Unprecedented Moves

Members of the press were invited to a joint call Sept. 14 to discuss an unprecedented partnership between the International Housewares Association (IHA) and George Little Management (GLM) to survey vendors on industry shows.
 
Alan Steel, EVP of White Plains, N.Y.-based GLM commented, “These [surveys] are the kind of activities that IHA and GLM have taken independently before. This seems like a point in time to address the industry collectively to solve the issues we identify collectively.”
 
The objective for joining forces, according to Phil Brandl, president of the Rosemont, Ill.-based IHA, is a strategic evaluation as to how trade shows can best serve the industry. The first phase of the joint survey work will be to reach out to gourmet industry suppliers to receive their input on trade events. The survey asks how many shows are needed and when they should occur within the calendar year. Both organizations provide marketing, merchandising and educational opportunities to the industry through trade events, and both want to make certain that the needs of the industry are properly met.

The focus of the survey -- GLM’s Gourmet Housewares Show -- was not a surprise to those on the call. The viability of the show has been quietly questioned for the past few years. For those of us in the specialty industry, the connection to vendors and opportunity to speak to both large and small manufacturing entrepreneurs is an essential part of gourmet retailing, and so the loyalty to the show remains strong.
 
Still, the numbers have been waning, and with the present economy, the ability for vendors and retailers to attend the quantity of shows currently scheduled annually can be an economic burden.
 
“We are always looking at our shows, and we are looking at the gourmet show particularly,” said GLM’s Steel. “We want to extend our commitment to the show.”
 
I’d like to congratulate GLM and IHA on their efforts to poll the vendor community to determine if there’s a need for a second show, and further qualify the time and location of the second show.
 
The survey, which will be e-mailed to IHA members and gourmet show exhibitors who aren’t association members, asks for a response within seven days. After reviewing the results, Brandl said he expects the two organizations will reveal the findings by the end of September.
 
The survey, which vendors can answer online, is at www.housewares.org <http://www.housewares.org>.