Home Style Magazine, July 2015 Supplement · ter showman and raconteur, he was hired to perform...

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PROFILES 2015 3

E July 2015

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ilesI N T H I S I S S U E July 2015Profiles

Atlantic Promotions......................... 4

Breville Canada.............................. 6

Browne.......................................... 8

Danesco.........................................10

Danica............................................ 12

David Shaw Designs...................... 14

Denby............................................. 16

Faema Canada............................... 18

Groupe SEB................................... 20

Hamilton Beach.............................. 22

Jogi’s Import and Design................ 24

KitchenAid...................................... 26

Microplane...................................... 28

On Route Distribution..................... 30

Philips............................................. 32

Port-Style Enterprises..................... 34

Pyrex...............................................36

Royal Selangor............................... 38

Sagaform........................................ 40

Salton Canada................................ 42

Swissmar Imports........................... 44

TTi Floor Care................................. 46

Trudeau Maison.............................. 48

United Sales & Marketing............... 50

Victorinox........................................ 52

Wusthof.......................................... 54

Zwilling J.A. Henckels..................... 56

4 PROFILES 2015

Atlantic Promotions

As seen on TV for over 50 years!Atlantic Promotions, a company that

is Quebec-owned and founded,has become an institution in the Canadi-an housewares industry. In 2015, thecompany marks its 50th anniversary.

For half a century, through innova-tive and provocative ads, this companyhas introduced a wide variety of ingen-ious products to consumers. Some ofthe many hits include Chammy Vileda,T-Fal, Milan soap, Krazy Glue, KrazyKarpet, Nu Finish, Oskar broom, Vita-grow, Hertel, Pants Saver car mats, BeeMop, Starfrit, Heritage, Lock & Lockand The Rock. It wouldn’t be a stretch tosay that every Canadian home hasowned at least one of these handy gadg-ets through the years!

Behind all of these successful prod-ucts there is one man – Jacques Gatien.Jacques is an entrepreneur, a man withvision who has always had an excep-tional ability to recognize innovationsthat would appeal to consumers. A mas-ter showman and raconteur, he washired to perform demonstrations forvarious distributors in the early 1960s.He visited fairs and trade shows acrossQuebec promoting the features and ben-efits of a variety of kitchen accessories.

In 1965, Jacques decided he wantedto work for himself so he created At-lantic Promotions Incorporated withtwo associates. Through his experience,he realized that to sell products, youhad to demonstrate them to consumers.

His mission for the new company wasclear from the start: simplify peoples’lives with everyday products that willtransform their everyday lives.

Within a few years he was ap-proached by a television representativeoffering him a chance to demonstratehis products live on TV in front of amuch larger audience. It was the earlydays of the “As seen on TV” craze andthe beginning of what would become alarge scale distribution company. Withgood reason, consumers across Quebecacknowledge that Jacques Gatien is thefounder of the “infomercials” that are soprevalent today.

Since its early days, this Quebec firmhas shown great creativity in the devel-opment and marketing of mass marketconsumer products and introduces con-sumers to dozens of innovative newproducts each year.

During this 50th anniversary year,Atlantic Promotions will be highlight-ing some key milestones:• More than 300 million units havebeen sold since its inception.• Two billion dollars in total merchan-dise sales.• More than 50 products that havereached the one million unit milestone• In Canada today, an AP product issold every three seconds.

If you were to put the total number ofproducts sold in the last 50 years side byside, they would circle the earth twice.

To celebrate the anniversary, AtlanticPromotions is introducing a special 50thanniversary edition of The Rock fry pan,a star product for the company. This 9.5-inch fry pan has a golden exterior andoffers superior non-stick performancethanks to its patented steel ball impactmanufacturing process, a technologyexclusive to The Rock. It is also induc-tion ready and will be sold at retail forjust $29.99.

Atlantic Promotions is recognized forits openness to new ideas and innova-tive concepts as well as the effort it de-votes to research and development. The

Above: the Starfrit exhibit at the March housewares show in Chicago.

Left: a special anniversary edition of the high performance Rock frypan was

produced to mark the occasion.Opposite page, top: company founder

Jacques Gatien is recognized as a mastershowman in the housewares industry.

Opposite Page Centre: General Manager Gilles Gosselin with Jacques Gatien.

PROFILES 2015 5

corporation relies heavily on designersand engineers to bring all of their proj-ects to a positive conclusion.

Each year, Atlantic Promotions cre-ates, develops and markets some 50new products under its brand names.All products are geared toward themass and specialized markets. They areavailable for export and are known for:• Ingenuity;• Innovation;• Quality;• Contemporary, ergonomic design;• Ease of use and maintenance;• Extensive life cycle.

For half a century, Atlantic Promo-

tions has successfully taken on this chal-lenge to constantly renew and improvethe consumer’s life. At the heart of thecompany’s mission is a desire to focuson innovation while utilizing the latest,most effective marketing trends

They continue to develop and distrib-ute innovative kitchen products for theglobal markets using a strong market-ing mix strategy and recognized trade-marks. The products combine qualityand design yet are always groundbreaking and ahead of the markettrends.

Atlantic Promotions serves as a onestop shop concept for everything for thekitchen, including full ranges of cook-ing utensils and accessories. But theyalso strive to develop new categoriesand create a surge in demand throughprint and televised advertising cam-paigns that clearly demonstrate theadded values and the innovative char-acteristics of the company’s products.

Sales Representatives

MMario Jobin – Quebec Tel: 514-871-1671 ext. [email protected]

Mario Tomassi – OntarioTel: 514-871-1671 ext. [email protected]

Lauri Chevel – Western CanadaTel: 514-871-1671 ext. [email protected]

Lyne VinetTel: [email protected]

Customer Service

Email: [email protected]: 1-800-361-6232

Trade Show Participation

• Toronto Gift Fair - January and August

• International Home + HousewaresShow - Chicago

Contact Information

Atlantic Promotions770 Guimond Blvd.Longueuil, Quebec J4G 1V6Montreal, QuebecTel: 1-800-361-1692www.starfrit.com

TOP SELLING BRANDS

Starfrit

Heritage

Lock & Lock

Gourmet by Starfrit

The Rock

Starfrit Balance

Ricardo (Licensed)

COMPANY OVERVIEW

6 PROFILES 2015

Breville

Breville began down under, in Syd-ney, Australia, in 1932. Originally

known as the Breville Radio Company,the firm developed its first home appli-ance in the mid-1940s. In 2002, thebrand made its way to the U.S. andCanadian markets and is now traded inover 30 countries around the world.

Over the past 80 years, Breville hasbecome an iconic Australian brand, en-hancing people’s lives through thought-ful design and brilliant innovation. Bre-ville is the kitchen appliance brand thatengages people with ‘food thinking,’ de-livering features that empower peopleto do things more easily than they’dthought possible.

Breville was initially sold in Canadaunder the Anglo-Canadian Housewaresbanner. In 2013, the name formallychanged to Breville Canada and todaysells appliances in the coffee and bever-age, food preparation and cooking mar-kets. It is currently the market leader inthe manual espresso coffee machine cat-egory and in the juicing category.

The head office in St. Laurent, Que-bec, houses the administrative head-quarters as well as its warehouse facili-ty. The company is involved in severaldifferent categories including coffee,kettles, blenders, juicers, ovens, mi-crowave ovens, grills, toasters, mixers,waffle makers and slow cookers.

All Breville products are designed inSydney, Australia, by a very talentedteam of over 50 designers and engi-neers. Breville has employees through-out Eastern, Central, and Western Cana-da, with many concentrated in the Mon-treal and Toronto area.

The company is a leader in the mar-ket with its multi-faceted approach tobrand promotion. For its retail audience,Breville advertises in trade publications,participates in trade shows and employsa highly-skilled account managementteam committed to service. Breville pro-vides comprehensive product knowl-edge training for all its retail partnersand conducts in-store product demos.

Front and centre in television, print,digital and social platforms, Brevilleuses an integrated strategy for advertis-ing, marketing and public relations.They consistently execute programs thatbring value to their retail partners andstakeholders and also inspire enthusi-asm among consumers.

Breville’s high-profile product launchevents are attended by their retail part-ners as well as Canadian home, foodand lifestyle journalists in both tradi-tional and new media. The prominentonline presence is complemented byconsistent brand exposure in some ofCanada’s top television and lifestyleshows/series. Further, Breville con-stantly connects with media, bloggersand food culture influencers, as well asits own consumers, to drive excitement,engage conversations, build credibilityand promote brand loyalty.

Sleek design, innovative and patent-ed features, product performance andquality are what give Breville a compet-itive edge in the industry. Interior de-signers covet Breville products, touting

Exploring the potential of food

Above: a few images from the successfulmedia launch of The Boss blender.Left: the Breville team with spokespersonand ‘juicing celebrity’ Joe Cross, centre.Opposite page: the Montreal showroom in-cludes a demonstration kitchen for guests.

PROFILES 2015 7


SSteven Beekman [email protected]

Melanie Brodeur [email protected]

Tania Henderson [email protected]

Tom Simpson [email protected]

Tammy Westerman [email protected]

Customer Service

Phone 1-855-683-3535Inquiries: [email protected]

Contact Information

Breville Canada3595 boul de la Côte-VertuSaint-Laurent, QC H4R 1R2

them as ‘kitchen jewelry’. Cooking andbaking enthusiasts seek out Brevilleproducts to enhance their creativity inthe kitchen. They appreciate innovativefeatures such as the ‘soften butter’ but-ton on the Quick Touch microwave, the‘Lift & Look’ feature on the toasters orthe waffle IQ technology. Many Brevilleproducts have been recognized withawards such as the Germany Red Dotaward and SCAA (Specialty Coffee As-sociation of America) ‘Product of theYear’ in 2013 for the Barista Expressespresso machine.

Independent testing by a leading con-sumer advocate magazine has given topmarks to the company’s Sous Chef foodprocessor, the Smart Oven and theScraper Mixer Pro stand mixer threeyears in a row. Many independent testkitchens also feature Breville appli-ances, a testament to the thoughtful de-sign of the products.

“As ‘food thinkers’ we’re compelled tobe a catalyst behind advancements, pro-grams, and ideas that propel our indus-try forward and enhance the experienceof our retail partners and consumers,”says president Stephen Krauss.

Simply put, Breville brings morequality, style, performance and innova-tion to the table as they endeavour to betrailblazers in all they do. StephenKrauss says both their retail partnersand consumers “benefit from this unre-lenting pursuit of excellence”.

Thanks in large part to the efforts ofthe team here in Canada, the Brevillebrand has become entrenched in ourfood culture and woven into the dailylives of everyone from celebrity chefs toaverage Canadian families. People have

formed a compelling connection withthe Breville name and as a result, thecompany has seen its market share andconsumer loyalty climb steadily.

Because Canadian families have wel-comed Breville into the heart of theirhomes, the company proudly con-tributes to causes that make a profounddifference in their lives. Particularlymeaningful for Breville employees istheir participation in the ‘Games forHope’ Foundation annual charity eventin support of organizations that providepivotal services in our community in-cluding: The Missing Children’s Net-work, The Shriners Hospitals for Chil-dren, The Starlight Foundation of Que-bec, FitSpirit, and in 2015, the JuvenileDiabetes Research Foundation.

Breville has also fundraised and field-ed a number of teams in the annual‘Games for Hope’ event, hosted in Mon-treal. There is a corporate culture thatpromotes giving back and improvinglives through philanthropy and volun-teerism. They support a wide variety oflocal charities and foundations.

As a market leader, Breville is con-stantly taking bold steps forward. Thecompany’s greatest contributions to theindustry have yet to be seen in terms ofproduct innovations . The objective is tocontinually build goodwill, inspire cre-ativity and start conversations that pos-itively influence food culture.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

8 PROFILES 2015

Browne

Browne is a family-run business thatgot its start in Montreal 66 years ago.

It was originally known as O.Browne &Co. and operated primarily as a generaltrading company in those early years.They carried kitchenware for commer-cial and consumer use, sporting goods,binoculars, camping equipment, tents,back packs, tires (as a sales agent forContinental Germany), hardware fas-teners and textiles for domestic garmentmanufacturers across the country.

In 1984, along with many other Que-bec-based companies, Browne moved itshead office to Toronto. Peter Browneand Michael Browne (who are cousinsand sons of the original owners) ac-quired control of the company from thefamily in 1988. Together, they focusedon growing the export business. Theyrenamed it Browne & Co. and imple-mented a policy to actively pursue mar-kets outside of Canada.

In the early 1990s, Browne switchedits focus to distributing high-end house-wares, mainly from Europe. They alsocreated and produced their own line ofkitchenware, called Cuisipro, which hasdeveloped into one of the top brands inthe world. At the same time, the compa-ny started producing a range of prod-

ucts under private label for severalmajor retailers in the U.S.

In 2000 the Brownes made a strategicmove by purchasing Berard, a 100-year-old French manufacturer of olive woodproducts. That was followed by the ac-quisition of Kitchen Grips, a line theyhad represented for several years. Thenin 2004, they purchased the HaroldLeonard Company.

Today Browne services a global mar-ket with an extensive range of profes-sional foodservice and retail house-wares products. After more than 60years in these complimentary indus-tries, the company is well positioned asa dependable resource and partner, notonly in Canada but around the world.

From day one, Browne’s mission hasbeen to design, create and sell value-added products. They also act as a vitallink in the supply chain from factory tocustomer for home and professionalfood service applications.

“We create long-term partnershipswith our suppliers, employees and cus-tomers to ensure we exceed their expec-tations for service, quality, value anddependability,” says Peter Browne, whooversees the retail side of the business.

Having received several patents and

many awards for product innovationand outstanding service, Browne is rec-ognized as an essential supplier in theindustry. Their in-house creative teamdesigns the products and then managesall phases of sourcing and manufactur-ing for both the Cuisipro brand andOEM clients around the globe. Since su-perior materials are integral to develop-ing functional and durable products,Browne has worked to build solid part-nerships with the world’s top suppliersof fine-engineered plastics and metals.

To better channel-market, Browne &Co. is divided into three distinct divi-sions: commercial/foodservice, retail,and branded lines. With 100 employeesin total, they operate warehouses inMarkham, Ontario and Memphis. Theyalso have branch offices and distribu-tion facilities across North America andEurope. Working with their partners ininternational markets, Browne productscan now be found in 40 countriesaround the globe.

Retail communication is a key part ofBrowne’s success and presently in-cludes trade advertising, social mediasuch as Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest,e-blasts, promotions and opportunitybuys. To reach consumers, the company

A Canadian companywith global appeal

Above, Peter Browne, front, and MichaelBrowne. Right and opposite pages, brandscarried include Cuisipro, Emile Henry,Berard, Kitchen Grips and Ad Hoc.

PROFILES 2015 9

Sales RepresentativesBBrenda PoffenrothAlberta, N.W. Territories, NunavutBusiness Phone - (403) 932-0969Email - [email protected]

Michael HennBritish Columbia, YukonBusiness Phone - (604) [email protected]

Cindy EvettsBritish Columbia, YukonBusiness Phone - (604) [email protected]

Kelly Jordon-MowatSask, Manitoba, Northern OntarioBusiness Phone - (204) [email protected]

Rosy LoewithOntario – WesternBusiness Phone - (519) [email protected]

Shannon MitchellOntario - GTA, Eastern & NorthernBus Phone - (905) 475-1385 x [email protected]

Marie-Jose PeltierQuebec, Ottawa Region, MaritimesMobile - (514) [email protected]

Customer Service1-866-306-3672Office Number 1-866-306-3674Wendy Bateman – Ext 255Emilie Stewart-Paul – Ext 253

Trade Shows• Ambiente• Int’l Home + Housewares Show• Nafem• NRA• International shows via distributors

Head Office100 Esna Park Dr., Markham, ON L3R 1E3(905)-475-6104

COMPANY OVERVIEW

BRANDS DISTRIBUTEDBY BROWNE

AdHoc (Canada & USA)Arc International

BamixBerardBrowne

CDNCuisipro

DreamfarmEmile Henry

GlobalGobel

KasumiKitchenGrips

MosaNogent (Canada & USA)

Swiss DiamondThermalloy

relies primarily on social media.After six decades in the business,

Peter Browne attributes their longevityto a combination of quality productlines and excellent relationships withcustomers. “We’ve alway maintained ahigh customer service standard, backedby well-informed and motivated salespeople,” he explains.

Browne & Co. prides itself on being agreat partner to all accounts and notjust another supplier. “We want to offerbrands that add value and productsthat customers want,” says Peter.“We’re primarily known as a source forquality European brands but we alsocarry great merchandise from othercountries. We offer multiple brands thatcross different sectors of the house-wares market, which allows our Cana-dian partners to buy many skus from asingle source. The goal is to make it eas-ier for our customers to buy.”

In addition to meeting the needs ofboth commercial and retail customers,Browne also gives back to the commu-nity through regular staff sales with allproceeds going to local charities.

10 PROFILES 2015

Danesco

exciting new skus every season. Theproduct development team is dedicatedto understanding Canadian consumers,always staying on top of the latesttrends. Their intense passion for theproduct creates a positive flow of ener-gy across the entire organization.

Customer service is also at the heartof Danesco’s success and the companyworks to continuously improve it. Thereis a network of nine sales reps, two na-tional account managers, one nationalsales manager and a team of five cus-tomer service reps.

For their brands, Danesco has provento be an excellent partner by offeringmarket expertise in channel manage-ment, account management, trade mar-keting and sales representation.

Danesco is fully committed to stayingtrue to the positioning and image ofeach individual brand. “Our in- depthknowledge and network in the Canadi-an market, combined with our broad as-sortment of brands, allow us to effec-tively manage all trade channels fromhigh end specialty shops to mass mer-chants,” says Brigitte. “Understandingand controlling the distribution of thebrands by channel is an important com-ponent of our success. “

Danesco customers benefit from amodern warehouse that is geared to ef-fectively serve two channels: independ-ents and the larger national retailers.The company is always working to im-prove the efficiency of its operations atevery level.

Each brand is presented to retailers atthe Toronto Gift Fair in January and Au-

It all started in 1963 in a second floorapartment when Knud Peterson

transformed four rooms and a kitcheninto a showroom, office and warehouse.Knud had a vision, and although hestarted on a shoestring, he was deter-mined to pursue it.

Today, 52 years later, Danesco hasgrown to become a leading housewaresdistributor with a 100,000-square-footstate-of-the-art facility and 99 employ-ees. They also boast some of the bestbrands in the business including OXO,Joseph Joseph, Cole & Mason, FusionBrands, Full Circle, Prepara, BIA Cor-don Bleu and ZicZac.

Knud, who was originally from Den-mark, created the name ‘Danesco’ bycontracting two words: Danes+ Compa-ny. When he first arrived in Montreal,he served as a commercial secretary forThe Danish Consulate. It was during hisyears promoting Danish Exports toCanada that Knud identified an oppor-tunity to represent and distribute Dan-

ish lines here. The rest, as they say, ishistory, but with a happy ending.Danesco is now recognized for its de-sign-driven products and impressivebrand roster as well as its expertise inthe Canadian housewares marketplace.

The company approaches the busi-ness from two perspectives: the cus-tomers and the brands. “As a distribu-tor, Danesco is defined by both sides,and it is the sum of these two compo-nents that defines who we are, how weoperate and what we strive for,” ex-plains president Brigitte Roy.

For retail customers, Danesco strivesto be the best ‘one stop shop’ in kitchen-ware by offering products that delivergreat value for money in all categories.“Our goal is to constantly bring innova-tion to the marketplace to help our retailcustomers grow their business and staycompetitive,” Brigitte adds.

Across all brands, Danesco intro-duces an incredible 600 new productsevery year, ensuring a constant flow of

A full roster of leadinghousewares brands

Above, the entire staff, left, and the main showroom at Danesco’shead office in Montreal, right.

