Take a deep dive into the world of how generative AI, social commerce, and the ever growing world of Amazon are reshaping our industry. Pattern, the industry’s leading Ecommerce Accelerator (and Amazon’s largest marketplace seller), maintains a data lake of more than 300 trillion data points and enables the active brand endorsements of 100,000+ creators. Join Pattern’s session as we dive into what‘s possible when you transform data into real-time generative AI, craft targeted influencer strategies, and harness Amazon’s ecosystem to propel unprecedented growth.

This session will explore what is happening in the tableware industry–who are the leaders; where and how it is being sold; and what are the shifts and opportunities for suppliers. On the retail side, discussion will include how retailers are buying product, what they are buying, what is selling how and how vendors can work with them in this fast-paced changing world as the next generation moves into needing and purchasing this category.

This encapsulated review of the new 2024 Value Equation Index™* reveals an ever-changing kaleidoscope of the demands, desires and sometimes conflicting expectations of today’s consumer. We want maximum experience with minimal effort. We expect products with strong durability and flexible technology. We demand privacy and insist on transparency. In short, we want it all. Staying in step with these shifting definitions of value means learning to listen in new ways. Are you a good listener? It’s time to find out. Tom Mirabile, trend strategist and expert resource to IHA, explores the latest intelligence on what will matter most to consumers through 2024 and beyond, including unique comparisons of the industry’s perceptions of consumer opinion and the true opinions of consumers. You will leave with a new perspective of the consumer and new tools to inform your business strategy. *The 2024 Value Equation Index™ is a collaborative research project of IHA, Springboard Futures, Project Partners Network and The Trend Curve.

Branding is not a cute logo and a sharp looking website. Branding is storytelling. Brand guru Adrienne Weiss will walk through her vision of what a compelling brand story is and how to communicate it to your customers. If you want to have an emotional connection to your customers, regardless of whether you are a B-to-B company or are talking directly to consumers, you need to think about what you say, how you say it and where your opportunities are to create a lasting bond. Whether you are a startup, a multinational, well-known brand or anything in between, you can benefit from her lessons.

This update on PFAS regulation and what the housewares industry needs to know will explain the latest legislative requirements related to PFAS and how housewares suppliers need to adapt.

As we navigate through the changing tides of consumer behavior, technological advancements and market trends, we dissect the intricate ways in which retailers are embracing innovation. From augmented reality shopping experiences to AI-powered personalization, this presentation unveils the cutting-edge technologies that are reshaping the retail ecosystem. The concept of elevation goes beyond just products on shelves. The gia Expert Jurors will delve into how retailers are elevating their spaces, services and overall brand image to create an immersive and unforgettable customer journey. From sustainable practices to community engagement initiatives, discover how retailers are enhancing their impact on both individuals and the world around them.

The Lacey Act makes it unlawful to “import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any plant, with some limited exceptions, taken or traded in violation of the laws of the United States, a U.S. State, or a foreign country.” In this session, learn from Ashley Amidon of the International Wood Products Association about how the Lacey Act applies to your supply chain, and about new federal Declaration paperwork requirements that will soon be required for every imported product using wood. This includes kitchen tools, tableware and serveware, cutting boards, spice mills, baskets, cloth, bamboo products, cork, essential oils and olive oil. Lacey covers everyone in the supply chain. Whether you are an importer of record or simply using imported wood inputs in a finished product, this session will tell you the information you need today to prepare your compliance program for the Declaration later this year. Not sure if the Lacey Act applies to you? If you’re using imported wood, it does! Also in this session, Craig Brightup and Rafe Morrissey of the International Housewares Association Government Affairs office will share updates on other key regulatory issues impacting the home and housewares industry.

Has your company thought about investing in public relations or are they looking to create a better strategy? How will your brand cut through the clutter of SEO, affiliate marketing and the ever-changing media world to tell its story efficiently? What investments do you have to make and what platforms should you be on? Emily Cappiello will lead a panel discussion about the shifting dynamic in media and what housewares suppliers need to do to secure quality placements for their brand. The panel will cover the basics of public relations and discuss how important meaningful relationships with members of the media are. Panelists include Susan Jardina, owner, Jardina Communications; Kristyn Fuller, managing director, Field Marketing + Media; Erica Finemore, home director, Real Simple; Nicole Papantoniou, director, Kitchen Appliance Lab, Good Housekeeping.

Delivery and take-out from restaurants skyrocketed through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued with solid growth into 2023. Meanwhile, smart dishwasher usage data points to a more frequent wash use under the latest hybrid home-working regime. Use and abuse trends are visible for in-home dining and eating on-the-go, and it is pointing to an ever-rising need for material innovation and better sustainability via durability. Revenues from grocery for food and drink reveal that meal preparation activities within U.S. homes are also proving robust, with food sales growing again in 2023 beyond inflation. However, specific ingredients stand out (such as a spike in egg demand) giving indications of how dietary and meal choices have been changing in the last year towards more simple and quick meal preparation habits than what happened during 2020.This change means a movement within homewares and cookware purchases, as consumers will prefer simple, muti-purpose or day-to-day items versus more specialized products. This presentation will analyze and overlap data from the consumer foodservice industry and grocery food shopping sector, with the industry performance in homewares and cookware. Consumer behaviors and trends allow Euromonitor to share what is happening in the U.S. with cooking and eating out, and how companies can best prepare for the challenges and opportunities this presents.

Join Doug Murless, the “Point-of-Sale Data Guy,” as he exposes the flaws in traditional retailer replenishment systems that annually cost brands thousands of dollars in lost sales. Uncover the game-changing potential of mining retailers’ point-of-sale data to reclaim these losses. This presentation doesn’t just highlight replenishment system flaws, such as phantom inventory, misallocated stock, dropped product/store combinations, etc. It will provide actionable ideas and concepts suppliers can implement as early as tomorrow to secure newfound orders and uncover the profitable nuggets of gold within their retailer’s point-of-sale data. Learn how leveraging point-of-sale data strategies can significantly boost a bottom line!