How to stand out among 2,100 exhibitors from around the world at the 2007 International Home & Housewares Show? By introducing the most meaningful and inventive small appliances, of course. For example, among the many new small appliances that Focus Electrics will feature today through Tuesday in Chicago at its Back to Basics and West Bend product brand booths are:
- a coffee and tea maker that involves zero brew time, no grounds, no mess, and makes switching between coffee, decaf, and tea as easy as blinking;
- an iced tea maker that defies an established tenet: that these products must be ugly;
- a slushie maker and re-usable cup that's fun and easy on the environment;
- blenders that accomplish their most important task ” to crush ice ” with ease;
- a multi-purpose can opener that accomplishes a myriad of on-the-spot countertop uses;
- a slow cooker that's "versatile in its approach - from stovetop to slow cooker to griddle¦it speaks the language of many cooking tasks;
- and, the answer to this year's quest for a new dinner-party trend - the Raclette.
Focus Electrics' product development and product marketing teams are credited with breathing new life into the blender category with the introduction of the Back to Basics smoothie maker a few years back. Most recently, the Back to Basics Egg & Muffin Toaster ” a 2007 Housewares Design Awards finalist ” has taken the U.S. consumer market by storm, becoming the number-one selling toaster for 2006, according to The NPD Group, Inc. Moreover, the West Bend Versatility slow cooker was reviewed and noted by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute as a "top performer among 16 models tested (Feb 2007).
With the recent blending of the former Back to Basics® Products, Inc. with West Bend® Housewares, Focus Electrics maintains two booths at McCormick Place this year to showcase the two brands. The following featured products are on display at their respective brand booths:
Back to Basics ” Lakeside Hall, Booth 13131
- Back to Basics'® new Ice Master line gives consumers a selection of next-generation blenders specifically designed to master their most important task with ease ” to make smooth icy drinks free of ice chips and chunks. The Ice Master 3000 combines a powerful motor with proven blending technology and an appealing countertop design to provide premier ice-crushing capabilities that rival more expensive competitive blenders. The line also includes a 1000/MSRP $39.99 model and 2000/MSRP $49.99 model. MSRP for the Ice Master 3000 is $59.99. Available begins in May online and at retail throughout the U.S.
- The Back to Basics® Slushie Express makes real slushies at home in less than one minute. Durable 200-watt motor and blade base provide the power needed to keep family and friends cool and refreshed. When flipped over, the dual-purpose Blending Container becomes a reusable Slushie Cup ready for serving ” no pouring required. Lid with top opening for Spoon-Straw makes for a realistic Slushie experience. Raised snowflake design on cup makes it easier to grip and lid stays on even if dropped. Slushie Cups also sold separately. MSRP: $19.99. Available at mass retailers throughout the U.S. beginning April 2007.
- Whether sipping iced tea while visiting with friends and family or grabbing a quick glass to quench a thirst, the Back to Basics®Iced Tea Maker easily satisfies tea tastes. This new Iced Tea Maker uses either bagged or loose tea to make two quarts of hot tea in a distinctive 2.5-quart glass pitcher. Variable settings control strength of freshly brewed tea. A sweetening process unique to this iced tea maker enables the addition of sweetener, if preferred, at the most optimal time ”when the tea is at its hottest. MSRP: $39.99. Available through JC Penney and other national retailers, April 2007.
- A hot beverage industry first, the BEVEO Coffee & Tea Maker incorporates the flexibility and quality demanded by today's coffee and tea drinker. The BEVEO Coffee & Tea Maker involves no brew time, nor messy grounds. For single-cup or carafe-sized servings, the unique BEVEO Coffee & Tea Maker instantaneously dispenses coffee or tea, giving hot beverage drinkers of all types immediate satisfaction. Includes temperature and strength control as well as a digital programmable clock. Supported by a line of BEVEO Coffee and BEVEO Teas at retail and online at www.beveo.com. MSRP: $179.99; at retail beginning May 2007.
West Bend ” Lakeside Hall, Booth 11702
- The 6-quart West Bend® Versatility Slow Cooker accomplishes many cooking tasks ” literally making it a kitchen workhorse. From its ability to accommodate quick breakfast items to operating independently as an all-day slow cooker, the Versatility goes from the stovetop, oven, refrigerator, and dishwasher with ease. A non-stick, oval cooking pot accommodates many food types, and a non-stick griddle incorporates a high heat setting that makes it ideal for grilled sandwiches, breakfast items, or gravy. MSRP: call; available June 2007.
- The West Bend® Raclette Party Grill makes other dinner party themes passé. This Raclette gives each guest the ability to cook their own combination of meat, seafood, and vegetables, as well as the traditional Swiss cheese dish known as raclette, right at the table, inside or on the patio. Interchangeable cooking stone and grill top as well as adjustable temperature control. Includes eight raclette dishes and spatulas. MSRP: call; available June 2007.
- The multi-functional West Bend® Power Tower incorporates the ability to perform many simple kitchen tasks within the scope of one appliance. Opening cans, grating cheese, juicing citrus, sharpening knives, and opening bottles are now possible with just one appliance. A removable head design allows the following Power Tower attachments to be easily switched and stored:
-- Juicer, with removable cone and pulp strainer
-- Cheese grater, with removable shredder blade and pusher
-- Can opener, with large, self-piercing blade,
lid-retaining magnet, and can retention feature
-- Bottle opener, with pull tab feature, bag slitting
knife
-- Knife sharpener also included in the base of the Power
Tower
MSRP: $59.99; available through JC Penney beginning April 2007.Editor's Note: Product samples and photography available.
Please contact Melissa Clyne at 801.486.6763 or cell - 801.860.1458; scribe3@mindspring.com
ABOUT FOCUS ELECTRICS
An innovative kitchen electrics and seasonal products brand, Back to Basics® recently combined operations with renowned U.S. housewares industry brand West Bend® to form "Focus Electrics, a division of Focus Products Group, LLC (www.focuspg.com). Driving synergistic development between the brands, Focus Electrics Group will continue to market Back to Basics and West Bend-branded products, and will introduce new brands to the marketplace, such as BEVEO through a license agreement with ICC Innovations (www.iccinnovations.com).
©2007 Focus Electrics LLC. Back to Basics and West Bend are registered trademarks in the United States and other countries. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
