Consumers of all ages, from young millennials to aging boomers, are giving health and wellness their full attention, incorporating more mindful eating into their busy lifestyles. Happily for these shoppers, there is no shortage of innovative housewares rolling out--from juicers, blenders and food dehydrators to veggie, salad and fruit gadgets, as well as an array of food-prep tools, and nonstick and ceramic cookware and bakeware--to support better eating.
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"For a millennial, the trend of being healthy means more than weight loss or looking good, it's a more holistic approach to health," said Meagan Bradley, vice president of marketing for The Legacy Companies, makers of Omega-branded juicers and Excalibur food dehydrators, among other product categories. "Offering them a tool that gives them the ability to customize the food that goes into their body is just as important as their exercise regimen." The baby boomer generation is more independent than past seniors, and they fear the increasing cost of health care, according to Bradley. "We find they desire products that [help them] incorporate more raw foods into their diets as a natural, affordable alternative to pills and medicine."
Ann Knies, owner of Kitchen Essentials/Chocolate Bliss in Jasper, Ind., offers customers both kitchenware and gourmet foods--many of them on the more healthful side such as olive oils and vinegars, and specialty nut oils. "Every age group from young to old, men and women are expressing an interest in eating healthier and eating at home," she said. "They may purchase different products, but a focus on healthier eating is the driving reason behind the sale." Popular housewares products in Knies' stores that support healthy eating include good quality salad spinners and stainless-steel bowls. "These are staple items that hold their value in the customer's mind," she said. "Product demonstrations and hands-on use of [more complex] items" is important too.
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Ease of use and convenience are also key, according to Jeff Logan, director of marketing for Dexas International, maker of kitchen gadgets and tools as well as convenient serveware. "We remain committed to manufacturing products that make it easy and practical to prepare fresh produce quickly and easily for daily consumption," he said. "Our products that combine silicone and polypropylene are great for quick, daily use and can go right into the dishwasher."
For small electrics at retail, manufacturers say it is imperative to communicate ease-of-use to the consumer when it comes to assembly, disassembly and cleaning. "Once a consumer understands this, they are no longer intimidated to work a product into their daily diet regimen," Bradley said.
Veggie and Fruit Enablers
Juicers and blenders continue to strike a cord with consumers as a means to increase their vegetable and fruit consumption. Although the juicer category quickly became overcrowded several years ago and appeared to be trending downward, Omega juicers are still doing well, Bradley said. "For a few years, there was an ocean of juicer brands occupying neutral ground where features were obscure," she said. "Omega's team continued to deliver great products and innovation that matters to consumers. As a result, Omega is still trending well and remains on solid ground."
Dehydrators, once considered a niche segment, are gaining interest as more grocery stores offer a wider selection of dried fruits and veggie snacks. "Consumers are realizing they can make these same snacks at a fraction of the cost using [a high quality] dehydrator,"
Bradley said.
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Another category on the rise is purified water, Bradley said. "Take Back the Tap is a health and wellness trend on the rise," she added, noting that the Flint, Mich, water crisis has more people understanding that filtered water doesn't purify water, remove lead and other impurities. "The only way to make pure water is to distill it," she said, noting that recent sales of the company's Nautilus Distillers are on the rise.