PROFILES 2015 11

COMPANY OVERVIEW

gust where Danesco has an impressive 2,500-square-foot booth that always fea-tures a large array of brand new products.

As for retail marketing, “we believe that Home Style Magazine is an effectiveway of reaching our customers and promoting our brands across the country andwe have supported the publication from day one. But our number one commu-nication tool remains our amazing sales reps,” Roy explains. “They will alwaysbe the best ambassadors for our brands.”

The marketing team at Danesco also believes it is their responsibility to investin consumer marketing in order create awareness and excitement behind thebrands they represent. The company is increasingly active on social media and is

consistently expanding brand aware-ness with public relations. “The mediais always looking for content and wehave lots of innovative products withgood stories to tell. The coverage andspin-offs are great for the brands,” saysTamsyn Hodges, marketing director.

Danesco has grown to occupy itscurrent leadership position by offeringa winning combination of scale, flexi-

bility and passionate housewares experts. With a strong emphasis on customerrelations, the company prides itself on providing the highest quality of customerservice with trained specialists attending to all retail needs.

Danesco continues to invest and believe in the importance and the future ofthe independent retailers in Canada. The sales team also recognizes the manychallenges these retailers face today and will continue to offer them the supportthey need to be successful. In fact, Danesco has just completed the distribution ofa new catalogue with 450 colourful pages representing over 15 brands. It was amajor investment but one they know will reap many benefits.

In addition, in 2014, the company introduced a completely new, user-friendlywebsite geared to retailers. It’s proven to be an excellent reference tool with lotsof product details that are always up to date.

The most valuable asset, however, is still the company’s exceptional sales reps.They believe it’s their personal relationships that make businesses successful.“What is true for our retail customers is also true for us,” says Brigitte. “ Inde-pendent retailers have a unique relationship with their own customers thatmakes a difference. Brand relationships with the end consumers are establishedby these retailers and their personalized approach to customer service.”

Danesco makes a point to give back to organizations that support those inneed in the local community, mainly in the West Island and Montreal. The com-pany donates products on a regular basis to help many organizations in Quebecwith their fund raising initiatives, making them an intrinsic member of their owncommunity as well as the entire Canadian housewares industry.


National Sales ManagerSSylvio Lamattina - (514) [email protected]

B.C.: Marion Burns - (604) [email protected]

South Western & Northern OntarioGail Hough - (519) [email protected]

Manitoba, Sask, N.W. Ont., LakeheadMaura Shale - (204) 421-9201 Toll-free: [email protected]

AlbertaLexa Shropshire - (780) [email protected]

Toronto - Ontario Central – KingstonVeronica James - (416) [email protected]

Montreal – LavalManon Lapointe - (450) [email protected]

Atlantic ProvincesMark Amyot - (902) [email protected]

Southern Quebec - Eastern TownshipsGordon Taylor - (450) [email protected]

Ottawa, Outaouais, N. QC, Quebec CityTim Smith - (514) [email protected]

Customer Service

Margaret Fotiou: (514) 694-9111 ext.130Barbara Foley: ext. 111Mirella Elissa: ext. 171

Head Office

Danesco, 18111 Trans-Canada Hwy.Kirkland, QC H9J 3K1

12 PROFILES 2015

Danica

Setting trends by designDanica Imports turns 50 in 2015 and

with a recently-announced transi-tion to the next generation, the companyhas plenty to celebrate during this gold-en anniversary year.

Danica – the name literally means“from Denmark” – got its start as an im-porter of Scandinavian giftware andfurniture. In 1984, the company waspurchased by its current owners, Rod-ney Benson and Jeremy Braude, bothnatives of South Africa. Best friendssince high school, Jeremy and Rodneyworked together to transform the busi-ness into one of the top distributors ofkitchen goods in Canada.

In 1990, the partners started manufac-turing their own line of kitchen andtable linens. After enjoying many yearsof growth in the category, they pur-

chased Now Designs, the leading brandin kitchen textiles, in 2004. Over the nextfive years, Danica expanded into evenmore product categories, including din-nerware, food storage and kitchen tools.

In 2009 the Danica Studio brand waslaunched to showcase the talents of thein-house design team. Today, Danica isknow for its innovative kitchen designswith both Now Designs and Danica Stu-dio brands sold all over the world.

Although the company continues tofocus on kitchen textiles, they are al-ways experimenting and forging aheadinto new areas where they can showcasetheir ongoing passion for design andcolour. Special attention is always givento categories that span across bothhousewares and giftware.

Danica’s textiles are manufacturedprimarily in India and China, where Je-remy and Rodney pride themselves onthe strength and longevity of their rela-tionships with all of their suppliers.Once in Canada, all products are dis-tributed from a brand new warehousein Richmond, B.C. where state of the artequipment ensures that all orders areshipped accurately and on time.

Based in Vancouver, Danica has atotal of 45 employees, most of whomwork out of the head office. Rodney em-phasizes that, across Canada, they havesome of the best sales reps in the busi-ness, many of whom have been withDanica for decades.

When it comes to marketing, Dani-ca’s claim to fame is the gorgeous cata-logue that’s produced twice a year. Itfeatures a level of graphic design sel-dom seen in the housewares industry.

In terms of digital marketing, thedanicaimports.com website has provento be a fantastic resource for both retail-ers and consumers. Danica is active onsocial media and just launched a whole-sale-only e-commerce site for theirCanadian customers.

Always an aggressive competitor interms of new products, the owners of

Now Designs

Danica Studio

Stitch & Shuttle

London Pottery

RSVP

Chef ’n

Fat Daddio’s

Staybowlizer

Zoku

Brabantia

Rice Cube

That!

Handle Hands

PROFILES 2015 13

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Danica believe the key to their growthcomes down to two things: design andcustomer service. They employ nine fulltime product and graphic designers, aprolific team of talented individualswho design all Danica products, pack-aging, catalogs, websites and brandingmaterial. With a focus on colourful,modern design they bring new collec-tions to the market every six months,each one more impressive than the last.

As well, the customer service depart-

ment is dedicated to treating everysingle customer with care and re-spect, from the smallest independentto the largest national chain.

But in the end, Rodney and Jeremybelieve success comes down to rela-tionships, because what else is there?

“We place enormous value on ourrelationship with our customers, oursales reps, our vendors and, aboveall, our employees,” they say. “We’reproud of our low employee turnover.We’re proud of the fact that we’vebeen working with the same vendorsfor over 20 years and that we’ve beendistributing some of our brands forover a decade. We’re exceptionallyproud that we’ve maintained our re-lationships with some of the besthousewares and giftware retailers inthe country since the 1960s.”

As a company owned by immi-grants that relies on overseas vendorsDanica is definitely part of a globalcommunity, and they reinforce thatby donating a percentage of profits toEducation without Borders. The ob-jective of the foundation is to fostereducational opportunities in disad-vantaged regions of the world.

Here at home, Danica keeps a closeeye on its ecological footprint. A certi-fied “Climate Smart” company, theyhave launched a variety of recyclinginitiatives, use recycled boxes forshipping and encourage all staff towalk or ride their bike to work.


Alberta: Norma Fehr403-281-7599 * [email protected] (Interior): Dona Gretzinger250-803-4358 * [email protected]. (Key Accounts): Jim Cromarty604-329-5471 * [email protected]. (Key Accounts): Martin Lank604-649-5361* [email protected]. (Lower Mainland): Debbie [email protected]: Deb & Peter Eakins902-835-3154 * [email protected] (Central & Northern):Karen Sweatman – [email protected] Ontario (GTA): Vicky Stott416-698-0725 • [email protected]. (Southwest): Tamie & Gus Gouveia519-856-1165 • [email protected] (Ottawa and Eastern)Jennifer Frankland – [email protected]: Groupe Marketing 450-435-0316 • [email protected]., Manitoba & Lakehead:Maura Shale – [email protected]

Customer Service

Tel: 604-255 6150Toll Free: 1-888-632 6422Email: [email protected]: www.danicaimports.com


• Toronto Gift Fair• International Home + Housewares Show• Atlanta International Gift &

Home Furnishings Market• NY/NOW Accent on Design

Head Office

1915 Stainsbury Ave, Vancouver, B.C. V5N 2M6Tel: 604-255-6150

The entire staff of Danica gathers at the head office. Rodney and Jeremy will let their sonsGary Bensen and Jonathan Braude take over this year as they begin ‘semi-retirement’.

14 PROFILES 2015

David Shaw Designs

ed to really take hold, David Shaw madean astute business move. The companycreated, designed and developed a newcollection of stainless steel flatwareunder the proprietary ‘Splendide’brand. Today, Splendide has become arecognized brand name in the tabletopindustry, offering consumers stylish, on-trend designs at every price point.

Keenly aware of the need to evolve tostay relevant, David Shaw continues toadd new and exciting internationalbrands to their portfolio on a regularbasis. The primary focus has been on thedining, entertaining and gift categories.

In early 2014, David Shaw officiallyentered the housewares arena with theacquisition of Classic Chef brands. The

Robert Dohany and Gerald Green-wood, the founders of David Shaw

Silverware, are originally from Viennaand London (respectively). Inspired bythe tradition and craftsmanship of finequality European tableware they recog-nized a void in the industry and decidedto create a premium assortment of thistype of product for the Canadian mar-ket. In 1982, the two men joined forces toestablish David Shaw as a wholesale im-porter and distributor of flatware.

Their foresight paid off and as thecompany grew, they gradually addedprestige dinnerware and crystal brandsto the product mix.

Early in the company’s history, as thetrend towards more casual dining start-

addition of their extensive range ofgourmet tools and food prep productswas a natural extension of the ‘diningand entertaining’ focus of the business.

The company now operates as DavidShaw Designs, a name that more accu-rately represents the company’s ex-panded portfolio of products andbrands now being offered.

Located in north Toronto, DavidShaw has a full time staff of 18 people.The sprawling 45,000-square-foot build-ing houses the company’s offices, ware-house and showroom.

Today the company specializes in fivekey areas with the following products:tabletop, entertaining, food preparation,giftware and premium/incentive.

In 2013, David Shaw launched theirwebsite – www.davidshawdesigns.com– as a vehicle to promote their brands toa wider retail audience. While focusedinitially on gaining exposure with theretail customer, the website has beencontinually updated to provide moreconsumer information and productknowledge about their brands. It hasproven to be a valuable resource.

Traditional print advertising and edi-torial content in Home Style Magazinehas also proven to be a significantforum to connect with loyal readers ofthe magazine. Home Style provides anopportunity to showcase the company’sevolving product assortment at DavidShaw, and to connect with existing andpotential retail customers.

With the increasing convergence ofhousewares and gift in the Canadianmarketplace, David Shaw is now in theunique position of acting as a ‘one stopshop’ for their retail partners in both ofthese important categories.

Despite the rapid growth over the

A bright future with afocus on home fashion

Shown top right,company foundersRobert Dohany andGerald Greenwood.Right, the DS herbinfuser provides aburst of flavour. Below, beautiful slateand wood cheeseboards are perfectfor entertaining.

PROFILES 2015 15

years, David Shaw remains, at its core, amodest family-operated business. Thecompany is small and nimble enough toaccommodate special requests and proj-ects, while large enough to source and se-cure top quality, internationally-recog-nized brands for Canada. Additionally,the premise of serving as a ‘stocking dis-tributor’ is still very much part of the for-mula at David Shaw. All brands are wellsupported with on-hand inventory.

David Shaw has established a provencommitment to innovation and change.The company has a strong mandate to reg-ularly refresh both products and brands,and a willingness to invest in new cate-gories that will continue to bring opportu-nities to market.

The company’s founders have builttheir business through loyalty and integri-ty, and continue to operate with theseguiding principles. David Shaw Designsnow welcomes a second generation to thecompany. They bring a more youthful per-spective as well as a renewed commitmentto both customers and employees to buildfor the future.

Above, top, the vodka set with ice bucketand shooter glasses. Above, centre,Splendide flatware in the Crescent pat-tern. Above, a basic white ‘starter set’.

COMPANY OVERVIEW


BRITISH COLUMBIABob Quayle [email protected] • 604-536-4434Cathy Coy [email protected] • 250-216-3955Jim Moodie [email protected] • 604-808-6414ALBERTA - Jerry Polsky [email protected] • 403-253-4067SASKATCHEWAN - Ross [email protected] • 306-948-6443MANITOBAContact Head Office 800-489-7429ONTARIOLinda Baldwick - [email protected] Jo Rogers - [email protected] Pamela Cowan - [email protected] Brandon Seager - [email protected] Mary-Pat Salvian [email protected] • 905-464-0933Ann Marie Snell - 613-749-0675 [email protected] Mary Villamagna [email protected] QUEBECEvelyne & George Winkler [email protected] •415-487-9358Genevieve Beaudoin & Frank Sasse [email protected] • 514-462-5562MARITIMESContact Head Office 800-489-7429


Toronto Gift Fair - January and AugustInternational Home + Housewares Show

Contact Information

David Shaw Designs85 Martin Ross Avenue,Downsview, Ontario M3J 2L5Tel: 416-736-0492

David Shaw Brands

AtlantisBohemia

Class ic ChefCrush Grind

GefuGranite Ware

HeuckHutzler

JBK PotteryJoyce Chen

The Just Slate CompanyLinden Sweden

LSA InternationalOrigins

ScanwoodSplendide

Snow RiverStar Home

Terre EtoileeUniversal Expert

United Brands

16 PROFILES 2015

Denby

A rich history of fineBritish craftsmanshipDenby has been making pottery

since 1806 when a tiny seam of claywas found during construction of a roadto link the industrial towns of Der-byshire. William Bourne, a local entre-preneur, examined the clay and recog-nized its exceptional qualities.

In 1809, production of salt-glazedpottery began at Denby with a numberof small buildings set up on the site ofthe clay bed. The pottery becameknown as 'Joseph Bourne' and quicklygained an international reputation forquality bottles and jars.

Since glass was very expensive in theearly 19th century, these stoneware bot-tles were essential for holding every-thing from preserves and pickles to ink,medicines and even ginger beer.

As the price of glass declined, andmore popular methods of holding fluidsappeared, stoneware bottles and jarswent out of style. Instead, Denby decid-ed to concentrate on kitchenware and

extended its pattern of artware. By the 1920s Denby's functional pie

dishes, jelly molds and 'hot water bot-tles' could be found in many homesalong with decorative vases, bowls andtobacco jars. They were all stamped'Danesby Ware', the generic name givenby Denby Pottery to all its decorativeand giftware patterns.

Denby had begun to transform into aproducer of tableware when the SecondWorld War brought the manufacturingrestrictions and colored glaze stains to ahalt. After the war, however, Denbyquickly regained its stride by experi-menting with striking colours. Afterproducing a series of bestselling table-ware patterns, Denby quickly became aleader in ceramic design.

In the 1970s Denby spearheaded anew concept in diningware called‘oven-to-tableware’ with patterns suchas Arabesque. It changed the way peo-ple cooked and served meals.

Over the last decade, Denby hasmade a substantial investment in thelatest ceramic technology while stillholding onto traditional craftsmanship.Today, Denby produces a broad range oftableware that is both stylish anddurable, keeping pace with changinglifestyles around the world. Recent ad-ditions include the British heritagebrands of Burleigh and Poole Pottery.

The company still sources the superstrong Derbyshire clay from behind thefactory, just as they did centuries ago.(Other porcelain and ancillary productsare sourced overseas with the same at-tention to quality and durability.) Alldesigns still originate from a creativeteam based in England. The productsare sold in 49 countries through Denbysubsidiaries, third party distributors,company stores and online.

Denby has 770 employees globallywith the head office, factory and visitorcentre in Derbyshire, England. TheNorth American operations are head-

The beautiful new Peveril pattern exemplifieswhat only Denby can do – bring together reac-tive glazes that create a truly unique effect

PROFILES 2015 17


Sales Manager - North AmericaNicole RamosTel: [email protected]

Alberta: Helen Tarkowski Tel: 403-818-5992 [email protected]

Manitoba & Sask: Jack Mitchell Tel: 204-782-8590 [email protected]

AB & B.C. (Burleigh): Sid Hoagland Tel: 206-932-6358 [email protected]


• Ambiente -Frankfurt Spring Fair• Birmingham Trade Fair• NY Tabletop (Spring and Fall)• International Home +

Housewares Show• Atlanta Gift Show

Canadian Head Office

Denby Canada5401 Eglinton Avenue, Unit 110, Etobicoke, ON M9C 5K6Tel: 416-622-9779General inquiries, please contactquestions@ denbycanada.caFor inquiries regarding employment, please contact [email protected]

COMPANY OVERVIEW

quartered in Bridgewater, New Jerseywith a showroom in the 41 Madisonbuilding in New York. Denby also re-cently opened a new Canadian show-room and office conveniently locatednear the Toronto airport that’s open tointerested retailers by appointment.

Denby has been fortunate to havemany influential retail marketing part-ners over many years. They work as ateam to figure out new ways to tell theDenby story through advertising, in-store displays, events, trainings, bridalshows and more. The company also hasa very clear and focused online presence.

The Denby factory and visitor centrehave become a popular destination inEngland with over 250,000 visitors annu-ally. They take a factory tour, shop at theretail and outlet stores, attend cookingdemonstrations and then enjoy lunch ortea at the on-site restaurant, Bourne’s.

This rich heritage is also one ofDenby’s competitive advantages. Thestoneware has been handmade in Eng-

• Four Denby mugs turned upside down can support the weight of a bus!• From the smallest cup to the largest casserole dish, all Denby products canbe used with confidence in the microwave, dishwasher, oven and freezer.• The company offers over 5000 glazes, each one harder than steel. It'staken 180 years to develop glazes that are virtually flawless but it means thetableware washes more easily and is less likely to chip.• Each Denby piece is unique, there is no other like it. It will pass through 25pairs of hands before reaching the consumer, including a test to make it ascomfortable as possible to hold.

land by skilled craftsmen for overtwo centuries using the same sourceof clay. There really isn’t anythingelse in the market like Denby. Eachpiece is truly one of a kind.

But Denby didn’t stop there.They've taken their know-how fromthe dining room to the kitchen withan exciting new collection of cook-ware, glassware and accessories.

The Canadian market has alwaysstrongly identified with Denby’sEnglish roots. People still seek thosetraditions and embrace the stories be-hind quality craftsmanship. ButDenby knows it also has an environ-mental responsibility today. The com-pany is involved in several ‘green’initiatives, particularly recycling.

“We are immensely proud of ourheritage and reputation for qualityproducts for generations,” says ToddJarvis, director of sales for North Amer-ica. “Denby looks forward to a futureas diverse and exciting as its past.”

The executive team at Denby includes, left to right, Dana Kelhart, general manager andmarketing director, Todd Jarvis, director of sales, and Nicole Ramos, sales manager.

Tableware that stands the test of time

18 PROFILES 2015

Faema Canada

For over half a century Faema Canadahas been teaching Canadians what

‘real’ coffee tastes like. The company isnow one of the most successful espressoand cappuccino machine distributors inCanada, and it’s all thanks to one manwho loved good coffee, and wanted toshare that love with Canadians.

The Faema story began when MikeDi Donato came to Canada from Italyback in 1958. He was not impressedwith the coffee that Canadians served.

“One bad cup of coffee inspired myfather to kick-start Toronto’s caffeinescene when he realized this countrylacked what Europeans had enjoyed foryears – fine espressos and cappucci-nos,” says his son Lorenzo Di Donato,vice president, marketing and new busi-ness development. “His passion forgreat coffee coupled with his vision tointroduce espresso to a new world ledmy father to start his own business im-porting machines to Canada.”

The early days were difficult. The onlyclients Mike had were his fellow immi-grants who came to this country andopened small bakeries or restaurants.They wanted to offer espresso and cap-puccino in their establishments and finallyfound someone to supply the machines.

