Gourmet Home

IHA Gourmet Home provides independent retailers, suppliers and manufacturers' representatives with tools and information to support the growth of the gourmet trade industry

Trends: Generation Z Becoming Creative Cooks

Just when you thought you had figured out what Millennials want, comes Generation Z. This future generation of housewares shoppers, ages 12-22, is diverse and tech-savvy according to a newly released survey from Mintel, and is likely to “impact the future of the food and drink industry” by increasing the reach of international cuisine, eating healthy and raising the bar for…

Looking for Labor

One of the biggest challenges facing retailers in a growing economy is a shortage of workers. Independent kitchenware retailers are no different. In one of the tightest labor markets in years, stores around the country are struggling to hire and keep staff and many find the experience frustrating, especially as the summer was nearing. “The employment situation around here is…

Retail Profile: Kitchenworks & Gourmet Gifts

Retail Profile: Kitchenworks & Gourmet Gifts Location: Litchfield, Ct. Founded: 1979 Owner: Elizabeth Ericksen Square footage: 1,000 sq. ft. When Elizabeth Ericksen bought the long-established Kitchenworks in 2008, she also took over a store with a fairly basic approach to retailing. Her work was cut out for her. “We changed the layout and way things were…

Stats: Parents Fear Higher Back-to-School Costs

Many gourmet retailers look to back-to-school sales as a nice little bump for the bottom line before the fourth quarter. Think fancy lunch boxes and water bottles for the younger crowd and starter sets of tabletop and kitchenware for those setting off to college for the first time. Back-to-School is also a good time to get Mom into the store--maybe to have a little fun in…

Trends: Frozen Foods Get Hot

Despite the much-vaunted farm-to-table movement among the foodie crowd, frozen foods are gaining in popularity with home cooks. This comes as frozen food manufacturers branch out into different cuisines and have improved flash-freezing technology, and as food bloggers (especially those appealing to millennials) have added recipes geared to frozen foods on their websites.…

Works Like Teen Spirit

Even as many small retailers struggle to fill staff positions in a tight labor market, one demographic group store owners tend to shy away from is teenagers. They shy away from teens despite the fact that retail was the traditional way for teenagers to earn money during the summer, with teens often continuing to hold down those part-time jobs throughout the school year. But…

Retail Profile: At Home On The Range

Retail Profile: At Home On The Range Location: Livingston, Mont. Owner: Jennifer Flight Founded: 1995 Square footage: 1,000 sq. ft. Jennifer Flight was a master’s candidate in geology in Bozeman, Mont., when she first discovered At Home On The Range, a kitchenware store 25 miles away in Livingston. “A friend told me that we had to go to this kitchenware store,” Flight…

Stats: Organic Growth Spurt

The Organic Trade Association’s most recent survey puts the 2017 growth rate of organic food at six times the pace of the overall food market. That, along with recent information released from The NPD Group, shows why independent gourmet and kitchenware retailers need to be aware of the rise in organic consumerism. According to the OTA’s newly released 2018 Organic Industry…

Trends: Organic Remains Strong Force

Face it Luke, the organic label remains strong with consumers in our galaxy, at least in the United States. This despite recent publicity about pesticide levels in organically grown foods being equal to that of conventionally grown foods. Researchers tracking what people eat at the marketing firm The NPD Group say shoppers are “not likely” to switch back to conventionally…