Things. Early adopters of smart devices are often drawn to the innovative design and technological gadgetry. However, mass market adoption depends on clear and compelling…

Global Retail Intelligence – May

To follow is a brief review of retail news from around the world: May 28 – Walmart and Amazon Battle India’s Strong Players, Traditional Family Run Stores Thousands of “kiranas” throughout India pose a legitimate threat to the models of the Western, organized retailers’ models, as they are well-established, pay low wages and pay little rent. From The Wall Street…