As Mike’s new business began to

flourish, his passion for Italian food mo-tivated him to expand his range to in-clude pizza ovens, gelato machines,pasta machines and other specialtyequipment used in typical Italian cui-sine. As the demand for espresso andcappuccino grew cup by cup, FaemaCanada started to import residentialmodels so people could enjoy qualitycoffee at home.

Today, Faema Canada is the industryleader of importing and distributingquality espresso and cappuccino equip-ment for commercial and residentialuse. Their success is based heavily onfamily involvement. Mike Di Donato’sfour sons, Pat, Rocco, Joe and Lorenzo,work together to fuel Faema’s espressoempire. Each son coordinates a differ-ent aspect of the company but together,they form a cohesive unit.

The company operates two separatedivisions – commercial and retail – andcurrently employs over 150 staff. Thecompanys sells products through sixcorporate owned stores plus an all-im-portant network of over 220 dealers andretailers across the country.

The company has also opened itsown upscale Faema Caffe Boutiques inthe Toronto area where customers canexperience the finest espresso and Ital-

ian desserts while browsing the beauti-ful home models displayed.

Faema’s current headquarters are indowntown Toronto, on a property ac-quired by the Di Donato family in 1994.It was originally constructed by FordMotor Company of Canada in 1915 andused to assemble the famous Model T.The Di Donatos took on the arduoustask of redeveloping the building andrestoring it back to its glory days.Faema occupies one floor (about 30,000square feet) while the remaining fourfloors are leased to tenants.

Early this year, to celebrate the build-ing’s 100th anniversary, the flagshipshowroom underwent a redesign incor-porating many of the original architec-tural features as well as some vintageFord models. It also allows the companyto offer a curated display of their premi-um coffee machines.

In addition to the Faema brand itself,the company carries a variety of premi-um brands including Jura, Capresso,Rocket, Ascaso and La Nuova Era.

Over the past few years, Faema Canadahas become a leading supplier with itsJura automatic bean-to-cup espresso ma-chines. Jura, a Swiss brand, has been de-veloping innovative household appli-ances since 1931, but they’ve been a pio-

Sharing a love of good coffee

The Toronto headquarters of Faema Canada was recently redesignedwith the addition of a stunning central glass staircase.

PROFILES 2015 19

COMPANY OVERVIEW


Quebec: NNick Coppola Tel: (514) 803-1552Email: [email protected] Ron Zalopany - Jura/Capresso Sales Tel: (416) 617-9115Email: [email protected] DiDonatoVice President SalesTel: 905) 501-7600Email: [email protected] Ferri, Account ExecutiveTel: (905) 501-7600Email: [email protected]

Dealers/Distributors

• Quebec: Les Importation EDIKAincludes a JURA Service CentreOntario/Manitoba/Saskatchwan: • Ontario sales support - JURA Canada 115 Matheson Blvd. East, Mississauga, Ontario• Alberta: National Cappuccino with locations in Edmonton and Calgary• B.C.: Quality Coffee Service (QCS)

Contact Information

FAEMA CANADA672 Dupont Street, Toronto, Ontario M6G 1Z6Tel: (416) 535-1555Toll-free 1-877-323-6226www.faema.ca

Top: The Jura exhibit booth at the 2015 Toronto Interior Design Show. Shown above: Theentire Di Donato family gathers for a photo before attending an awards ceremony in May.

neer in automatic espresso/coffee machines since the mid 1980s. In fact, Jura has grownto become Faema Canada’s top brand and now boasts its own facility in Mississauga.

The Jura Service and Hospitality Centre opened in Mississauga, Ontario, in 2011.The state-of-the art showroom, service centre and training facility is modelled afterJura’s Swiss headquarters in Niederbuchsiten, Switzerland. It houses a showroomwhere customers can test drive all of the machines and get one-on-one help from atrained specialist. There is also a training centre where retail partners can come for in-tensive training and a state-of-the-art service and diagnostic area.

Understanding the technology behind the premier brands that Faema Canadarepresents goes a long way to explaining their popularity as coffee lovers considertwo important things: quality and cost per serving.

“When you think about it from a cost-per-cup perspective, the investment in abean-to-cup machine is the logical choice,” remarks Lorenzo. “With a Jura machine,you are actually only paying pennies a cup compared to single cup/capsule brew-ers. Although the upfront cost of a bean-to-cup machine may be more expensive,the benefits in terms of cost per serving, environmental concerns and, most impor-tantly, quality is far greater. You can create a perfect cup of coffee at the touch of abutton. From the precision aroma grinder to the modern styling and sophisticatedcomputerized technology, Jura machines are like the Ferrari of coffeemakers.

”From initial sourcing to sales, instruction and servicing, Faema Canada and theindustrious family behind the company has found a way to do it all. They evenoffer trade ins since their coffee-loving customers are always looking to invest innew technologies and upgrade their machines.

20 PROFILES 2015

Groupe SEB

Products designed tomake home life easier It all started with a wedding almost

two centuries ago. Antoine Lescure, a simple tinker from

the Auvergne region, travelled the roadsof France every summer by donkey cart.He would repair ladles, knives, pansand – when the opportunity arose – sella few kitchen items. On February 4th,1840, after succumbing to the charms ofa demoiselle from Burgundy, Antoinedecided to trade in his itinerant lifestylefor a permanent home and bought ahardware store in Selongey. He began tomake his own tinware items: buckets,watering cans, tubs and, later, kitchenimplements.

In 1865, Jean Lescure took over his fa-ther’s firm. A bold entrepreneur and ap-prentice, he decided to concentrate onthe manufacturing side instead of thehardware trade, turning the “Jean Les-cure Factory” into one of the largest tin-ware factories in the land.

In 1900, he began to automate pro-duction with the purchase of a Schulerpress. At the dawn of the 20th century,about 60 workers worked at the factorymaking saucepans, colanders, cakemoulds and coffee pots as well as imple-ments for the dairy and wine-cellar.

The Jean Lescure factory made a sig-nificant contribution to household

progress at the time with innovativenew appliances. That led to the emer-gence of a new consumer mentality –buying new and better objects ratherthan wasting effort repairing old ones.

In 1932, a young entrepreneur fromParis named Jean Mantelet, who wasnewly involved in the household appli-ances industry, had a brilliant idea. Irri-tated by the lumps in his wife’s mashedpotatoes, he invented a rotating appli-ance that could effortlessly crush allcooked vegetables. The Moulin-Légumes (or vegetable shredder) wasborn that year, and with it, the begin-ning of Moulinex.

Meanwhile, Jean and Frédéric Les-cure, Antoine’s great-grandsons – laterjoined by brother Henri – re-launchedtheir ailing family firm. They decided toput most of their efforts into improvingjust one product: the milk-strainer.Thanks to a diestamping press, theywere able to make it in a single piece, fit-ting it with interchangeable sieves.More practical and robust than its com-petitors, its overnight success enabledproduction facilities to be modernized.

Price became the battleground.Craftsmen had to become industrialiststo achieve the necessary economies ofscale. But mass production using Tay-

lorist processes enabled Jean Mantelet tohalve the sale price of his Moulin andbreak into the national market.

Frédéric and Henri Lescure found thestrategy that would give them the edge:attract people’s interest through astronger, easier to use, safer and simplerproduct than the competition, thenmass-produce it to lower the cost price;sell the new item at a highly attractiveprice and pour the profits back into de-veloping the company.

In May 1936, production by the 250workers at the factory hit a new record.In 1944, the company promoted its ex-pertise in pressing by adopting the name“Société d’Emboutissage de Bourgogne”(Burgundy Press Company) or SEB. Thefinal chapter of the story had begun.

Today, after over 150 years of growthdriven by product innovation, interna-tional expansion, brand portfolio devel-opment and a stable core of familyshareholders, Groupe SEB has becomethe worldwide leader in small domesticappliances. Due to its long history, it hasalways maintained a preference for theculinary sector, which accounts for twothirds of its business, but the company

Above: All-Clad cookware is the preferredchoice of top chefs like Thomas Keller.Opposite page: the popular T-fal Actifry.

The focus is on coffee and espresso with thehigh end Krups line.

Rowenta products include floor care, gar-ment care and personal care appliances.

PROFILES 2015 21

COMPANY OVERVIEW

also has a strongpresence in homecare, linen andpersonal care ap-pliances.

With 22 premi-um brands, oper-ations in over 120countries and aleading positionsin more than 25countries, GroupeSEB can providean optimum re-sponse to multi-ple consumer ex-pectations aroundthe world. Itsglobal reach putsthe company in an ideal position to ob-serve the behaviour, culture and expec-tations of consumers to predict trendsand instigate progress.

In Canada, Groupe SEB markets fourmain brands. The T-Fal brand is posi-tioned at the core of the market, with theemphasis on the quality, innovation andingenuity of its products.

Rowenta is a brand reflected by tech-nological advancements and beautifuldesign. It has clearly defined its profileas a linen care, floor care and home com-fort specialist.

Krups is designed for passion, preci-sion and perfection for everyday life, of-fering coffee lovers hi-tech, sophisticat-ed products.

The All-Clad brand, the undisputedspecialist in premium cookware, isloved by professional chefs across NorthAmerica due to the high quality materi-als, outstanding conductivity, sought-after status, selective marketing and dis-


Rick Simpson, V.P. Sales(416) 297-4131, ext. 237Email – [email protected]

Maggie Bettinson, Director of Sales(416) 297-4131, ext. 257Email – [email protected]

Eastern Canada: Christiane Courtois(450) 242-1317 Email – [email protected]

Western Canada: Brett Rodway(604) 653-6240Email – [email protected]

Central Canada: Anji Levy(416) 568-4897Email – [email protected]


• Toronto Gift Fair - January/August• International Home + Housewares

Show - Chicago

Contact Information

Groupe SEB Canada Inc.345 Passmore AvenueM1V 3N8 Toronto - CanadaTel. (416) 297-4131Fax: (416) 293-9411www.groupeseb.com

tribution chan-nels, and life-time guarantee.

The Canadi-an team of ap-proximately 60people has takenon new leader-ship and a re-newed vision forthe future withpresident FabriceDupont, whojoined in Augustof 2014 after eightsuccessful yearswith Groupe SEBin France, Singa-pore, and Italy.

“I am extremely excited for thechance to work in such a rich and di-verse environment that is full of oppor-tunities to be developed with our cus-tomers. I have a great team around mehere in Canada.”

The overall goal of the company is tobe customer and consumer centric, withinnovation as the main driver. Findingnew ideas means listening to people, tothe needs and desires of consumers andto the expertise of professionals fromother industries. They know that stayingconnected with consumers is essential tobuilding a successful business. Theycommunicate with them through TV,websites, social media and other means.

The Groupe SEB adventure story con-tinues to this day, rooted in diversity.The company remains committed tobroadening the notion of better living,including social and environmental is-sues, to build a better future for con-sumers around the world.

22 PROFILES 2015

Hamilton Beach

Making breakfast betterIn 1904, both L.H. Hamilton and Chester

Beach were working for U.S. StandardElectrical Works in Racine, Wisconsin. Thecompany manufactured electrical devicesand were developing a new line of Motor-operated products for household use. Atthe time, electric motors were only used incommercial applications and ChesterBeach quickly saw the potential for smallkitchen appliances.

He started experimenting and soon de-veloped an innovative, lightweight uni-versal motor that could be used in homeappliances. Beach joined forces with hisco-worker and in 1910, the HamiltonBeach Manufacturing Company was offi-cially launched.

The first product produced was thedrink mixer and it has become an iconicpart of the company’s heritage. The linequickly expanded to include food mixers,juice extractors, fans, floor polishers, meatgrinders and even jewelers’ motors.

Meanwhile, in 1920, a Philadelphia firmcalled Proctor & Schwartz emerged to re-place the Philadelphia Textile Machinerycompany. The owners had seen the shifttowards home appliances and started pro-ducing thermostatically controlled ironsand toasters.

At the start of the 1960s, Proctor &Schwartz Electric became interested in theSilex Company, a manufacturer of cof-feemakers and irons. Proctor and Silex

successfully merged and began offeringa wide array of appliances with many‘firsts’ such as a silent toaster, an ironwith attached cord, an electric glass cof-feemaker and a pop-up toaster.

In 1990, NACCO Industries had theforesight to bring together two power-house vendors – Hamilton Beach andProctor-Silex – to create the largest U.S.manufacturer of small kitchen appli-ances. After an international expansionin 1995, the company has becomeknown to consumers around the world.Hamilton Beach Brands is based inRichmond, Virginia, but now operatesfull service branch offices in Canada,Mexico and China.

Today, their product portfolio in-cludes blenders, slow cookers, cof-feemakers, food processors, rice cook-ers, irons, mixers, toasters, ice creammakers, electric knives, can openers,breadmakers, grills, countertop ovensand odour eliminators, sold under theHamilton Beach, Proctor-Silex, Electricsor TrueAir brands. The company alsooffer appliances licensed under theJamba Juice brand.

Staying connected with consumers isvital to the company. Hamilton Beachconnects with consumers daily througha customer service call centre and web-sites, as well as on Facebook, Twitter,Instagram and YouTube. The EverydayGood Thinking blog offers new recipeideas from our Test Kitchen as well asproduct tips, guest bloggers and give-aways. The Hamilton Beach websitesoffer e-commerce for products, FAQ,downloadable Use & Care guides, hun-dreds of recipes and detailed informa-tion about all of our products.

Consumer insight helps distinguishHamilton Beach. An internal innova-tion team is devoted to researching howconsumers use products in their homes.This information is used to create prod-ucts that solve problems or addressunmet consumer needs such BrewSta-tion dispensing coffeemakers with nocarafe or breakfast sandwich makers.

The Hamilton Beach exhibit at the Chicagohousewares show showcased the company’snew appliance that helps consumers pre-pare a complete breakfast sandwich.

PROFILES 2015 23


DDavid Holden, National Sales Manager

Tel: 905-513-3727

[email protected]

Kelly Westlake, National Accounts

Tel: 905-752-1517

[email protected]

Andrew Milligan, National Accounts

Tel:905-752-1518

[email protected]

Quebec & Eastern Canada:

Marc Bouchard, Regional Sales Mgr

Tel: 450-668-2268

[email protected]

Western Canada:

Tri-Mor Sales, John Pickersgill

Tel: 604-276-9559

[email protected]

Tom Pickersgill, Tel: 403-291-5144

[email protected]

Customer service 1-800-267-2826 [email protected]

Trade show participation• International Home +

Housewares Show• Major retail customer shows

Contact Information7300 Warden Avenue, Markham, Ontario L3R 9Z6Tel: 905-513-6222www.hamiltonbeach.ca

COMPANY OVERVIEW

AN INTERVIEW WITH ERIC BEAM, VICE PRESIDENT, CANADA

What attracted you to Hamilton Beach?I came on board in 2010. They were looking for someone to lead the sales departmentfollowing some corporate changes and I was intrigued by the amount of productturnover in this category as well as the amount of innovation required to grow and stayon top. Hamilton Beach has a continual pipeline of new products, which can be quitecompelling for a sales person. I took over as vice president for Canada in January of2014, and am responsible for sales, marketing, business development, and finance.

What changes did you make to the organization after taking the helm? First and foremost our mandate was to accelerate growth and strategically align moreclosely with our retail partners. We have a lot of talented, long term employees who fullyunderstand their roles and add value to the organization. I wanted to create a moreopen environment with everyone focused in the same direction working together as ateam. We have worked hard to increase overall communication within the companywhich has increased cumulative employee engagement. We also made some organiza-tional changes adding resources where necessary to support our growth priorities.

What do you believe is your competitive edge?Hamilton Beach as a brand has outpaced the market in more than 10 core categories.We’re a ‘top three’ brand across 16 categories and our share position has continued toimprove year over year. We continue to bring innovation to many categories, and eveninvent new ones, as we have done with the Breakfast Sandwich Maker. We also workhard to help our retail partners grow their categories by providing more resources forthem in the form of information, category growth solutions and merchandising POP.

What are some of the challenges you face today?The industry has changed dramatically as manufacturing and production has shifted toChina. Traditional barriers to entry have been removed, giving many smaller, nichebrands access to the market. Although competition is always a good thing, our indus-try has become very fragmented with brands that come and go over short periods. Inaddition, the robust growth rate of e-commerce poses new and interesting challenges asthe market adjusts. We want to be seen as a true partner to our retail and e-commercecustomers, and have invested in both human capital and in information resources, whichwe share freely with our customers to help them make fact-based decisions.

What does Hamilton Beach have planned for the year ahead?Innovation continues to be the main driver in the small kitchen appliance categorywhether it be in something completely new or in what we call “delighters” which addfunctionality or versatility to an existing appliance. The kitchen has become the heart ofthe home, and much of our focus revolves around developing appliances that not onlylook good on the counter, but also make life easier for Mom in some fashion. With thisin mind, Hamilton Beach will continue to innovate around the traditional “breakfast” bydeveloping appliances that are easy to use, and create nutritional, quick meal optionsfor the family. We hit a home run with our Breakfast Sandwich Maker in 2014, and wehave something new – and very exciting – that will launch in the fall of 2015.

24 PROFILES 2015

Jogi’s Import and Design

Some people fall into retail late intheir career. Others are born to be in

the business. Jogi Sudnik is definitelyone of the latter. She was just threemonths old when her mother, Jolanta,an interior designer, opened her store inToronto’s Bloor West Village. CalledJolanta Interiors, it was located justdown the road from her parents’ bakeryand this year marks its 40th anniversary.

Jogi basically grew up in the store,where her mother sold a range of house-wares and giftware, as well as some ex-clusively-sourced jewelry. A hard work-er with a creative flair for merchandis-ing, Jolanta built a loyal clientele whileraising her daughter. Throughout heryouth, Jogi spent many hours workingin the store after school. She loved it asmuch as her mother, and inherited herwork ethic very early on.

By the age of 20, Jogi started workingin the store full-time, in addition to acouple of other part-time jobs. (Workingseven days a week wasthe norm in this family.)But after a decade, shewas ready for a change,especially when she be-came a new mom to herson Michal, who is nownearly 12. After contem-plating her options duringmaternity leave, Jogijumped at the opportunityto travel to Nova Scotia,where she stayed with heraunt on a beautiful farmand trained as a dental as-sistant in her office. Shestayed for three months,hoping this would openthe door to new opportu-nities.

After returning toToronto, Jogi took nightschool courses to become

Knowing preciselywhat retailers need

a certified dental assistant. She quicklylanded a job with a local dentist. Shehad been there for two years when herpartner received a job opportunity inNiagara Falls. With Michal so young,and Jogi so spontaneous, they decidedto move and stayed for three years.

During this time, Jolanta was gettingbusier so in addition to working a fullweek at the dental office, Jogi travelledto Toronto every weekend to work atthe store and at consumer shows andevents. Early that year, Jolanta had dis-covered an amazing new product at atrade show in Europe and was eager totake it on as a distributor in Canada.Called Universal Stone, the biodegrade-able cleaner works on everything fromthe kitchen stove to boats and was win-ning over customers around the world.

The consumer shows were a fantasticway to introduce the product to theCanadian market, so Jolanta startedbooking more events and Jogi started

demonstrating Universal Stone on aweekly basis across the province. Shealso started helping out with promo-tion, designing brochures for the Cana-dian market and producing POP mate-rial for retailers, as well as selling toother store owners and retail buyers.Jogi was just as passionate about this in-novative product as her mother, and in2009, she and her son moved back toToronto to focus on the business full-time – which meant working 60 to 80hours a week. But as sales climbed, it all

seemed worth the effort.Jolanta had no intentionof giving up the retailstore. She was confidentshe could do both.

In order to get theproduct placed, Jolantacalled on many of the re-tail friends she’d madeover the years. Themother/daughter duoalso did a lot of ‘cold call-ing’ and in-store demos.As orders rolled in, theyhired sales reps acrossthe country. The productwas warehoused in asmall space nearby. “I love selling a product

that I believe in. It’seasy,” says Jogi.

