Zojirushi America Focuses On Quality And Product Development In Thermal Products, Specialty Cookware And Accessories

Zojirushi America Corp. has a long-standing reputation as a leading manufacturer of high quality vacuum bottles and thermal products and is expanding its assortment of superior specialty cooking products.

Founded in 1918 as a producer of hand-blown vacuum bottles, the company has steadily expanded into a wide variety of gourmet cooking items, including rice cookers, bread makers, Air Pot beverage dispensers, thermal serving carafes, specialty cookware, small electrics, restaurant equipment and other products.

"Today, the Zojirushi corporate logo is a symbol recognized worldwide for innovative, highly durable products that are designed to make indoor and outdoor living a more convenient and pleasurable experience," explains Marilyn Matsuba, marketing manager. "Zojirushi has a recipe for success that has served us well for over 90 years: make the best products possible, and always try to meet the needs of our customers."

Although Zojirushi remains a world leader in thermal storage, today the company's most popular products are its rice cookers. "They are the highest quality rice cookers sold in the United States," Matsuba declares. "We will continue expanding this line of products, with more technology, more features and more attractive designs."

This year's newest products include the Zojirushi electric kettle, as well as the organically designed Zutto collection and the minimalist Rizo line, designed by the internationally celebrated Toshiyuki Kita. "In the kitchen, stainless steel has and will remain popular, as well as organic and natural designs and shapes," Matsuba comments.

Zojirushi also prides itself on excellent customer service to retailers and consumers. "Our in-house customer service department promptly answers any questions consumers may have, and our sales department is divided into three divisions to better help retailers," Matsuba states.

"There are hundreds of kitchen products on the market today," Matsuba adds. "We at Zojirushi strive to prove our quality by our longevity in the industry and the bond that we share with our loyal customers. Our goal is to improve our products every year, and to keep our customers happy by doing so. When customers who purchase our products feel pride of ownership, we feel we have accomplished our goal. When our business partners feel they can share our vision, we know that our recipe is working."

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Cutlery sales showed steady increases throughout 2008 in spite of the shaky economy. Single-piece, open stock cutlery accounted for 35% of all sales dollars in the second quarter of 2008. According to the NPD Group, the next largest category, 15-piece cutlery sets, represented 9% of sales dollars in the same period.

Cucina Fresca Fills Important Niche In Northeastern Nevada For Culinary Products and Education

Rancher by birth and chemist by education, Gwen Uhlig decided after two days in the corporate world that she wanted to take a more independent path.

In October 2002, she and her husband "took a leap of entrepreneurial faith and opened the doors to a gourmet kitchen store in downtown Elko, Nevada," Uhlig recalls. "Cucina Fresca was inspired by the need for more unique, specialty shopping establishments and by the desire to play a part in Elko's economy. My husband and I both love to cook while spending time with friends and family, so a gourmet kitchen store seemed to be the perfect match."

It seems that the gamble has paid off: Culina Fresca has averaged grown of 25% each year, with sales per square foot of $392 in a 1,400 square foot store. "This [growth] has allowed us to purchase the building we previously leased and includes a space triple the size of our current retail space," Uhlig notes. "Purchasing a building triple the size of our current retail space has created numerous business expansion plans. We plan to greatly expand our selection of wine and to include a wine bar. Our selection of kitchenware and gourmet food will also increase. In addition, we are planning a cooking school, a catering business, a bakery, and a meal prep business all to be run out of the same location."

Cucina Fresca offers a wealth of marketing and merchandising programs for its customers, including a beer of the month program, bi-monthly newsletters and specialty food and wine promotions, such as kids cooking, canning and Spanish cuisine.

"We have a strong Basque community so the Spanish cooking trend and Spanish wines continue to be strong," Uhlig points out. "Also, it seems that eating meat, especially pork, is back in vogue and foodies may be looking to the more current agrarian cultures of Peru, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile for a refresher course on basic techniques of cooking/grilling meats and vegetables. I think that an interest in the incredible wine values and an interest in Pisco will push more American consumers into looking further into South American cooking techniques."

Cucina Fresca carries a diverse product assortment, including high quality cookware, appliances and accessories, such as tabletop and textiles. "We have developed a very strong Swiss Diamond Cookware following in the last year," Uhlig says. "It is a well made product and performs beautifully. Once a customer buys one piece they are back for more.

"Appliances take up a much higher than average percentage of space in my store," she adds. "Because no else provides high-quality, small kitchen appliances in our area, customers rely on us to have everything."

According to Uhlig, Cucina Fresca strives to provide the best in kitchenware merchandise at fair prices while providing great service. "We are proud to provide an enjoyable shopping atmosphere with a down to earth attitude," she says. "We hope to remain the main source of culinary education and knowledge in our community. I have always considered my employees the most important asset of my business and I strive to make my store a great place to work. I feel one of the most patriotic acts you can do is operate a small business."

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Crystal Crate & Cargo Carves Out A Solid Reputation Among Locals And Vacationers In Northern Michigan

Located along the shores of picturesque Crystal Lake, specialty gourmet and gift retailer Crystal Crate & Cargo has developed a loyal following among local customers and a strong repeat business from tourists in its 32 years in business.

"We have third- and fourth-generation relationships with families," points out owner Sally Berlin. "They rely on our integrity and on our reputation for always having a unique collection of distinctive accessories for the home, as well as personal accessories and fashion items."

Crystal Crate & Cargo is located in Beulah, Michigan along the Betsie Valley Trail, in the shadow of the town's historic courthouse. The store features a broad variety of world-respected brands in home kitchen, and personal accessories, as well as some of northwest Michigan's finest artisan work and delectable pantry offerings. The assortment is showcased in 2,600 square feet of selling space, and select items are also featured in three rental suites located on the building's top floor.

Berlin opened Crystal Crate & Cargo in 1977 and today has seven employees. Although she was working as an X-ray technician, she had a secret yearning for the retail trade. "My grandfather started W.R. Smith Dry Goods, so I guess you could say retail is in my genes," she jokes, adding, "We believe we are actually in the entertainment business. People come to us for things that are wonderful and fun, but also useful and tangible. We're a friendly place for exchanging ideas, a place where people can come in and actually have a conversation. We pride ourselves on our knowledgeable salespeople and on our unique assortment."

Berlin points to several collections as examples."This past winter, we had tremendous success with a line of wooden bowls, handcrafted in Michigan and hand-decorated by an artist with various clever sayings," she notes. "We're devoted to OXO, because they have such a tremendous assortment. We do very well with Caldrea cleaning products, because they are a little luxury. On the fashion side, we do quite well with Vera Bradley and Baggallini. And in our Kids' Corner, we done well with educational toys from Melissa & Doug, as well as a great line of wooden trains from Montgomery Schoolhouse." The store also offers a full assortment of upscale cookware and food preparation brands, including Circulon, Swiss Diamond, Cuisinart, Swissmar and Rosle.

"About two-thirds of our business is done in the kitchen, housewares and tabletop area, and about one-third is done in the fashion and personal accessories categories," Berlin explains. "We do quite well with luxury brands, such as Fire & Light, Mariposa, Emile Henry, Milani Home and Thymes Ltd.

"People come to us for things that are just a little bit different, items that make great gifts or personal indulgences," Berlin adds. "If it can be called an accessory, we sell it!"

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