IHA Global Innovation Awards

2017 gia Global Honoree – Loft

Michelle Hespe speaks to Mr. Satoru Iimura, Executive Director of Loft — a chain of retail stores in Japan that became one of the five Global Honorees at this year’s IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) at Chicago’s International Home + Housewares Show. Loft was celebrating more than its gia win in Chicago this year. “2017 marks 30 years since the first Loft store opened in…

2017 gia Global Honoree – Rustan’s

Mr. Donnie Tantoco, President of the Philippines luxury retailer, Rustan’s, speaks to Michelle Hespe about becoming one of five Global Honorees at the 2016-2017 IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) in Chicago. It’s the second time that this leading business has been the recipient of a gia in the past decade. With passion, forward thinking and dedicated drive, in 1952, the…

2017 gia Global Honorees for Retail Excellence Announced

The International Home + Housewares Show and the International Housewares Association (IHA), the global sponsors and organizers of the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) program, today announced the 2017 gia Global Honorees for Retail Excellence. The Global Honorees are: Potten & Pannen – Staněk - Czech Republic (KitchenAid Concept Store & Gourmet…

Thirteen Companies Honored at IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) for Product Design

Thirteen housewares suppliers ranging from well-established brands to first-time exhibitors were honored as Global Honorees of the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) for product design today. The Global Honorees in each of 13 categories were announced during the invitation-only gia dinner on the first evening of the 2017 International Home + Housewares Show, now taking place…

Lake Living

The Lakehouse from Canada was one of the five global honorees at this year’s IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia). The store reflects the spirit of the community in which it’s based, inspiring locals with products to suit their lifestyle, and offering tourists a taste of lake living that they can take home. Five years ago, Sue and Ben Boschman were at the International Home +…

Seven Decades of Style

This year, Illums Bolighus not only celebrated seven successful decades in the retail business, but also became one of the top retailers in the world at the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia). When the Marketing Manager of Illums Bolighus, Sofie Molls, took to the stage at the IHA Global Innovation Awards in Chicago, there was a palpable sense of elation in the air. After a…

Kitchenware Veteran

One of five global honorees in the 2016 IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) — Kitchen Shop in Malaysia — is out to help people live more healthily while also taking care of the environment. Next year, Katrin BJ, the Malaysian holding company for 25 homeware and kitchen retail specialty shops in Malaysia, including Kitchen Shop, House of Presentation (HOS), La Gourmet Shop,…

Success to the Bold Innovator Friends

In March this year, retail store K’OOK! from the Netherlands became one of five global honorees celebrated at the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) in Chicago. In 2005, two friends with a passion for cooking and a desire for a new life, joined forces and established a small 35 square meter retail store in the Netherlands’ Wormerveer. Fast forward eleven years, and K’OOK!…

Local Lords

In Chicago this year, UK-based retailer Lords was chosen one of the top five retail stores in the world in the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) hosted by the International Housewares Association. Upon meeting the founding sisters of Lords — Rachna Dewan and Rita Dewan — there is an immediate sense of warmth, support and comradery. The pair, who are (respectively) Director…