Everything was goingbeautifully until 2010

PROFILES 2015 25

when Jolanta was diagnosed with can-cer. It was devastating for the entirefamily and the last five years have beenvery traumatic. But Jolanta’s a fighterand her daughter has stepped up withdignity and courage to make sure thebusiness continued to run smoothlywhile she underwent treatment. Theydecided to officially separate the whole-sale and retail businesses and establisha new company called Jogi’s Import andDesign. It put them in a good position tosource new products, including theWorld’s Best Pot Scrubber and a rangeof European textiles, which they’vesince added to the assortment.

While Jolanta continues to fight thedisease, Jogi gave birth to her secondson in December. It hasn’t slowed herdown one bit. Though she does taketime to nurse, she is still racing fromstore to office and promoting UniversalStone at consumer shows on the week-end, often with hubby and baby in tow!

The product has really gained groundwith retailers in the past five years andJogi is confident their presence at con-sumer shows is one of the reasons. Atfirst, some retailers were concerned thatthey were competing with each otherbut as it turns out, the opposite is true.

“The more knowledge people haveabout the product, the better,” says Jogi.“It helps our retailer’s business becauseonce a person uses Universal Stone,they love it and want more. Our job atthese shows is to tell consumers whereto buy it and which local shops carry it.We also promote all of our retail part-ners’ stores on our website.”

As a successful retailer herself, Jogiunderstands how retailers think and shesays that is a huge advantage. She canlook at a store and see how their prod-ucts will fit into their inventory,whether it’s a mass merchant or a smallgourmet shop.

For now, Jogi’s Import and Design isfocused mostly on small independent re-tailers although they do sell to HomeHardware dealers. She feels that she hasgenuine empathy for store owners and isin a good position to help them sell more.

“We are very competitive,” she ex-

plains. “I understand how to work withspace limitations and am willing to helpour retail customers create displays forwindows or interior merchandising.”

The company has made a substantialinvestment in support materials forUniversal Stone, including posters, sellsheets and countertop displays. There isalso a full service website that is cur-rently being redesigned but should beup and running by summer 2015. “It’s aterrific way to promote the retailers whocarry our products,” says Jogi.

Once people use Universal Stone andsee how well it works, they tend to telltheir friends. The opportunities for re-peat sales are tremendous and Jogi is al-ways watching for the next big trend.By working at consumer shows andtalking to the public, she is able to de-termine first hand what retail customersare looking for. She then takes that di-rect feedback and applies it to the nextmarketing project for her customers.

Despite the challenges they’ve facedin recent years, Jogi’s Import has far ex-ceeded its goals. Jolanta is now stableand knowing how well her company isdoing has certainly helped lift her spirits.

Jolanta was a successful entrepreneurand visionary when she started JolantaInteriors. But it’s the incredible strengthand dedication of her daughter that hasbuilt the sister company, Jogi’s Importand Design, into the thriving businessthat it is today.

Universal Stone is a 100% biodegradablemiracle cleaner that is toxin and acid-free.Shown left, Jolanta and Jogi Sudnik at theirToronto store, Jolanta Interiors.


B.C.: Rob and Cindy LiebermannTel: 1-604-888-5792Email: [email protected]./Alberta: Jerry PolskyTel: 1-403-253-4067Email: [email protected]/MAN/Northern Ontario:Kelly Jordan-MowatTel: 1-204-889-0409Email: [email protected] and Western Ontario:Harvey Geiger and Anne GeigerTel: 1-519-620-9112Email: [email protected] Ontario: Gavin Martin and Elizabeth MartinTel: 1-613-382-9811Email: [email protected]: Sylvie ChampagneTel: 1-514-939-0935Email: [email protected] Canada: Peggy PoirierTel: 1-902-876-1150Email: [email protected]

Contact InformationJogi’s Import & Design Inc.P.O. Box 10088, 1735 Kipling Ave.Etobicoke, Ontario M9R 4E2Tel: 416-244-7730Toll free: 1-877-558-0707Fax: 416-244-7750Email: [email protected]

COMPANY OVERVIEW

26 PROFILES 2015

KitchenAid

Since the introduction of its legendarystand mixer in 1919 – and the very

first dishwasher in 1949 – KitchenAidbrand has built on the legacy of theseicons to create a complete line of prod-ucts designed for modern cooks. Today,KitchenAid offers virtually everythingessential for the well-equipped kitchenincluding everything from countertopappliances to cookware, ranges to re-frigerators and wine cellars.

In 1919 the iconic Stand Mixer wasborn. That illustrious beginning led toan entire kitchen of high-performanceappliances – all created with the sameattention to detail, craftsmanship, versa-tile technology and timeless design. Thecompany continues to push the limitswith each new product they create.

To celebrate its 95th anniversary,KitchenAid partnered with two iconicglobal brands that are leaders in the cof-fee and home carbonation categories.First, KitchenAid and Nespressoteamed up to introduce a new espressomaker that coffee lovers will welcome,both for its performance and aesthetics.The new Nespresso by KitchenAid ma-chine is designed to brew premium,portioned Nespresso Grand Cru coffeecapsules. The new machine combinesKitchenAid’s superior performance andtimeless design with Nespresso’s ex-pertise in sourcing the highest qualitycoffees around the globe.

KitchenAid has also entered the fastgrowing home carbonation categorywith the introduction of the sparklingbeverage maker, developed in collabo-ration with SodaStream International,the world's leading manufacturer ofhome carbonation systems.

Echoing the curved, streamlined sil-houette of the brand's iconic standmixer, the sparkling beverage makerhas all-metal construction. It offers fourcarbonation settings, a one-liter BPAfree plastic bottle, and 60-liter CO2 tank.

Over the past couple of yearsKitchenAid has expanded its focus be-yond food prep to build a solid cookingand beverage portfolio. The brandstands true to its slogan “nobody knowsthe kitchen like KitchenAid” by provid-ing the broadest portfolio of countertopappliances including blenders, mixers,food processors, choppers, handblenders, countertop ovens, slow cook-ers, toasters, wafflemakers, multi cook-ers, juicers and kettles as well as thebeverage and coffee makers.

In 2014, parent company WhirlpoolCorporation announced that it was in-vesting $40 million to nearly double thesize of its Greenville, Ohio, small appli-ance manufacturing operations. The ex-pansion is expected to generate approx-imately 400 new jobs by 2018, bringingthe facility to a total workforce of about1,400 employees.

The strong demand for KitchenAidsmall appliances – especially the leg-endary stand mixer – has led to an in-crease in production capacity. Overall,small appliance production has doubledover the past five years at the Greenvillefacility. In fact, the company has seensignificant growth across the world andis confident this growth will continue.The decision to expand the Greenvillefacility is one more way Whirlpool candemonstrate its commitment to Ameri-can manufacturing.

Greenville remains the manufactur-ing hub of the small appliance business.The facility, which has been in operationsince 1942, produces stand mixers, handmixers and blenders. It currently em-ploys about 1,000 men and women whoproduce an average of 16,000 units perday. Downtown Greenville is also hometo the KitchenAid Experience store, a re-tail destination open to the public.

Since 2002, KitchenAid Cook for theCure has raised over $3.7 million for theCanadian Breast Cancer Foundation.Fundraising was achieved through salesof the KitchenAid Pink Collection,shown left, Cook for the Cure home par-ties, The Culinary Showdown and otheractivities. KitchenAid Cook for the Curegives people with a passion for cookinga way to support a meaningful cause.

At the March 2013 housewares showin Chicago, KitchenAid reinforced itsposition as the brand with the mostcomplete collection of premium appli-ances and kitchenware when it intro-duced its first line of non-licensed cook-ware, bakeware and kettles in its nearly

The brand that causeda kitchen revolution

PROFILES 2015 27

COMPANY OVERVIEW

BrandsJennAir, KitchenAid, Maytag,Whirlpool, Amana, Gladiator & Affresh

Sales RepresentativesGGisela MussenSenior Business Manager, KitchenwareTel: [email protected] PavelicSr.Category Manager, Small AppliancesTel: [email protected]

Customer ServiceTel: 1.800.807.6777

Trade Show ParticipationInternational Home + Housewares Show

100-year history. (KitchenAid house-wares were previously sold through alicensing arrangement.)

“These newest KitchenAid productshave the same quality and integrity asthe premium branded small appliancesthat helped build our brand reputa-tion,” says Gisela Mussen, Senior Busi-ness Manager for kitchenware.

The cookware collection encompass-es nine distinct lines, all of which are in-duction-capable and crafted with differ-ent combinations of materials and fin-ishes. Each piece is designed to not onlyaccommodate, but optimize, differentcooking styles and technologies.

Materials used include induction-ca-pable aluminum with a high tempera-ture polyester silicone coating; forgedhard anodized aluminum; stainlesssteel, stainless steel clad; induction-ca-pable copper clad; colour-accentedstainless steel; 5-ply copper core and 7-ply stainless steel cookware.

The cookware features patented ma-terials that heat 30% faster on inductioncooktops, and even faster on newKitchenAid induction models. A patent-ed stainless steel finish helps the cook-ware retain a new appearance for years.

KitchenAid has also introduced adurable Cast Iron cookware collection.New professional cast iron cookware of-fers a premium grade of durability anddesign. It was developed after extensiveconsumer research and addresses keyconcerns among cookware users, in-

cluding the validity of “dishwashersafe” claims, overall quality of construc-tion, and suitability for use on electric,gas and induction cooktops.

“Every piece in the collection, includ-ing those with colour finishes and ac-cents, is designed to retain a ‘like new’appearance, even after repeated dish-washer cleanings,” says Michael Huie,Global Business Unit Director forkitchenware. “Each pan can be used onany electric, gas or induction cooktop.”

In addition to cookware, KitchenAidhas unveiled a high performance, com-mercial-grade range of bakeware, withboth a sheet metal and ceramic collec-tion. Sheet metal bakeware is made witha thick base metal and coated with alu-minum for superior durability.

The ceramic bakeware uses and ad-vanced manufacturing process that en-sures high-quality ceramics with a five-year no chip warranty.

To round out the housewares assort-ment, KitchenAid has also released newstovetop tea kettles in a variety ofcolours to fit every personality. All havea porcelain enamel exterior with a limit-ed life time warranty.

Not ready to rest on these releases,however, the company is coming outwith a new cutlery line for fall 2015. Thecollection features a German steel 8-piece and an 11-piece knife block set.With an enduring design, the knifeblock set comes in the signature standmixer colours for a coordinated kitchen.

28 PROFILES 2015

Microplane

Staying razor sharpAs with most great inventions, the

Microplane grater was discoveredby accident. It was first developed as awoodworking tool when the owners ofa family firm – Grace Manufacturing –had to adapt their business to reflectchanges in the market. The companywas started by Louis Grace and his son,Richard, in 1966 as a manufacturer ofcomputer printer components. Thecomponents were used mainly in im-pact printers and unfortunately, withthe arrival of bubble jet and laser print-ers, they became obsolete by the 1990s.

Watching demand for their productsslipping away, Richard Grace had to fig-ure out how to keep the factory up andrunning. He knew that many of thecomponents they used in their acidetching process were razor sharp. Work-ers were always cutting their fingersand ending up at one of the many band-aid stations in the factory. One employ-ee jokingly suggested that perhapsGrace should consider manufacturingsomething sharp. This gave RichardGrace the idea for a woodworking tool.

After a bit of experimentation, he de-veloped a wood file (or rasp) and calledit a “microplane” because the teeth re-sembled tiny wood planes.

The next step was to exhibit the prod-uct at a trade show, where Richard was

told his tools looked like cheese graters.He took offense, insisting they were se-rious wood working tools.

It was a Canadian company thathelped Grace change direction and real-ize the potential for Microplane in thehome. In 1994, Lee Valley Tools, an Ot-tawa-based upscale hardware retailer,started carrying the Microplane and theowner was very impressed with theline. He even used the rasp in his ownwoodworking shop.

One day Mrs. Lee was baking a spe-cial cake that called for orange zest. Notsatisfied with her regular zester, she de-cided to get the Microplane from herhusband’s shop and give it a try. Itworked beautifully, and she convincedher husband to merchandise it in thenext Lee Valley Tools catalogue as theperfect carving tool for the kitchen andthe workshop.

“I can remember the first time we re-ceived an order for 10,000 pieces,” re-calls Chris Grace, the current presidentof Grace Manufacturing and the thirdgeneration to run the company. “I calledhim back because I thought he hadmade an error on the purchase orderand added too many zeroes because itwas ten times their normal order. Theyassured me it was correct, and then toldme they were selling thousands of them

as food graters.”Chris says that even though they

were designed as wood working tools,whatever the customer wanted was finewith him. The truth is, founders Louisand Richard Grace were wood workerswho had no idea what ‘zest’ was. “Wewere not gourmet chefs,” he explains.

That all changed in 1998 when TheNew York Times ran an article in the foodsection about this incredible woodworking tool that had found its way intothe kitchen. Famous chefs such as JuliaChild and Martha Stewart were buyingMicroplanes by the dozen at “TheBroadway Panhandler” in Manhattanand giving tools to all their friends.

Word spread quickly, the AssociatedPress picked up the story and it hitnewspapers across North America. Peo-ple starting going into their localkitchen stores and asking for Mi-croplane by name. Many of the shopowners had never heard of it and thephones at Grace Manufacturing startedringing off the hook.

As orders poured in, sales went from$10,000 to over $300,000 a month in avery short time. People never thoughtthat a simple rasp would amount tomuch, but Richard Grace always be-lieved in those razor sharp teeth. Beforelong, so did everyone else. Chris Gracecan still remember gathering at his sis-ter’s house one day in 2003 to watchtheir very first eight-minute spot onshopping channel QVC. They were pro-moting it as a kitchen tool that was

Executive chef Joseph Heppe of Chicago’sOak & Char restaurant is a Microplane fan.

‘sharp enough to cut’ wood and everyone was amazed at the number ofunits they sold in one day on QVC.

Today, Microplane Kitchen is a wholly-owned division of Grace Man-ufacturing, based in Russellville, Arkansas. All of the etched blades arestill produced in the USA and the company has facilities in Russellvilleas well as distribution centres in McAllen, Texas and Hamburg, Ger-many. Additionally, the Grace family owns a manufacturing facility inQueretaro, Mexico where final assembly and packaging is performed.Worldwide, Grace Manufacturing employs more than 300 people.

Microplane is now sold in 76 countries throughout the world in virtu-ally every channel from big box stores to independent specialty retailers,grocery stores, home shopping networks and e-tailers. The growth hasbeen impressive, yet the marketing team believes that’s because theproduct really has no equal in the marketplace.

Marketing manager Tracy Panase says that because of the ‘wow’ fac-tor with Microplane tools, it is a very easy brand to promote. “In the be-ginning, the tools sold themselves,” she explains. “Professionals startingusing the original Microplane about the same time that the Food Net-

work and the whole notion of celebritychefs was starting to take off. It was reallythe perfect storm!”

From those initial experiences, the mar-keting team learned to leverage the powerof the media and really built the brandusing a comprehensive public relationsstrategy. Microplane has always been ableto make its way into the hands of peoplewho write about food or cover it on televi-sion. This kind of invaluable exposure re-mains their primary source of consumer

advertising – and it works.It also helps that product quality is consistent and the blades are made

in the U.S.A at Microplane’s headquarters in Russelville, Arkansas. Therazor sharpness of the Microplane blade has become legendary in thehousewares industry as the company expands into new areas such as boxand rotary graters or salad choppers.

“I think our competitive advantage is that we were a chemical etchingcompany first, and a food grater manufacturer second,” says Chris. Thechemical etching is what makes our blades sharp. It’s our core business.”

Reaction to the Microplane line has been just as positive in Canada andthe company enjoys healthy sales right across our country. “As a NorthAmerican manufacturer, we have the benefit of free trade and short leadtimes so we are able to respond quickly to customers’ needs,” says MicahJensen, Microplane’s export manager. “We are not affected by issues fromworking with overseas manufactures such as port closures.”

Despite Microplane’s international acclaim, Grace Manufacturing re-mains a small, family-owned firm. Any customer can easily pick up thephone any time and call the factory directly to ask a question or resolvean issue. Next year, they will celebrate their 50th year in manufacturing,a rare feat nowadays. But as Chris Grace says, ”I still enjoy walking in thefront door every day and hearing the machines running and seeing ouremployees producing quality products.”

It’s that passion – through three generations – that has made all the dif-ference in the past, and certainly bodes well for Microplane’s future.

PROFILES 2015 29

Canadian Sales Representatives

British Columbia: Octagon MarketingKKarel, Belena and Oliver Janousek Tel: 604-434-8881 • [email protected] Alberta: Howard Allan Phone: 403.288.2811 • [email protected] & Saskatchewan: Darrell Hubelit Tel: 306-796-2136 • [email protected], Ontario Area: Anne Marie Snell Tel: 613-749-0675• [email protected] Ontario Area: Wayne Bentley Tel: 519-690-2827 • [email protected] Area/ National Accounts: Mary Villamagna, Merchandise ConceptsTel: 905-824-2674 • [email protected] Service / ESI: Nancy Whitmore, GourmetbuzzTel:905-954-1116 • [email protected] Quebec: George Winkler Tel: 514-487-9358 • [email protected] The Maritimes: Peter & Deborah Eakins Tel: 902-835-3154 • [email protected]

Customer service Andrea Coffman - [email protected] Tel: 479-880-9632 Ext. 2006or visit [email protected]

Trade show participation• Toronto Gift Fair• International Home + Housewares (Chicago, IL)• Ambiente (Frankfurt, Germany)• Homi (Milan, Italy)• Maison et Objet (Paris)• Regional gift shows incl. Dallas and Atlanta

Contact InformationMicroplane, 614 SR 247, Russellville, AR 72802 • Tel: 1-800-555-2767

COMPANY OVERVIEW

“My grandfather always wanted to make things thatwere difficult to produce. Hewas always that guy who could figure out things otherscouldn’t. This led to our corebusiness of manufacturing.First and foremost, we alwayswant to be manufacturers.”– Chris Grace, CEO, Grace Manufacturing

30 PROFILES 2015

On Route Distribution

Committed to exceeding expectationsOn Route Distribution began in the

summer of 2011 when Kelly Duffyand her husband Chris Meyrick had anidea to start an import/distributioncompany to bring new products to mar-ket. Originally, it was going to comple-ment her consulting and brokeragebusiness, The Globetrotter Group, but itquickly turned into a driver of innova-tion in the single serve coffee space.

As cliché as it sounds, the name “OnRoute’ was determined over drinkswith friends and scribbled on a napkin.“Had we known then what the businesswould become, we may have spentmore time on the name and companybranding” Kelly says. “Yet the inspira-tion behind the name was simple. We’rein the business of moving products andwe are based in Ontario so ‘On Route’was a nice play on words.”

Today, four years later, the couple arein their third location, which is 10 timesthe size of the original office/ware-house. On Route is doing business withretail customers in every province andterritory in Canada and in virtuallyevery segment; grocery, pharmacy, de-

partment stores, housewares, home im-provement, office supply and online.

Product categories now include: cof-fee, tea, hot beverages, water, flavouringsyrups, smoothies, crackers, biscotti andsnacks as well as brewing equipment,grinders and storage accessories. Forcoffee, in particular, they operate in theKeurig-compatible, Nespresso-compati-ble and whole bean categories.

In the tea segment, they offer looseleaf, premium tea bags, Keurig and Ne-

spresso compatible products. On Route’s core business has been

built by providing full service sales anddistribution. They buy, place, deliverand support their suppliers’ productson Canadian shelves. They also provideservices for suppliers who want to ac-cess areas where On Route has demon-strated strengths such as:• Brokerage/sales representation (com-mission-based);• Third party logistics – warehousingand fulfillment;• Web fulfillment – pick, pack and shipfor manufacturer’s web orders andshipping to consumers (via FedEx, UPS,Purolator or Canada Post);• Display/shipper packing.

