While experts discussed the design and trend forecasts for the future, and celebrity chefs sautéed the day away in the Cooking Theatre, the majority of the attendees strolled the lanes, taking in an overwhelming number of products to see and touch.
Everywhere you turned seemed like a riot of color—a rainbow of Kitchenaid mixers on display; walls of bright neon-colored silicone ice cube trays and mixing bowls; vast displays of wooden cutting boards in different wood tones and grains; sleek, shiny black and chrome coffee makers that looked akin to something involved in a moon landing.
The overall theme of the show was “it’s smART,” which focused on combining smart business decisions and the art that is necessary to create and market products, and for many companies that theme came through in the form of the art of convenience. Multiple companies, including big name players like Rubbermaid, showcased stack-and-go containers that make transporting food for an on-the-go meal less clunky: Mini containers fit together to create one seamless container, saving space. Mighty Mug showed a line of prep bowls with footers that gripped the surface it rested on, eliminating sliding while giving chefs more ease and control when mixing.
There was also a spotlight on eco-friendly products at the show, with several companies big and small showcasing their products that promoted a cleaner (literally, for some of the cleaning products) world. Big-name Butler (think Mr. Clean, Gain, Dawn), for one, had a prominent display of its Twist line of plant-based cleaning tools. Australia’s Smash tapped into the eco-friendly as well as the convenience themes with their display of “rubbish free” Nude Food Movers lunch boxes that enable kids and adults to take their lunches with them without additional packaging.
The show also had dedicated sections that featured companies from around the world. Turkey, Japan, Poland, Korea, and Italy were just a handful of the countries represented, bringing their wares and design aesthetic to new audiences in America.
With so much packed into the show, expect to see some new products hitting your local stores—and your home!—soon.