On Route currently has six employees(including Chris and Kelly) plus addi-tional sales support from associates inQuebec and Newfoundland. They bringin seasonal warehouse staff in thefall/winter as required. Kelly is keen togrow the sales force with passionate,personable and self-motivated individ-uals with experience in any of the retailsegments they operate in.

The company is located in Burlington, Ontario. The spacious new head of-fice and warehouse facility is 10 times the size of the original location.Shown above, the enterprising owners Chris Meyrick and Kelly Duffy.

PROFILES 2015 31

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Sales Representation

KKelly Duffy: 905-592-2060 [email protected] Chris Meyrick: 905-592-2060 [email protected] Scott Miller: 604-288-7397 [email protected]

Customer service Clayton bourque: [email protected]

Trade Show ParticipationGrocery Innovations CanadaGrocery & Specialty WestCHFA EastToronto Gift Fair International Home + Housewares ShowFancy Food Show

Brands RepresentedGrove SquareCaza TrailThe Jetsetter Coffee Co.Guy Fieri • Cake BossStash TeaBarnie’s Coffee KitchenHurricane CoffeeAuthentic Donut ShopProspect TeaBrooklyn Beans RoasteryToraniSkinny GirlJunior MintsTootsie RollBlender BoyzMind ReaderLipper InternationalSolofillBalzac’s Coffee RoastersReunion Island CoffeeMonin Touché BakeryRutherford & Meyer1907 New ZealandCaffessoCaffe ImpressoCafé RénéSimply ProteinTea PigsTetleyModern Oats

The company promotes its brands toretailers through personal interaction,usually face to face meetings, followedby email and telephone communicationto manage all the listings.

“We enjoy meeting with retailers atindustry events but prefer to see them intheir own environment,” insists Kelly.“It gives them the freedom to conductany business they couldn’t finish at theshow and to have a captive audience.We also partner with suppliers to fundvarious advertising and promotional ac-tivities with our retail customers.”

Kelly says the lean and nimble natureof their company allows them to ma-noeuver quickly and execute decisionsin response to the ever-changing natureof the retail marketplace

The couple demonstrates a passionfor excellence and a commitment to cus-tomer service in everything they do.They focus on meeting and exceedingexpectations by delivering orders in full,on time and in superb condition. Thelessons they’ve learned and insightsgained from operating in multiple retailsegments allow them to apply best prac-tices, anticipate needs and create inno-vative opportunities

“I believe we are a valued supplier inthe housewares industry because we are

a true, neutral distributor,” Kelly ex-plains. “We don’t compete with our cus-tomers by operating a B2C website or aretail store. Our success is completelydependent on our retail customers’ suc-cess. We are “valuable” because we addvalue with a unique blend of compellingproducts, brands and market insight.”

As a full-service sales agency, OnRoute is the only link in the chain be-tween the manufacturer and the retailer.As such, they play a critical role thathelps any manufacturer who is notphysically located in Canada but seesthem as a business development part-ner. Retail customers already appreciatethe breadth of On Route’s portfolio andthe timeliness and accuracy in whichthey operate.

Although they are a young companyOn Route endeavours to give back tothe community. They run the TerracycleCoffee Pod Brigade in the office, sup-port Coffee Kids and donate regularly toFresh Direct, the local food bank. Aswell, Kelly sits on the Board of Directorsof Ontario Agri-Food Education and theAgricultural Adaptation Council. “I’m afoodie at heart,” she says, “and I lovebeing involved with innovative newprojects that support local farmers andfood companies.”

32 PROFILES 2015

Philips

Improving lives through innovationRoyal Philips is a diversified corpo-

ration focused on improving peo-ple’s lives through meaningful innova-tion in the areas of healthcare, consumerlifestyle and lighting.

Headquartered in the Netherlands,Philips enjoys annual sales of over 21billion (EURO) and employs 105,000people in more than 100 countries. Inaddition to small appliances, the com-pany is a recognized leader in healthcare and lighting applications, as well aspersonal grooming and oral care.

Now headquartered in Markham,Ontario, Philips has a long history inCanada. The company started in 1934 asa small office in Montreal supplying X-Ray equipment to major Quebec hospi-tals. Philips officially became a corpora-tion in Canada in 1941. Today, almost 75years later, Canada is the eighth largestsingle market for Philips in the world.

Philips has always strived to makethe world healthier and more sustain-able through innovation. The companyhas a set goal to improve the lives ofthree billion people a year by 2025 andwants to be seen as the best place towork for people who share a passion.

So far Philips is making greatprogress. Each day, more than one mil-lion of the company’s lifestyle productsare purchased. Philips now owns morethan 64,000 patent rights and is rankedone of the world’s top 50 most valuablebrands, one of the top 50 most innova-

which includes all housewares prod-ucts, aims to make it easier for people toachieve a healthier and more sustain-able lifestyle. The sector has approxi-mately 750 employees across sevenAmerican locations, and 65 employeeshere in Canada. This sector boasts a richhistory of pioneering new technologiesand some of the world’s most recogniz-able brands, including Sonicare andAVENT, the baby bottle brand most rec-ommended by moms worldwide.

Product categories now includeMen’s Grooming, Beauty, Light Thera-py, Oral Healthcare, Mother and ChildCare, Coffee and Kitchen Appliances.

Philips focuses on serving its cus-tomers by leveraging the diversity of itsbusiness sectors, North American mar-ket knowledge and presence, functionalbest practices and a network of talentedCanadian employees. By fostering a cul-ture of ownership, teamwork, profes-sional development and entrepreneur-ship, Philips consistently delivers inno-vative, customer-centric solutions.

Over the years, Philip has partneredwith retailers to develop customizedmarketing plans that focus on brandawareness generation and consumer ed-ucation on how to use the company’sproducts. They have invested heavily indigital media, their store demonstra-tions, POP materials and public rela-tions.

The corporation delivers innovation

tive companies, and one of the BestGlobal Green Brands.

The Canadian head office of Philipsis home to over 300 employees fromHealthcare, Lighting and ConsumerLifestyle, and other corporate functions.Philips Lifeline’s Canadian Head Officeis located in Toronto, Ontario, with asecond office in Montreal. Philips alsohas lighting manufacturing facilities inBoisbriand, Quebec and Langley, BritishColumbia. In total, Philips has 1,400 em-ployees across Canada.

Philips Consumer Lifestyle division,

Philips chairman Iain Burns Smile, above.The Canadian headquarters in Markham,Ontario , below.

PROFILES 2015 33

COMPANY OVERVIEWthat matters. Innovations that peopletruly want and need, that make a mean-ingful difference to their lives.

“Our mission is to bring meaningfulinnovation to kitchens, enabling fami-lies to have healthier and happy mealmoments together, even on their busiestdays,” explains marketing manager Fer-nanda Inserra Mendes. “We want toproduce the best electric kitchen tools tohelp families across the world prepareand enjoy fresh, healthy, homemadefood every day. All our products are de-signed to deliver the best results and togive consumers what they want.”

On one hand, she says Canadians aretrending towards healthier, home-madefood so there is a strong need for appli-ances that deliver health and versatility.On the other hand, with increasinglybusy lives, moms often lack the time, in-spiration and skills to prepare thosehomemade meals for their families.That’s why Philips is committed tobring innovation to existing and newcategories in order to make the con-sumer’s life easier.

“Our recent launches consistently re-ceive positive market feedback in Cana-da and all of our online product reviewsare above 4.0,” says Fernanda.

The company showcased the latest inlifestyle appliances designed for healthy liv-ing at the March Chicago housewares show.

Brands Represented• Philips Kitchen Appliances • Saeco• Philips Female Depilation• Philips Healthcare• Philips Light Therapy• Philips Lighting• Philips Skin Care• Philips Male Grooming• Philips SoniCare• Philips Avent

Customer service Saeco Customer Service 1-800-3717597Philips Consumer Lifestyle Sales and Support team: 1-866-7790279

Trade show participation• Int’l Home + Housewares Show• Home Hardware Shows • The Bay Bridal Registry Event

Philips also has a long sustainabilityhistory stretching all the way back to itsoriginal founding fathers.

“We design products to be on trendand are validated by consumer needs,”adds Fernanda.

The company launched its first Eco-Vision program in 1998, focusing on op-erations and products, and has continu-ously expanded the scope to includesustainability in the supply chain andthe social dimension of products and so-lutions. Today, Philips measures itsprogress in three key areas: Green Inno-vation, Green Operations/Supplier Sus-tainabilit, and Circular Economy.

Philips reached its target to have 50%of total sales in 2015 come from greenproducts two years ahead of plan, andhas since updated the goal to 55%. Ful-filling this goal requires a new way ofdoing business that moves away fromthe traditional linear economy (take-make-break) towards a holistic, circulareconomy. The company is able toachieve this by creating innovativeproducts and business solutions thatgenerate value through the regenerationof products, parts and materials thatthey collect, refurbish and reuse.

Visit www.philips.ca.

34 PROFILES 2015

Port-Style Enterprises

The cheerful customer service representatives at Port-Style are alwayshappy to help customers. Shown in the front row are Rupal Shah, left, andTracey Brandy. In the back row, left to right, are Lindsay Applebaum,Coretea Anthony, Susan Farrance and May Poon. Shown left, a stylishretro display for the company’s Mason Cash line of kitchenware.

Port-Style Enterprises got its start asa privately-owned corporation that

specialized in importing and distribut-ing housewares and giftware through-out Canada.

The company was founded in 1991by the three principals: Cyril Shenker(CEO), Jack Milner (president) and Har-vey Rachman (executive vice presidentof sales and marketing). Between thesethree principals, there is more than 100years of experience selling to retailers inthe Canadian giftware and housewareindustry. Added to this team is industryveteran Kate Wise (vice president ofmerchandising). A well-respected figurein the housewares industry and formerretail buyer, Kate has helped expand thecompany’s offerings to include a varietyof internationally-recognized brands.

In 2014 the company was purchasedby Lynx Equity. Lynx Equity is a Cana-dian-based manager of private equityfunds, blending a proven track recordin identifying and building value in a

diversified portfolio. (For further infor-mation visit www.lynxequity.com).

Today, Port-Style caters to many dis-tribution channels. The target marketsinclude department stores, mass mer-chandise, supermarkets and independ-ent gourmet/gift retailers. Each of thechannels is differentiated within theproduct mix to ensure that the rightproduct is available to the right retailerand that the integrity of all the brands ismaintained.

The company is currently the exclu-sive Canadian distributor for Sistema,Charles Viancin, Kilner, freeform trays,Typhoon, Rosti Mepal, Mason Cash,E-Cloth, Horwood, The AmazingFlameless Candle and Aerolatte. In ad-dition to these global brands, Port-Stylehas also created two in-house collec-tions under the Maison Plus andKitchen Basics brands, designed to ap-peal to the gourmet retailer. The compa-ny also develops its own brands andpackaging for their customers on a di-

rect import basis. The majority of prod-ucts are still imported from an interna-tional supplier, most of whom comefrom Mainland China. However, thecompany has also expanded its buyingin Europe and other countries in re-sponse to the rapidly growing demandfor non Chinese goods.

Core product groups sold by Port-Styleinclude gourmet housewares, tea and cof-fee, storage, cleaning and giftware.

All products are inventoried in an off-site warehouse to ensure fast turnaround and ease of ordering. The facili-ty is set up as a bulk warehouse for themajors and as a pick-and-pack opera-tion for the independent retailer. All re-quirements for the current retail envi-ronment are covered here, including fullEDI/ASN capability and ECCnet. Port-Style is committed to finding solutionsin order to meet the needs of its cus-tomers at every level. Turn-around timefor shipping is an impressive three tofive days at a high fill rate.

Kitchen products that are on trend

PROFILES 2015 35

Port-Style’s lines include, top to bottom:Charles Viancin kitchenware; E-cloth eco-friendly cleaning products; Disney-themedchildren’s dinnerware and the Kilner rangeof glass preserving jars.

Customer service is the strong point ofthis operation, as the customer is alwaysnumber one. Everything is done to ensurethat Port-Style’s excellent reputation in themarket stays at the forefront.

The company exhibits at both TorontoGift Fairs, held in January and August. Inaddition, the 3500-square-foot showroomfacility is the perfect place to display themany different lines. Showroom shows areheld twice a year, with personalized invi-tations sent to all customers. With morethan 2,000 customers on the books, Port-Style’s market penetration is very wideand well balanced across the country. Theindependent gourmet and housewaresstore is a very important part of the distri-bution channel in Canada.

Head office manages the major ac-counts, leaving the important job of inde-pendent retail sales to the nine sales repsacross the country.

Port-Style aligns itself with innovativeand fashion-forward distributors who lookto expand into the Canadian marketplace.The company prides itself on being a well-respected, long-term partner in Canadawho works in unison with retailers.

Port-Style’s dedicated sales team knowsthe Canadian marketplace and they arecommitted to delivering superior cus-tomer service.

COMPANY OVERVIEW


FFred BoxMainland B.C.FJB Marketing Tel: [email protected]

Cathy Coy Vancouver IslandTel: [email protected]

Brenda Poffenroth Alberta/NWTTel: [email protected]

Kelly Jordan-Mowat ManitobaTel: [email protected]

Roger Amram Northern OntarioTel: [email protected]

Monty Grunebaum Toronto and Southwestern OntarioTel: [email protected]

Jennifer Frankland Eastern OntarioTel: [email protected]

Sylvie Champagne QuebecTel: [email protected]

Peggy Poirier The MaritimesTel: [email protected]

Contact Information

Port-Style Enterprises1405 Denison Street, Markham, Ontario L3R 5V2Tel: 905-470-7971 * 1-800-268-1029www.portstyleenterprises.com

“Most people think ‘selling’ isthe same as ‘talking’. But themost effective salespeopleknow that listening is the mostimportant part of their job.”– Roy Bartell, best selling author/consultant

36 PROFILES 2015

An iconic brand celebrates 100 yearsThe Pyrex brand began with equal

parts American invention and cre-ativity. Initially created by CorningGlass scientists charged with develop-ing lantern glass for railroads, the Pyrexbrand found its way into the kitchenwhen Bessie Littleton, wife of a Corningscientist, asked her husband to bringhome some heat-resistant glass to use inplace of her broken casserole dish. Hegave her the sawed-off bottoms of somebattery jars and Mrs. Littleton used theglass jars to make a cake. When shesaw the final product, she was amazedat how evenly it baked. She marveled athow she could actually see it baking inthe oven and how easy it was to cleanthe pan afterward.

This innovation spurred the first

Corning casserole dish and after twoyears of research and testing, the Pyrexbrand was officially launched in 1915.

The very first Pyrex set produced fea-tured 12 pieces, including casseroledishes, custard cups, a bread/loaf pan,pie plates, egg dishes and individualbakers. In fact, several Pyrex productscan still trace their lineage back to thoseoriginal 12 designs.

Throughout its history, Pyrex hasbeen available as tableware and cupsfor Hilton Hotels or as plate gifts forbank giveaways. It can even be found inintricately painted glass coffee carafes,among other collectibles.

Incredibly, 80 million of the nearly120 million households in North Amer-ica today boast at least one Pyrex prod-

uct, making Pyrex the cornerstonebrand for parent company WorldKitchen. (Other popular World Kitchenbrands include Corelle, CorningWare,Chicago Cutlery, and Baker’s Secret.)

The first Pyrex measuring cup de-buted in 1925 and had two spouts foruse when pouring left handed or righthanded. With the addition of red mark-ing in 1941, the Pyrex measuring cupevolved to closely resemble the cupsthat are found in millions of homesacross the world today.

In 1948, a consumer could purchase aset of three measuring cups for $1.50.The set included a 1-cup, 1-pint and 1-quart measuring cup. These three ver-sions remained essentially unchangedthrough the decades and are still amongthe company’s best sellers today.

Opal Pyrex kitchenware was intro-duced in 1947. These brightly colouredpieces included nesting bowls andcasserole dishes with designs that werescreen printed to the glass. Opal Pyrexglassware production stopped in the1980s but the pieces remain highly col-lectable and are quite popular on socialmedia today.

The most enduring and popularshapes today include the 3-quart oblongbaking dish, the 9.5-inch pie plate andthe 2-cup measuring cup.

Today, Pyrex products are producedat the company’s 22-acre plant inCharleroi, Pennsylvania. Pyrex brandhas been proudly made in the Charleroi,Pennsylvania, plant for more than half acentury. This manufacturing plant hasemployed generations of familiesthroughout the years and is recognizedas a pillar of the community.

World Kitchen has held many specialevents to celebrate the 100th anniver-sary. For more details on the campaignplease visit Pyrex100.com.

The Pyrex brand team is excited tousher in the next century of innovation,while remaining the trusted glass prep,bake and store solution for familiesacross the world.

To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Pyrex, the brand released a limited edition set of13 new products in March 2015. And to build on a tradition that started with the 75thanniversary celebration in 1990, the line includes a limited edition Easy Grab pie platethat carries the official 100th anniversary insignia.

The Pyrex 2015 Limited Edition Line features colourful and celebratory designs in-spired by the iconic vintage Pyrex “Dots” pattern from 1967 (opal). There are two An-niversary collections. “Centennial” is available in red, white and blue and “VintageFuture”, which has been designed in red, turquoise, and green. All of the packaging isinspired by vintage Pyrex advertising.

The range includes measuring cups in several colours, decorated storage containersand portable bags for easy transport – all imprinted with the Pyrex 100th stamp. Theseitems will be available to retailers across Canada through the end of 2015.

Pyrex

PROFILES 2015 37

COMPANY OVERVIEW

The Pyrex Measuring Cup is an icon of the Pyrex brand.

When originally released in 1925, the cup had two

spouts – one on each side for both right and left hand

pouring. The cup came in just one size – 8 ounces –

and sold for 50 cents. By 1926 the two spout cup was

discontinued and a new cup with one spout was intro-

duced, which became the staple cup in years to come.

The cup changed again in 1934, and by 1941 Pyrex

had four different cups on the market including an 8-

ounce liquid, 8-ounce dry, 12-ounce. liquid and 16-

ounce dry. Each cup was adorned with red markings

on the side, making the cup easy to read.


GGreg McNeilly, National Account Director – OLFAOffice: 905-855-6716 • Email: [email protected]

Lucinda Jones, National Account Manager Office: 905-855-6708 • Email: [email protected]

James Wallace, VP/General Manager – OLFA NAOffice: 905-855-6700 • Email: [email protected]

Jillian Andreas, Sales Team Director – CanadaCell: 416-577-4047 • Email: [email protected]

Adriana Lopez, National Acct. Mgr. (Corelle, Snapware) Office: 905-855-6707 • Email: [email protected]

Willem Robyn, National Acct. Mgr.– Grocery, Drug, DYICell: 416-523-4293 • Email: [email protected]

John Patrick, National Account Manager – Walmart (Corningware, Baker’s Secret, Pyrex) Office: 905-855-6714

Don Joly, National Account Manager – Olfa Office: 416-557-9838

Wendy Billington, Sales CoordinatorOffice: 905-855-6706 • Email: [email protected]

Contact InformationWorld Kitchen Canada, 2265 Upper Middle Road, Suite 102, Oakville, Ontario, Canada L6J 0G5Phone: 1-800-263-2510 • Fax: 905-823-8290

The World’s Largest Measuring CupThe Pyrex measuring cup is one of the most important Pyrexproducts since its introduction in 1925. It’s recognized acrossthe globe and is a staple in the Pyrex portfolio. Turning 100doesn’t happen very often, and to celebrate this milestoneoccasion, World Kitchen created the World’s Largest Meas-uring Cup. The cup was officially designated by GuinnessWorld Records on March 8th, 2015, at the InternationalHome and Housewares Show in Chicago (shown above).

The incredible cup holds roughly 2,880 cups, approxi-mately 1500 times more than the original Pyrex 2-cup meas-uring cup. It’s made out of acrylic and has the same mark-ings as the new, limited edition cup now available in stores.If you were to fill the cup with pancake batter, it could pro-duce 3,840 4-inch pancakes, or an individual could bake1,440 Pyrex pans of brownies

38 PROFILES 2015

Royal Selangor•Portmeirion

Affordable luxury forcooking & entertainingWhen William Smith arrived in

Toronto in 1920, he had one goalin mind – to distribute famous Britishtableware brands. He set up shop onWellington Street, across from the RoyalYork Hotel and Union Station. He wasn’talone. There were several merchantsselling china, glass and silver on thestreet at that time. In those early years,long before the arrival of trade shows,there were “trunk shows” and vendorsliterally rode the rails, travelling acrossCanada for six weeks a year to meet re-tailers and present their wares.

The company prospered for fourdecades until 1963, when William Smith& Sons (WSS), by then under the leader-ship of grandson Norman Smith, wasacquired by Waterford Crystal of Ire-land. In 1986, Donald Burke (founder ofBurke & Wallace Silversmiths) and hisson, Robert Burke, purchased the busi-ness. It didn’t include the Waterford di-vision as Waterford had merged withWedgewood to form its own company.Norman Smith remained for three yearsto help groom young Robert Burke.

Royal Selangor’s 56,000-square-footfacility in Toronto is in close proximityto the airport and Congress Centre, of-fering retailers the convenience of pick-ing up an order which usually leads to avisit to the offices and the impressivetwo-storey showroom.

Robert is proud of their experiencedin-house customer service team andoutside dedicated sales force. “We are arelationship-oriented business withfriendly and well-established partner-ships across all channels of distribution.We choose our retail partners carefully,as they do us,” says Robert.

As a group we over-invest in producttraining and professional developmenthaving taken, on numerous occasions,our entire sales and operations team tovisit our principles in Germany, Eng-land and Malaysia.

A full-colour catalogue is printedevery year. It’s geared to the independ-ent retailer and has become an invalu-able tool at the wholesale level and alsoon the retail selling floor. It’s augment-ed by an in-house interactive digital cat-alogue that the reps use on the road,providing timely processing and man-agement of programs that can becomecustomized for each of retail customer.

Royal Selangor reps are recognizedexperts in providing the Canadian con-sumer with affordable luxury when itcomes to eating well and entertainingfriends. Each brand tells a great story:

In 1987 Portmeirion England andWSS by embarked on a joint venture toform Portmeirion Canada. This pioneer-ing concept and foresight has been amajor contributor to the growth andsuccess of the present group.

A separate, second joint venture wasformed in the early 1990s with WSS andRoyal Selangor. This led to the furtherstrengthening of the partnership beingamalgamated into the present day RoyalSelangor Canada. The group dynamic andsynergies of the new structure were able toachieve far more than any stand alone andpositioned the company for growth.

The executive team of Robert Burkeand CY Wong – who have worked to-gether for 28 years – have complemen-tary strengths that align perfectly withthe integrity and professionalism need-ed to market premium global brands.

Today, the group offers 10 brands inthe kitchen, table and gift categories thatcomprise a history of 1500 years. Eachbrand has its own unique cache offeringgreat design, functionality, durabilityand environmental sensibility.

Above top: the Boska fondue set.Left: Spiegelau’s craft beer glasses are de-signed to enhance the flavour.

PROFILES 2015 39

COMPANY OVERVIEW

collections are geared tothe younger 30-some-thing consumer. The Ca-sual Collection has amasculine personalitywhile Rosie Lee has afeminine appeal.

The company is proudto be one of the eightfounding members of theCanadian Gift & Table-ware Association. Today,1,200 member companiescan look back to the fore-sight of those eightfounding fathers and themany opportunities theyprovided for entrepre-neurs to build successfulbusinesses in a wonder-

ful industry. The association remains ahuge part of the industry and RobertBurke considers himself fortunate tohave served as a director and chair ofthe organization. “Since 2003, I havehad the privilege of working with someof brightest minds in our industry.”

The Royal Selangor group makes apoint to give back to charitable organi-zations. The company proudly donatesproducts to many organizations to helpwith fundraising. There are many timesthat someone pays three times the retailprices for their donations at a live orsilent auction, which only serves to rein-force the inherent value of the brands,and the wide appeal of their designs.


British Columbia - TTom [email protected] • 778-549-9553Alberta/West. Ontario - Ralph [email protected] • 905-689-3590Man/Sask - Darrell [email protected] • 306-796-2136Quebec - Daniel [email protected] 514-892-9955Nova Scotia - Mary Ann [email protected]/New Brunswick - Fred [email protected] - Bill [email protected] Sales - Janet [email protected]

Customer Service

Kim Repac • Nirojan Balan


• Toronto Gift Fair• NY Tabletop Show• Ambiente - Frankfurt Spring Fair

Head Office

20 Voyager Court SouthToronto, Ontario M9W 5M7Tel: 416-675-3755www.royalselangor.com

all things cheese (Boska),craft beer and wine appreci-ation (Spiegelau), worldclass craftsmanship (RoyalSelangor), quintessentialBritish (Portmeirion), theoriginal (Spode), cookingcompetence (WMF); re-defining crystal (Nacht-mann); proudly made-in-Canada (Seagull) and casu-al luxury (Sophie Conran).

The Toronto Gift Fair re-mains a key component inthe RS/Portmeirion mar-keting and sales strategy.Every January and Augustit’s all about show biz forthis company. They startsix months in advance todetermine how they can wow retailerswhen they stop into their 3,000-square-foot booth in Building 11.

The group’s stable of brands is per-petually evolving to redefine the casuallifestyle that really resonates with con-sumers today. Sophie Conran for Port-meirion has become a remarkable com-mercial success story in Canada. Thiscollection is perfect for the casuallifestyle that consumers prefer.

Building upon the group’s 95 years offine British heritage, Portmeirion alsorecently partnered with Ted Baker ofLondon, uniting two British powerhouse brands. Ted Baker strongly be-lieves that style starts at home. His two

Above left: Sophie Conran’s Portmeirion line of tableware is a Canadian favourite.Above right: The whimsical Ted Baker collection offers striking, contemporary patterns.

Portmeirion

Spode

Royal Worcester

Pimpernel

Royal Selangor

Spiegelau

Nachtmann

Boska

Seagull

WMF

Pillivuyt

40 PROFILES 2015

Sagaform

for the table, kitchen and home decor which are all perfect asgifts. All items are delivered in gift boxes, which are easy towrap for a quick hostess, teacher or birthday gift.

Targeting both small independent retailers as well as largemass merchants, Sagaform offers something for everyone.Keeping retailers and consumers happy in both Canada andthe U.S. is key, which is why they’ve opened a warehouse here.“The knowledge our warehouse brings to efficiencies in ship-ping, combined with Sagaform’s great customer service,makes our product line an excellent choice for Canadian retail-ers,” says Ingerid. ”With our warehouse in Toronto, we arenow able to supply Canadian retailers much quicker and withlower shipping costs.”

Ingerid is also committed to giving back to our industry. Inaddition to participation in all trade shows, Sagaform has longbeen a member of the International Housewares Associationand Ingrid is a member of the Exhibitor Trade Show Advisorycommittee, as well as several peer sharing groups. “Throughthese groups we share experience, knowledge and suggestionsto continue making our industry better.”

With clean lines and a pure Scandinavian aesthetic, theSagaform brand has become synonymous with joyful,

innovative gifts for the kitchen and table. Employing some ofthe most talented designers, the Swedish company’s ambi-tion has always been to provide the perfect solution to theconsumer’s gift problem. Their products, designed for bothindoor and outdoor use, are sure to make any gift recipientsmile.

Hoping to spread the joy even further, Sagaform enteredthe North American market in 2007, and the company has en-joyed steady growth ever since. Headquartered in Marlton,New Jersey, the company now operates two warehouses inthe U.S. and will open a full service warehouse in Toronto thisJuly. There are three full-time employees at the head office(including president Ingerid Mohn), but the line is promotedacross Canada by independent sales reps.

With a wide range of interesting new product launcheseach year, the Sagaform brand continues to evolve. Designersstay up to date on prevailing home furnishing and lifestyletrends in order to make sure the products reflect the con-sumer’s core values.

Sagaform has succeeded by aggressively marketing theproducts through a variety of channels, including tradeshows around the world (the booth at the New York show isshown below.) The company happily shares catalogues andproduct knowledge with retailers while working with themedia to promote the products with end users and retailers.Recognizing the value of social media, Sagaform also uses In-stagram, Twitter and Facebook to reach the consumer.

As a Swedish brand, Ingerid Mohn, president, says she isproud of the fact they can offer Scandinavian quality andleading edge design at a good price. “We offer a wide varietyof functional items (including bakeware and cooking tools)

Swedish designmade for giving

A native of Norway, Ingerid Mohn spent most of her youth across the border inSweden, working weekends and holidays in a variety of jobs. And although shemoved to the U.S. in 1996 to study at the University of North Dakota, she’s alwaysconsidered herself “an honorary Swede”. Right after graduation, Ingerid startedworking for Linden Sweden, a distributor of kitchen gadgets and tools. She stayedfor nine years, working her way up from marketing to sales and finally strategyand purchasing. She then spent two years with Pillivuyt, a distributor of French

porcelain, before accepting the positionof president of Sagaform in 2011. HerSwedish background made her a natu-ral choice for the job, and her passionfor this industry has been an integralpart of the company’s growth.

“With the ever-changing trends, theinnovative products, and all the fun Ihave with my customers and col-leagues, this industry has never beenboring!” she says.

Sagaform president Ingerid Mohn is shownleft with Canadian sales rep Don Restivo.

PROFILES 2015 41

COMPANY OVERVIEW

A garden of delight for the kitchen or patioCreated by Swedish designer Ann-Carin Wiktorsson, a graduate of the Royal Collegeof Art in London, these lovely tabletop glass dome greenhouses reflect her ability to findinspiration in everyday items. Beautiful and functional, they allow consumers to growplants and herbs right on the windowsill or balcony. Made of stoneware and glass, theyare available three soft shades – lavender blue, pelargonium pink and sage green –packed in a lovely gift box. Sagaform also offers a stylish range of ‘Green’ accessoriesfor the home, including garden tools, a self-watering cone and herb planter tray.

Trade show participation

NNY NOW - January and August

Atlanta Gift Show - January and July

Dallas Gift and Home show- January and June

Ambiente Fair, Frankfurt - February

International Home + HousewaresShow - March

Sales RepresentativesDon Restivo [email protected] Cell phone 416 271-3040

Lynn Jewell [email protected] 250-642-7392

Customer Service Kim Brown [email protected] • 856-626-1340

Contact InformationSagaform Inc. 901 Lincoln Drive West, Ste 304Marlton, NJ 08053Phone: 856-626-1340Fa:-856-626-1342E-mail [email protected]

42 PROFILES 2015

Salton

A company built onentrepreneurial spiritThe culmination of the blending of

two trend-setting appliance manu-facturers, Salton continues to rely on itsroots as an innovator while exploringnew boundaries in product design. Twoyears ago the company officiallymerged all its brands with Toastess tobetter serve the North American mar-ket.

A company with a proud Canadianheritage, Toastess was established in1945 to develop and manufacturekitchen appliances for consumers acrossthe United States and Canada. From itsmanufacturing facilities in the Montrealarea came its first two offerings; themanual flip-flop toaster and Glide-o-Matic clothes iron. Later, it introducedthe first fully immersible electric frypanin Canada. Over the years, Toastess be-came a trusted brand as it continued tooffer customers a broad range of gour-met appliances.

Salton was founded in the U.S. in1954 with a similar mission to manufac-ture and distribute specialty electric ap-pliances for the North American mar-ket. A range of specialty niche products

were produced over the years at its fac-tory in New York, including a line ofHotrays, an electric bun warmer andpeanut butter maker.

In 1955, the line became available inCanada by sales agents. Just a few yearslater, in 1962, Toastess received a Cana-dian design award for the first non-bellshaped kettle. In the 1980s, the compa-ny went on to the first hot air corn pop-per to use a circular whirlpool style air-flow.

Meanwhile in Markham, Ontario,Salton Canada acquired all shares ofSalton Holdings and by 1991 the com-pany was in the hands of two princi-pals, Al Johnstone, a veteran retailbuyer in the housewares industry, andJerry Solomon, whose family hadfounded Toastess in Montreal.

Together, they made a formidableteam and sales grew steadily. In 2000,Toastess and Salton Canada merged tocreate a company based on the same en-trepreneurial spirit that originally builtthe business. They continued to utilizetheir global partnerships, in-house op-erations, industry knowledge and a

“customer first” focus to create innova-tive, quality products.

In 2005, they expanded into whitegoods with the establishment of theSWG division offering microwaves, barfridges and wine coolers.

When Al Johnstone retired a fewyears ago, Jason Hutton came on boardto help steer the company into the fu-ture. With an eye for trends, he hasmoved the company towards morehealthy living gourmet appliances, suchas the Vita Pro cold press juicer.

In 2013, Salton/Toastess Internation-al was created to serve all brands to theNorth American market. One year later,the company officially launched into theU.S. market at the Chicago housewaresshow with the announcement of a part-nership with celebrity trainer HarleyPasternak. Together they unveiled theinnovative power blender.

Earlier this year, the company an-nounced the expansion of the Saltonbrand into the United States. “OurNorth American retail partners willnow be served by one company offering

PROFILES 2015 43

COMPANY OVERVIEW

multiple brands and a wide range of ap-pliances,” says Jason. “In addition, thisfall we will be launching the Nostalgialine of appliances in Canada as well as awhole new range of hardware productsin both Canada and the U.S.

Today, Salton caters to retailers withproducts in several key categories: ket-tles, blenders, cooktop and warming ap-pliances, juicing and specialty appli-ances. Brands carried currently includesSalton, Toastess, Masha, Delfino,Aquasana and Nostalgia in addition tothe Harley Pasternak collection.

The company has manufacturing fa-cilities in China, a corporate office andwarehouse in Dollard Des Ormeaux,Quebec and a sales and marketing office


Quebec - LLucius Lavoie Tel: [email protected] Ontario/GTA Independent Accounts Issie Grachnik - Tel: [email protected] Premium and Incentive - Jeff andSusan Mouckley, Tel [email protected] Western Canada - Emilio Chiarizia 604-541-7555 • [email protected] Western Canada - Mark Vokey Tel: [email protected] Western Canada, Independents -Jerry Polsky, Tel: 403-253-4067 [email protected] National/Regional Accounts - DelinieFernando, Tel: 289-371-3118 [email protected] National Accounts Manager -Nancy Diener, Tel: 289-371-3118 x [email protected] V.P. Sales and Marketing - Jason Hutton, Tel: 289-371-3118 [email protected] Account Manager - Rick Fielden Tel: 416-553-8696 * [email protected] Hardware Products - Peter Svendsen Tel: [email protected]

Customer Service [email protected] [email protected]

Trade ShowsInternational Home + Housewares Show (Chicago)National Hardware Show

in Vaughan, Ontario. As well, Salton hasa large sales and distribution networkset up across Canada and the U.S. Intotal, Salton has 40 employees in Cana-da and 45 sales representatives in theU.S.

Salton promotes its products andbrands through a variety of trade publi-cations including Home Style, Home-World Business, HFN, Gourmet Insider,Kitchenware News and Gourmet Retailer.

The company also makes use of itswebsite, email blasts, social media, blog-gers, consumer shows and public rela-tions, along with traditional advertising,to get the message out to the consumer.

“As a mid-sized entrepreneurial en-terprise we are able to react quickly tochanges in the market and seize on op-portunities to satisfy customers’ timesensitive needs,” explains Jason. “Aswell, our internal culture has fosteredan environment that encourages longstaff tenures which results in all thecompetitive benefits that derive from ahighly experienced team.”

Salton has a long standing history ofdedicated customer relationships withCanadian retailers, along with a focus onunique, niche and innovative categories. The company also makes a point of giv-ing back through donations to charitiesfor silent auctions, prizes at golf tourna-ments and fundraisers for cancer, cysticfibrosis and women’s shelters.

Shown above left, the portable inductioncooktop stays cool to the touch even whenset on maximum. Shown above, the iconicmanual flip/flop toaster by Toastess.

Salton’s kettle/tea steeper, belowleft, has four pre-set temperaturesand a warm control that maintainstemperature for 30 minutes. Thecompany’s wide mouth low speed

juicer, shown right, providesthe consumer with superior

cold press technology tomake pure, nutrient-

rich juices.

44 PROFILES 2015

Swissmar

The art of entertaining with styleMany people end up

in completely differ-ent places, doing com-pletely different thingsthan they first envisionedwhen they started out inlife. This certainly holdstrue for Daniel Oehy, the founder and president of Swissmar.

Daniel grew up on a family farm in Switzerland His dreamwas to one day become a farmer. In 1979, Daniel travelled toRussell, Manitoba, as an agricultural exchange student and fellin love with the wide open spaces of Canada. (As competitiveski racer, he also appreciated our long, cold winters.) It wasn’tlong before he decided to make this country his home.

Having always enjoyed good food, Daniel soon noticed thatCanadians didn’t have access to the same quality kitchen toolsand gourmet items he had used in his native Switzerland. Herecognized a business opportunity and decided to abandonagriculture and become an importer and distributor of premi-um Swiss houseware products, such as raclettes and fondues.

In 1983, under the name Classic Imports, Daniel started driv-ing across the country calling on small kitchen shops and sell-ing products from the trunk of his car. Customers responded.

In 1986, Daniel relocated his company to Richmond Hill, On-

tario, and renamed it SwissmarImports. New product sourcingwas expanded to countries out-side of Switzerland, such asFrance, China, Italy and Ger-many. By 1990, Swissmar hadsuccessfully established an U.S.

company – Swissmar Incorporated – using a nationwidenetwork of sales representatives. He also set up a ware-house in Niagara Falls, N.Y., to support his diversified andgrowing base of American customers.

In 1999, Swissmar began selling globally and the compa-ny’s products are now found in many countries around theworld. In 2009, Swissmar AG, an office located in Switzer-land, was created to support the growing international busi-ness and provide a base to liaise with suppliers.

Today, Swissmar’s Canadian corporate headquarters, in-cluding a large showroom and full-service warehouse, arestill located in Richmond Hill. In the United States, the com-pany operates two sales offices (on the east and west coasts),serving an extensive network of sales representatives acrossthe country. There is also a warehouse located in NiagaraFalls, New York while Swissmar AG manages a warehousein Hong Kong to support the international markets. In totalSwissmar has 50 employees around the world.

Swissmar products are now manufactured across theglobe with trusted manufacturing partners who deliverquality and reliability at every level. In honour of theirSwiss heritage, the company still makes it a priority focuson Swiss-made products.

For more than 30 years, this Canadian company has beenthe exclusive North American partner for some of theworld's leading brands. In addition to proprietary Swiss-mar-branded items, the company proudly distributes highend products from Peugeot, Börner, Mauviel, Dalla Piazza,Mastrad, Zyliss and, beginning in the fall of 2015, JamieOliver Nuance. These products are manufactured globallyin France, Germany, Asia and beyond.

PROFILES 2015 45

Sales Reps - Retail Division

National Sales ManagerLLinda Heidman - 950-764-1121 Ext. [email protected]

Senior Sales ManagerDimitra McGinnity - 905-764-1121 Ext. [email protected]

Toronto, Ottawa, MB, SK, Lakehead,Christine O'Neill - 905-764-1121 Ext. 266 [email protected]

Western OntarioDavid Bailey - [email protected]

Maritimes - JO ROGERS AGENCY Jo Rogers - 902-446-9868 [email protected]

Alberta - NIXON AGENCIES Ford Nixon and Norma Fehr403-281-7599 • [email protected]

B.C. - OCTAGON MARKETING Karel Janousek, Belena Novak and Oliver Janousek604-434-8881 • [email protected]

Quebec - SAVI MARKETING Genevieve Beaudoin - 514-462-5563 [email protected]

Customer ServiceCall toll-free 1-877-947-7627.

Trade Show ParticipationToronto Gift Fair – Spring and Fall Ambiente Fair, FrankfurtInternational Home + Housewares ShowShowroom shows - Atlanta, Dallas & SeattleFood service buying group showsCorporate gift channel shows

Contact InformationSwissmar Ltd., 6 - 35 E. Beaver Creek Rd.,Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 1B3Tel: 905-764-1121/877-947-7627

With their streamlined distribution network, serving the retail housewaresindustry is Swissmar’s priority. In addition, there are separate divisions for thefood service and corporate gift channels. Each division boasts dedicated salesrepresentation and customer service specialists.

To promote the brands, Swissmar works with a respected PR agency out ofNew York to secure product placement and editorial opportunities in trade andconsumer media and within the blogging community. New products are alsopromoted at trade shows, industry events and through trade advertising withhousewares and gift media. The company also invests in targeted consumer ad-vertising and PR initiatives in various food & wine and home & lifestyle pub-lications. In fact, the best-selling V-Slicer Plus mandoline was selected as CooksIllustrated Top Choice in July 2014.

Over the years, Swissmar products have received numerous awards for de-sign and innovation. The company is also very active on social media, includ-ing Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube.

Looking back, Daniel attributes his success to great products, a great salesteam, excellent customer service support and the benefit of on-hand inventory.

“When you have spent over three decades in the housewares industry, youare bound to learn a few things,” he says. Daniel leads the product develop-ment team and travels extensively to work with his manufacturing partners todevelop new products.

He adds that the members of his sales team are known as ‘product special-ists’. Although most are independent sales representatives, many have beenwith Swissmar for 20+ years and provide exceptional product knowledge.

Retailers can also find ongoing support from the Swissmar customer serviceteam. They work hard to answer any questions plus ensure all orders areprocessed accurately and shipped quickly. Swissmar has made a major invest-ment in its warehouse management system to better control inventories and in-stock positions for all product lines.

Great products and enterprising sales people are just part of the reason forSwissmar’s success though. It also helps that president Daniel Oehy believes ingiving back to the industry that has served him so well. He is consistently in-volved in industry housewares groups and is a very active member of the In-ternational Housewares Association, where he serves on the Board of Directorsas an Executive Committee Member.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Though Swissmar represents many globalbrands, the focus is still on premium Swissproducts such as raclettes and fondue sets.

46 PROFILES 2015

TTi Floor Care

Based in Glenwillow, Ohio, TTi FloorCare is the largest floor care busi-

ness in North America, with three of thebiggest brands in the industry. Each ofthe brands – Hoover, Dirt Devil/Royaland Oreck – has deep roots in Canadianfloor care and a rich history that contin-ues to be built upon each day.

TTi Floor Care acquired the marqueeHoover brand in 2007, but Hoover's his-tory reaches back more than 100 years,tracing a path to the very invention ofthe vacuum itself.

In 1907, janitor Murray Spangler sawa problem that needed fixing. In thecourse of his daily work, he encoun-tered dust that triggered asthma attacks.Working at night, Spangler devised a"suction sweeper" to pull dust and dirtout of the air and off the ground. W. H.Hoover bought Spangler's patent in1908 and began selling the country'sfirst sweepers. It was the beginning ofmore than a century of cleaning innova-tions, from Hoover’s famous beater barand disposable paper vacuum bags tovacuum cleaner headlights and self-pro-

pelling technology. Today, Hoover con-tinues to build on its history by creatingeffortless cleaning solutions.

In 2002, TTi purchased the Royal andDirt Devil lines, acquiring a companywith an esteemed floor care history. In1905, the P. A. Geier Company – creatorof the Royal line of home cleaners – wasfounded in Cleveland, Ohio. By 1937 thecompany was producing the world'sfirst hand-held vacuum, the RoyalPrince. It was a sign of things to come.

In 1953, ownership changed hands,and the company was renamed RoyalAppliance Manufacturing. Dirt Deviljoined the Royal family in 1981 and de-buted its best-selling Hand Vac in 1984.To date, more than 23 million of thosevacs have been sold!

Oreck, one of North America's mostbeloved commercial vacuum brands,joined the TTi family in 2013. Oreck wasfounded by American entrepreneurDavid Oreck in 1963. He had an obviousyet radical idea to design a lightweightbut powerful vacuum to offer relief tothe hotel housekeepers using muchheavier models. It worked, and Oreckvacuums are now used in more than50,000 hotels around the world.

Today, TTi Floor Care is part of aglobal brand powerhouse. With expert-ise in power tools, floor care, lighting,outdoor power equipment, accessories,test and measurement products, this in-dustry giant is headquartered in HongKong, with offices located across theglobe. In Canada, the floor care divisionoperates under the same roof as thepower tool division.

Globally-sourced products are manu-factured in varied locations includingCanada, the United States, Mexico andChina. TTi Floor Care produces upright,canister and cordless vacuum cleanersas well as carpet and floor washers,steam mops, hand vacuums, and a widerange of other cleaning solutions.

The company’s go-to-market strategyis focused on consumer needs. Througha variety of methods, end-user concerns,

suggestions, pain-points and wishes aredocumented and brought through aproduct development program.

What sets TTi Floorcare apart is itsability to provide intuitive solutionsthat address real needs in the market-place. The company resonates stronglywith its target audience, partners andstakeholders by demonstrating yearafter year that they’re responsive andcommitted to progress.

TTi promotes its brands in a variety ofways. Foremost is strong retail channelrelationships, fostered by unparalleledsupport and communications from itsexpert floor care team, comprised of 18individuals in TTi Canada’s Markham,Ontario head office and its western salesagency, Trimor Sales.

All of the brands have strong repre-sentation at retail trade shows, as wellas in trade and consumer publications.The website is also generating increas-ing traffic, along with a growing onlinepresence. Building upon that founda-tion, TTi layers integrated sales, market-ing, and public relations campaigns –including traditional and new mediainitiatives – that continually propel thebrand to the forefront.

With such a fascinating heritage, hav-ing brought together three storiedbrands, TTi offers its retail partners ex-tensive experience and expertise in so

Reaching new heights in cleaning

Above: Meeting with consumers to gainfeedback on product . Below left : Dirt Devil360 Reach vacuum. Opposite page: the newHoover 20V Lithium Ion cordless family.

PROFILES 2015 47


PPatricia Noronha - V.P. Sales & Mrktg [email protected] George - Director of [email protected] Kapal - Director of Sales [email protected] Fusee - Account [email protected] Mian - Account [email protected] Seabrook - Commercial [email protected] Trimor Sales - Western Canada [email protected]

Customer Service

Lise Vachon [email protected] Proulx [email protected]

Contact InformationTTi Canada - Floorcare Division7303 Warden AvenueMarkham, Ontario L3R 5Y6Tel: 416-570-2590

COMPANY OVERVIEW

many facets of the floor care and commercial cleaning world. It helps them devel-op products that incorporate revolutionary design, technology, and engineering ad-vancements. These benefits could be lighter weight, full-size products, cordless in-novations or intuitive task-based accessories.

“When our customers buy Hoover, Dirt Devil/Royal or Oreck, they are benefit-ing from decades of experience, industry-leading quality, innovation and reliability,as well as service beyond compare, “ says vice president Patricia Noronha. “Ourcustomers understand that we care. They’re not just buying our products; they areinvesting in a relationship with our family of brands. We take that seriously, and wealways conduct ourselves ethically, honestly, and with passion.”

The Canadian Floor Care Team is comprised of hard-working and fun-lovingmembers of the Canadian Housewares community. They enjoy partnering with re-tailers to create events that drive consumer excitement and attention to the floorcare category. TTi invests in strong marketing programs that provide immensevalue, bolstering brand and category growth.

The TTi family supports a diverse range of philanthropic causes and enthusiasti-cally participates in a breadth of charitable and community events. “Caring is a traitthat is woven into the fabric of our organization,” adds Patricia. “This is evident inhow we conduct our business, how we value our employees, and how we give backto others. We are strong advocates of community service and support employeevolunteer efforts. We seek out opportunities to make a greater impact, particularlywith the alignment of our high-profile public relations efforts with our philan-thropic programs and/or charitable partners.”

Within the industry, TTi takes part in several retailer trade shows and strives toremain a positive example of leadership – starting with its own team. Recruitmentand mentoring of individuals that have a passion for the category is an integral partof the Canadian operation. By fostering leadership, professional development andbrand growth, as well as building goodwill with customers, partners, stakeholdersand the community, TTi has helped to strengthen the entire floor care industry.

48 PROFILES 2015

Trudeau Maison

Founded in 1889, Trudeau Corpora-tion is a fourth-generation family

business that’s well known as a NorthAmerican innovative supplier of house-wares, now available in 70 countriesaround the world. The company offersdesign and value with excellent importand distribution logistics and customerservice.

For 2015, the Trudeau team is proudto unveil Trudeau Maison, a distinctivecollection that offers quality at an af-fordable price with a design that foodieswill love. The main objective of thelaunch was to solidify Trudeau’s pres-ence as a leader in the volume market.

Jacques Dubuc, president of TrudeauMaison, outlines the new strategy in thefollowing interview:

Why did you launch Trudeau Maison?

Trudeau Maison is the fruit of an idea.In a market where consumers arechanging the way they shop and retail-ers are constantly reinventing them-selves, Trudeau had to rethink its ap-proach. The idea itself wasn’t new. Theseed had been planted years before with

Home Presence. It simply had to devel-op and mature to become a success.

The goal? To capitalize on Trudeau’snotoriety by introducing a new retailcollection of turnkey solutions—with aquality guarantee backed by a lifetimewarranty on all products that would notinterfere with the existing Trudeau net-work. What a challenge!

When will it makes its retail debut?

The Canadian market will be the first tooffer this collection in Fall 2015. It willthen be launched in the United Statesand Europe in early 2016.

“It’s incredible how quickly we wereable to bring the Trudeau Maison con-cept to market,” says Jacques. “We’re sothankful to have such a talented team.”

What is the target market?

Trudeau Maison is the ideal collectionfor volume or chain store retailer whileTrudeau is geared to the specialty andgourmet segment of the market.

As for consumers, it is primarily forfamilies that experiment with food for a

healthy meal solution. It will also ap-peal to the foodies and “hobby chefs”.

How many products are in the collec-tion and what makes them unique?

To be in line with today’s (and tomor-row) consumer trends, Trudeau Maisonconsists of 150 products that answer theneed to COOK, EAT and DRINK. Bycapitalizing on the brand recognition,this collection offers a turn-key solutionfor the retailers with a fresh, uniformcross-category look, competitive price

An effective two-tiermarketing strategy

Jacques Dubuc cuts the ribbon on a newchapter in Trudeau’s history at an openhouse in Montreal in May. Below and onopposite page, Trudeau Maison products arebeautifully packaged and merchandised.

PROFILES 2015 49

points and merchandising versatility.There are both shelf and wall displayoptions for each product.

How will the line be promoted?

We’ve taken every possible step to makethe Trudeau Maison collection a point ofsale success. The collection was createdto standardize categories, allowingcross-category merchandising. Thepackaging is:• Differentiated through shape of cards.• Inspiring, with attractive pictures.• Uniform cross-category look.• Versatile with shelf and wall options.• Designed to industry standards witha maximum CDU depth of eight inches. • The logo, featuring the TrudeauMaison brand, is easily recognizable.• The lifetime warranty is the key to

success with consumers.For retailers, Trudeau Maison offers

turnkey solutions with planograms,profit centers and signage. Merchandis-ing solutions have been adapted tochain store point of sale needs.

Will it operate as a separate division?

Trudeau and Trudeau Maison are twodifferent collections with two differentmarketing strategies. We have in placean experienced sales team specialized inthe Trudeau Maison collection.

What about Home Presence?

The Trudeau Maison Collection is anevolution of Home Presence adapted totoday’s market. This new collection willreplace Home Presence.

Customer ServiceCall toll free1-800-878-3328

Head OfficeTrudeau Maison1600 rue Eiffel, Boucherville, Quebec J4B5Y1Tel: 450-655-7445www.trudeau.ca

CONTACT INFORMATION

50 PROFILES 2015

United Sales & Marketing

Fostering a cultureof trust and integrity

Paul Pogor was right in the middleof the worst year of his life whenhe arrived for a meeting with Bob

Wallace, the former owner of UnitedSales & Marketing. It was 1999 and Paulwas out of work, in the middle of a di-vorce and he had just lost his mother.But his fortune was about to change,thanks to Bob’s generosity and willing-ness to put his faith in Paul. He startedselling for USM, soon fell in love withthe job, and has never looked back.

United Sales has its roots in SomersetHouse, a distributor of brands such asFood Saver, Nordic Ware and Aerobed.It was co-owned by Bob and four part-ners. When the partners decided to de-centralize the organization in 1991, Bobtook the housewares lines and formedUnited Sales & Marketing with two mi-nority partners, Martin Van Dyk andHugh Cameron. (They were initially lo-cated in Scarborough but purchased thepresent head office/warehouse buildingin Mississauga a decade later.)

Paul, meanwhile, had progressedthrough several positions in the house-wares industry in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Hestarted his career at Shepherd Productswhere he handled the Home Hardwareaccount and received several accolades.He then spent a couple of years impor-tant Panama Jack suntan lotion intoCanada before joining Black & Decker.That’s where he met his good friendRoger Smith and Owen McManamon.Owen would prove to be an importantmentor to Paul, teaching him business

skills that he says have been critical tohis success. He went from B&D toRogers Cellular as vice president of re-tail and then to a printing firm briefly.By the time he met Bob Wallace, he wasready for a new start.

“Bob and I connected because we hadthe same entrepreneurial attitude,” saysPaul. “I ended up working side by sidewith him and helping him find new andbetter ways to do things. I loved it.”

Bob’s faith paid off and soon Paulwas making significant contributions tothe company. He enjoyed the fact thateach day was different and he was re-sponsible for his own success. Bob intro-duced him to all his industry contactsand taught him the value of maintainingloyal, long term relationships with bothmanufacturers and customers.

When Bob decided to retire in 2003,Paul purchased a third of the companyfrom him, with Marty and Hugh takingthe other two thirds. He immediatelystarted to focus on the U.S. business.

After losing a couple of the keybrands that they had built due to merg-ers, Paul knew it was time to become“more than just a rep house”. He want-ed to source more proprietary brandsthat they could sell right across NorthAmerica. He started travelling to theOrient regularly to source product pro-grams on behalf of retail customers suchas Loblaw and Sears.

Five years ago, with USM well estab-lished as a North American full-servicedistributor, Paul bought out Hugh and

Marty. Two years before that, RogerSmith had joined as a minority partnerand they were ready to invest in the fu-ture. He changed the company’s infra-structure and began hiring talented peo-ple who could really make a difference,such as Milton Tjin from Canadian Tire.Then Adam Ball, who had been withJarden for many years, joined USM asvice president of marketing, followedby Chris Everett of Canadian Tire.

“Chris is a very strategic and me-thodical business partner,” he says.“Milton is very entrepreneurial and hasa lot of integrity. Adam has a great mar-keting mind to help us find the betterways to promote our brands. And Rogeris a good, solid sales person with longterm relationships in our market.”

When Paul started, USM employedeight people. Today, there are 18 em-ployees and it’s growing all the time.

The company is now well positionedto provide the best customer servicepossible. They invested in back end sys-tems at their head office/warehouse toensure they’re able to support their re-tailers and factories’ needs for forecast-ing and sales analysis. And Paul saysthey go out of their way to ‘overdeliver’.

“If there’s a problem with a customer,we solve it, we fix it,” he explains. “Wedon’t just present products to retailers,we work to create a business strategythat benefits both of us equally.”

He has also endeavored to establish

USM president/owner Paul Pogor.

PROFILES 2015 51

Top Row (l-r): Adam Ball, Roger Smith, Paul Pogor, Matt Pogor, Milton Tjin. Front Row(l-r): Jackie White, Chris Everett, Herman Pho, Lucy Yen, Kathleen Lee and Gillian Smith.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

closer than usual relationships withtheir factories, travelling to China fouror five times a year. As a result, the fac-tories are willing to go above and be-yond for USM in a competitive market.

Another area where Paul has invest-ed heavily is e-commerce. Two yearsago, they launched USM Direct, a newe-commerce platform targeted at inde-pendent retailers. It can be expensive tosell to this segment so USM Direct pro-vides store owners with an easy, con-venient way to order. Independentshave the flexibility to hop on the websiteand order any combination of productsfrom the 15 different brands carried byUSM and have it shipped pre-paid.

The new division also handles mobilemarketing and website design. USM hasbuilt very impressive North Americanwebsites for two of their key lines,Wesco and Cord Cruncher, an innova-tive new earbud headphone design thateliminates tangled cords or wires.

Paul continues to follow in Bob’s

footsteps by fostering excellent relation-ships in the industry as well as withinhis own company. He knows his biggestadvantage is people so he has created anincredible culture where each individ-ual is encouraged to take ownership ofwhat they do by exploring any potentialmarket opportunities independently.But it’s also a very family-focused envi-ronment where employees know theycan take time off for personal reasons orwork from home whenever necessary.

“This is not a 9 to 5 business,” he ex-plains. “With trade shows and overseastravel, everyone at USM makes person-al sacrifices on a regular basis for thecompany. I want to make sure theymake family time a priority as well.”

It’s this attitude that has endearedPaul to the entire staff, creating an inspi-rational work environment. As MiltonTjin explains: “Paul introduces the nec-essary corporate disciplines while stillmaintaining the nimbleness of an entre-preneurial company. He is an enablerwho encourages all employees toachieve their own personal goals and in-terests while contributing to the growthof USM. His approach allows everyoneto voice their thoughts, investigate whatthey believe are good opportunities,and have fun doing it.”

It’s been 16 years since Paul firstwalked into Bob Wallace’s office but heclearly learned some valuable lessonsabout integrity and generosity in busi-ness. Fortunately for his co-workers andcustomers, he’s paying it forward.

Key Representatives

PPaul Pogor

[email protected]

Roger Smith

[email protected]

Milton Tjin

[email protected]

Chris Everett

[email protected]

Adam Ball

[email protected]

David Harrison

[email protected]

Jackie White

[email protected]

Contact Information

1665 Enterprise RoadMississauga, Ontario L4W 4L4Tel: 905-362-8810www.usmdirect.com

USM focuses on products that are innova-tive or use ‘disruptive technology’. Todaythey carry 15 brands, including iRobot ro-botic vacuums, above, and Wesco, far right.

52 PROFILES 2015

Victorinox

A brand recognized worldwideVictorinox is a company with a impressive history and heritage. In 1884, Karl

Elsener opened his first cutler’s workshop in Ibach-Schwyz. There, he andthe cutlers union produced the finest steel cutlery, finished with the now-fa-mous proprietary edge preferred by professional and home cooks. In 1891, hesupplied his first Soldier’s knife to the Swiss Army, something that wouldchange his life and his fortune.

In 1921, after the death of his mother Victoria, Karl changed the name of thecompany to Victorinox, melding the name of his mother with “inox”, an ab-breviation of the French word for steel. From those humble beginnings, aworldwide icon was born. Today, Victorinox is still owned and operated by theElsener family, and the family still resides in the same small village of Ibach,Switzerland where the company first began.

Victorinox is the largest knife manufacturer in Europe with 26 million blades(cutlery & pocket knives) sold annually around the world. The products dom-inate the professional commercial cutlery market and are recognized for con-sistently delivering uncompromising quality and value.

Since 1884, this commitment to constant innovation has helped Victorinoxremain a leading provider of professional-grade cutlery and meet the evolvingneeds of demanding commercial customers.

There are many reasons smart consumers will select a Victorinox knife:• Victorinox knives are 25% sharper than others on the market. • The lifespan of a Victorinox knife is 60% longer since, on average, competi-tive knives need to be re-sharpened 2.5 times more often than Victorinox.• Users can reduce cost per cut by over 50% simply by switching to Victorinox. • Hand and wrist fatigue is bad for workers, and bad for productivity. Plantsthat switch to Victorinox report significant reductions in injuries related torepetitive cutting movements. When a major food processing plant switched toVictorinox knives, it reduced knife consumption by 14,000 pieces.

The company offers a range of fine edge knives. You don't have to be a pro-fessional chef to appreciate the high quality of the Victorinox chef's knife. Eachchef's Knife is ultra-sharp, incredibly durable and perfectly balanced. Whenone of these knives reaches the consumer’s hand, every chop, slice and dicefeels effortless. The Fibrox Pro chef's knife consistently ranks highly in valueand quality with renowned test kitchen reviewers and consumers alike.

The cross and shield emblem is an instantly recognizable symbol for today’sVictorinox. In a most unique way, it conveys excellence in Swiss craftsmanship

The Toronto Victorinox retail store on BloorStreet, above and below, and the company’s beau-tifully-situated Swiss headquarters, below right.

PROFILES 2015 53

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Victorinox - By the Numbers• 540 different models of household and professional knives currently in production.• 450 Swiss Army knife models currently in production.• Daily production of 60,000 knives per day and 60,000 pocket knives per day.• 78 Victorinox stores worldwide, two of which are in Ontario. • 2,000 Victorinox employees around the globe.• 50 Master Craftsman models were purchased by NASA in 1978 for shuttle staff.

Patented Fibrox handles mean Victorinoxknives are slip-resistant for added safety.

as well as the impressive expertise ofmore than 2,000 employees worldwide.

The principles by which the companydoes business are as relevant today asthey were in 1891: functionality, innova-tion, iconic design and uncompromisingquality. Adherence to these values hasbecome an integral part of the compa-ny's DNA, not just here in Canada butaround the world.

The commitment to these principlesover the past 130 years has allowed Vic-torinox to develop products that notonly offer exceptional design and quali-ty, but also have the ability to serve asreliable companions on life’s adventuresboth great and small.

Today, Victorinox is proud to presenta range of six global product categorieswhich perfectly embody those princi-ples and embrace the spirit of the origi-nal Swiss Army Knife. The company’sunique, high-quality products, whichare of practical use in differing areas oflife, include; Swiss Army knives, house-hold and professional cutlery, watches,travel gear, apparel and fragrance.

Customers in Canada and around theworld now place their trust in Victori-nox quality. They are enthusiastic aboutthe functionality and iconic design ofthe products and they’re also impressedby the continued innovation that goesinto their development.

Consumers who want to be ready foranything take a Swiss Army knife withthem wherever they go. Since its launch,the knife has been a trusted tool ofeveryday adventurers worldwide.Whether they’re exploring the city, theocean, the mountains or even space, it’sthey companion they can count on.

In Canada, Victorinox is also the dis-tributor of SCANPAN. The two compa-

Sales Representatives– Retail and Food Service

TThomas Jong - Sales Mgr, Canada West (403) 829-8419 Jeff Hof - Sales Mgr. Canada East(416) 992-0978 Sheila Finn - Nat. Sales Mgr, Ad Spec(905) 760-1123 ext 4140 Greg Moodie - Housewares, B.C. (604) 430-6625 Oliver Janousek - Gift, B.C. (604) 434-8881 Boyd Muir - Outdoor Retail, B.C. (604) 738-2167 John Thomson - Foodservice, B.C.(604) 465-2770 Chris Clement - Hswrs/Gift, AB/SK (780) 460-8740 Dave Knisley - Foodservice, AB/SK/MB(403) 475-5322 Issie Grachnik - Housewares, Ontario (416) 540-9320 Doug Wells - Gift, Ontario (416) 817-8452 Stephen White - Outdoor, Ontario (416) 948-1309 Agostino Acri - Gift, Ontario (647) 909-4618 Ron Singh - Foodservice, ON(416) 418-6773Francois Oeullet - Foodservice, QC(514) 771-7900 Eric Sinotte - Hswr/Gift/Outdoor, QC(514) 729-2889 Eric Jacobi- Housewares/Outdoor/Gift,Maritimes (902) 478-3253Duane Giffin - Foodservice, MAR(902) 857-1199

Contact InformationVICTORINOX SWISS ARMY CANADA1000 Edgeley Blvd., Unit 2 Vaughan, Ontario L4K 4V4Tel 800-665-4095 [email protected]

nies are joined through a shared focusand commitment to a quality and a ‘cus-tomer-first’ vision.

SCANPAN is a family-owned busi-ness based in Ryomgaard, Denmark.They have been one of the world’s lead-ing producers of PFOA-free nonstickkitchenware for more than threedecades. Their patented ceramic titani-um surface represents the core of theircookware business.

Deeply anchored in Danish tradition,SCANPAN creates timeless yet func-tional tools for any modern kitchen. Thecompany effectively utilizes 100% recy-cled aluminum without compromisingon quality. The recirculated, melteddown aluminum is a completely pureraw material, its quality at least as greatas new, non-recycled aluminum. Com-bined with the extended longevity of allSCANPAN’s products, the use of recy-cled aluminum reduces their carbonfootprint in order to make the most ofthe resources available on our planet.

54 PROFILES 2015

WÜSTHOF

A specialist in fine German cutleryThe story of WÜSTHOF is one that is

rich in history, perseverance anddedication. It’s an epic saga that spansover 200 years and still continues at fullspeed ahead today.

Founded in 1814 in the cutlery capitalof Europe – Solingen, Germany –WÜSTHOF is a family-owned and op-erated company. It remains so to thisday and is currently led by the seventhgeneration owner, Harald Wüsthof,alongside his cousin, Viola Wüsthof.The duo proudly continue down thepath laid out before them so long ago.

During its first 100 years, WÜSTHOFwas little more than a small family busi-ness, creating cutting tools such as scis-sors and kitchen knives. It was a humblebeginning in a small fabrication “hut”situated beside a stream. The streamacted as a power source for the forginghammers and grinding belts.

WÜSTHOF grew steadily over theyears, moving to larger buildings and,eventually, into a modern factory. Then,in the early 1900s, young Robert Wüsthoftook some travel chests filled with an as-sortment of pocket knives across theocean to the United States, and found hisfuture. In America, the company hadeven more potential. Robert successfullysold all his wares to a single buyer andthere was immediate demand for more.

With the advent of electricity, the com-pany moved in to the central part ofSolingen. However, two world wars re-sulted in struggles for all German steelmanufacturers. It wasn’t until the 1960s

that WÜSTHOF began to prosper frominternational growth once again. Duringthis time, Wolfgang Wüsthof, a sixth gen-eration family member, took on the roleof developing international trade. Wolf-gang eventually took over full control ofthe business in the mid ‘70s. It’s becauseof his tireless efforts and foresight thattoday WÜSTHOF is represented in over80 markets world wide and recognizedas the leader in quality cutlery.

All WÜSTHOF knives are still manu-factured exclusively in Solingen, Ger-many, in three impressive productionfacilities. The company is truly self-re-liant in all matters of knife fabrication.Once the steel arrives from suppliers,the factory handles all aspects of creat-ing the finished product. It’s then ware-housed in Solingen and distributed

around the world to various distribu-tion partners or subsidiaries.

All materials used to manufactureand package the product are sourcedwithin a 100 km radius of the head of-fice. All European markets, with the ex-ception of the U.K., are serviced directlyfrom that office. There are also two sub-sidiaries in the U.S. and Canada. The re-mainder of the international marketsare serviced by distribution partners.

WÜSTHOF employs over 300 peoplein Germany and over 65 at the two sub-sidiary locations. Hundreds more repre-sent WÜSTHOF in their respectivemarkets at all levels of distribution,sales, marketing and customer service.

A well-known brand here, the Cana-dian subsidiary, headed by Derek Mar-cotte, has used almost every form ofmarketing available to promote to notonly retailers, but also to the end con-sumer. Retailers have seen their adver-tising in trade magazines such as HomeStyle, which WÜSTHOF has proudlysupported for many years. Networkingwithin the industry also gives the com-pany access to stores and all leads arefollowed up by personal visits.

“Despite the many rapid changes toretail, the housewares industry contin-ues to thrive and personal contactdrives much of that success”, saysDerek Marcotte. “We have fully em-braced digital marketing channels andutilize social media, including Face-book, Twitter and a company blog, toreach our audience in interesting and

Above, Viola Wüsthof and Harald WüsthofBelow, the factory in Solingen, Germany, inthe early 1900s and the main office today.

PROFILES 2015 55

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Sales Representation

INDEPENDENT SALES REPRESENTATIVES::

Karel Janousek, Belena Novak andOliver Janousek - Octagon Marketing British Columbia, Alberta, SaskatchewanTel: [email protected]

Stephen ReinhardEastern Ontario, Quebec, MaritimesTel: [email protected]

CORPORATE SALES REPRESENTATIVES:

After more than 10 years representingWüsthof in Ontario, the company isproud to welcome Harvey Geiger to the in-house sales team. He will be responsible for eastern Ontario to Oshawa as well as Manitoba.Tel: [email protected]

Trade Show ParticipationToronto Gift Fair - January/AugustAmbiente – FrankfurtThe Restaurants Show Canada International Home + Housewares Show – ChicagoRetailer events and consumer shows

Contact InformationWüsthof-Trident of Canada Inc.3809 St. Joseph Blvd.Orleans, Ontario K1C 1T1Tel: 613-841-1301 Fax: 613-841-1302www.wusthof.ca

engaging ways. Events such as consumer shows allow us to connect with endusers. Our favorite events, however, are those with our retail partners. In-storedemoss attract dedicated clients and also entice potential new ones, giving us aunique opportunity to connect with them on a one-on-one basis. We drive aware-ness of these special events by promoting our retail partnerships on all of our so-cial media channels, including our company blog – www.cuttingremarks.ca.”

In an age of blended companies, acquisitions and mergers, WÜSTHOF re-mains a privately-owned and operated company, producing only kitchen knives.The company takes immense pride in the name that goes on every tool. Withquality control and production consistency that is second to none, WÜSTHOF isable to produce a better product every single year. Retailers know what they areselling with WÜSTHOF knives, and where it comes from.

As a cutlery specialist, WÜSTHOF understands the needs of the individual re-tailers and avoids cookie cutter solutions. The sales team enjoys bringing newideas to the table and as a smaller company, with a large international reach, in-formation flows freely from distributor to subsidiary. It is then shared with thecompany’s retail partners, to everybody’s benefit.

Above: the Classic 8-inch precision forged cook’s knife with some tools of the trade.Below: handle assembly of the 7-inch Classic Ikon, left, and a master forger in the 1980s.

56 PROFILES 2015

ZWILLING J.A. Henckels

Amodern company with a long tradition and history of qual-ity, the ZWILLING J.A. Henckels brand was created on June

13th, 1731 (under the sign of Gemini). It was on that day thatknifemaker Peter Henckels, from Solingen, Germany, registeredthe "Twin" symbol as his trademark with the Cutlers´ Guild ofSolingen.

That symbol, now very well known globally, is one of the old-est trademarks in the world. The official ZWILLING J.A. Henck-els name was given to the company by a descendant of PeterHenckels, Johann Abraham Henckels.

Though the company originally started with ZWILLINGknives, in 2004 the product mix expanded with the addition ofZWILLING cookware, offering the same high level of quality.Today ZWILLING has extensive lines in knives, cookware, flat-ware, kitchen gadgets, cutting boards and accessories.

Growth in this new market continued with the 2008 takeover ofthe Belgian company Demeyere, a manufacturer of innovative stain-less steel cookware. That was followed by the acquisition of Staub, arenowned producer of premium cast iron and ceramic cookware.

Globally, the company currently operates manufacturing facil-ities in Europe, North America and Asia. Here in Canada, the com-pany is led by President Mrinal Sharma, who has been with ZWILL-ING for nine years. He oversees a total of 45 employees in ZWILL-ING’s Beauty and Culinary divisions. The lines are represented in allprovinces across Canada by a talented team of sales agents.

ZWILLING: Premium products ranging from knives,kitchen gadgets, scissors, cookware, flatware, cuttingboards and glassware to beauty tools.

STAUB: Cast iron and ceramic cooking utensils for con-sumers who seek the authentic experience of cooking andtaste. Staub is one of the world's leading suppliers of castiron enamel cookware produced in France.

FONTIGNAC: The value brand from Staub features colour-ful cast-iron cooking utensils for the cost-conscious chef.

MIYABI: Knives and accessories for consumers with apreference for Japanese blade design and exceptionalsharpness: Authentic knifes from Japanese craftsman-ship, all made in Seki, Japan.

DEMEYERE: Top quality and innovative stainless steelcookware for the consumer and professional chef withheadquarters and production facilities in Belgium.

J.A. HENCKELS INTERNATIONAL: Stainless steel kitchenproducts for trendy, cost-conscious consumers.

BSF: Flatware and cookware for design-conscious con-sumers, top quality at an appealing price for a moderntable setting.

TWEEZERMAN: Tweezerman is the leading provider ofpremium personal care tools in North America. The in-novative instruments originated in the professional do-main for eyebrows, eyelashes and cosmetic brushes arenow popular with celebrities, professional users and so-phisticated consumers.

QVS: Fashion forward, value priced cosmetic tools. Frombrushes to brows, flawless faces to fabulous fingernails,QVS has a product to suit every application.

A symbol of quality for two centuries

BRAND AWARENESS

PROFILES 2015 57

COMPANY OVERVIEW


KKathy Soce, Sales & Business Development Manager – In [email protected] • 416-735-7070Jamie Rowland, National Accounts Manager – In [email protected] • 416-565-8534Brad Prystupa, Vancouver: 604-366-7464 • [email protected] Marshall, Edmonton: 780-982-5587 • [email protected] Evanchuk / Todd Stevens, Saskatchewan/ManitobaLee: 204-795-0863 • [email protected]: 204-981-4169 • [email protected] Magee, Ontario West: 905-467-7276 • [email protected] MacMillan, Ont. East: 905-441-6407 Gilles Legault, PQ: Gilles: 514-233-4783 • [email protected] Tays, Maritimes: -902-497-4340 • [email protected] Caso, Demeyere-Quebec: -514-575-7181• [email protected]

Customer Service Representatives

Eric Beuth, Customer Service Supervisor, National Accounts [email protected] • 905-475-2555 Ext. 263Debra Monk, Customer Service/Order Desk East [email protected] • 905-475-2555 Ext. 273Joanne Kar, Customer Service/Order Desk West [email protected] • 905-475-2555 Ext. 227

Consumer & Trade Show Participation

TORONTO GIFT FAIR (Recipient of the Best Booth award in 2014)TASTE CANADA • EAT VANCOUVER • COSMOPROF

Contact Information

Zwilling J.A. Henckels Canada Ltd.435 Cochrane Drive, Markham, Ontario L3R 9R5Tel: 905-475-2555 • www.zwilling.ca

ZWILLING provides ongoing training forthese sales reps so they are well-equipped totout the benefits of the products to retailersand consumers. They often visit company fac-tories for hands-on training in France, Ger-many and Belgium. It offers them a unique op-portunity to observe the time and craftsman-ship that goes into making the products. It hasalso proven to be an invaluable way to instillpassion and pride in the team at every level.

ZWILLING is very committed to effectivelymarketing to thatimportant front-line customer –the retailer. On aregular basisover the past twodecades the com-pany has pro-moted its brandsto retailers inHome Style Maga-zine and severalretailer-specificadvertising vehi-cles. It’s been agreat way to helpdrive sales locallyin these impor-tant channels.

ZWILLING supports its retail partners by:• Providing retailers with trend reports andcreates promotions around these trends topromote to the end consumer.• Customizing sales programs to enhance of-ferings at retail to drive sales.• Offering free Sharpening Clinics in-storeduring any special store events.

Promoting ZWILLING brands to the enduser is always evolving as the marketing teamobserves changes in the way consumers wantto receive information. This is going to be ayear of trying new things while continuing tokeep doing what works. The company willcontinue to invest in merchandising at storelevel to ensure the brand standards are main-tained. 2015 will also see a greater focus on on-line marketing – developing a social presenceand targeting key influencers

This year, retailers will see an even greaterfocus on the Staub brand with the launch of the‘Chefs Choose Staub’ Campaign, shown left.

The ZWILLING group is constantly devel-oping innovative products and aligning them-

selves with world class partners, from IronChef Morimoto, Ned Bell, Vikram Vij andMaster Blades Smith Bob Kramer to Pro SkierLindsey Vonn and designer Isaac Mizrahi, forthe Tweezerman brand. From developing anew wedge-shaped blade on the new ZWILL-ING Pro series to offering a lustrous long last-ing finish on cookware with Silvinox, this ‘oldcompany’ is modernizing the way we useand design products.

58 PROFILES 2015

International Trade Shows

FavouriteCanada�s

Housewares Magazine Proudly Celebrates

AMBIENTE - FRANKFURT SPRING FAIRMesse Frankfurt, Germany

Contact Neeta Correa at Messe Frankfurt CanadaTel: 905-824-5017Held every February

ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL GIFT MARKETAmericasMart Convention Centre, Atlanta, Georgia

Contact AMC/AmericasMart AtlantsTel: 1-800.ATL.MART - [email protected]

Held in January and July

EXCLUSIVELY HOUSEWARESThe Business Design Centre, London, England

Visit www.exclusivelyhousewares.co.ukHeld every June

HONG KONG GIFT & HOUSEWARE FAIRHong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Contact the Hong Kong Trade Development Councilwww.hktcd.com/fair/hkhousewarefair

Held in April and October

INTERNATIONAL HOME + HOUSEWARES SHOWMcCormick Place, Chicago

Contact the International Housewares Associationat www.housewares.org

Held every March

LAS VEGAS MARKETWorld Market Center Complex, Las Vegas

Visit www.lasvegasmarket.comHeld in January and August

MAISON & OBJETParis Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center

Contact Promosalons CanadaTel: 514-861-5668

Visit www.promosalons-canada.comHeld January and September

NY NOWJacob Javits Center, New York CityContact GLM at www.nynow.com

Held January and August

TENDENCE - FRANKFURT FALL FAIRMesse Frankfurt, Germany

Contact Neeta Correa at Messe Frankfurt CanadaTel:905-824-5017

Held every August

TORONTO GIFT FAIRToronto Congress Centre and the International CentreContact the Canadian Gift Association at cangift.org

Tel: 416-679-0170 or 1-800-611-6100Held January and August

If you’re a retail buyer in search of today’s hottest products, CanGift fairs are for

you! Three fairs, located conveniently across Canada, bring hundreds of local,

national and international lines together to offer you the newest in fashion, home

and lifestyle products. Plus, you’ll save big on customer shipping, thanks to our

ShipTime VIP program exclusively for retailers who attend the fairs.

THE SECRETOF SHELF APPEAL? HOTPRODUCT!

REGISTER FOR A CANGIFT FAIR NEAR YOU! CanGift.org

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30 AOÛT - 2 SEPT 2015

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AUG 30 - SEP 2, 2015

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FALL GIFT FAIR

AUGUST 16 - 19, 2015

EDMONTON

AlbertaGiftFair.org

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AUGUST 9 - 12, 2015

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march 5-8 • chicago, usa

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