 Wegmans is just one supermarket china that is targeting consumer dining out dollars - AP photo Wondering why there are few less customers enjoying your lunch menu or why you are only getting half the number of daily covers you had been getting only a few months back? Maybe that new grocery store that opened up down the street is the answer. Our recent visits to check out a Baltimore Harris Teeter and a Wegmans supermarket were impressive to be sure. According to The Motley Fool, supermarkets are moving beyond the deli counter and are seeking to attract some of those dollars that have traditionally flowed to restaurants in an effort to shore up their own bottom line. |  The new Harris Teeter store in Federal Hill area of Baltimore makes the choice of where to have lunch more interesting with a wide variety of freshly cooked foods and a large balcony dining area. | The thinking is that money spent at restaurants is money not spent at the grocery store. It's a trend that's crossing over even at convenience stores, where pharmacy chain Walgreen is looking to blur the distinction between its stores and fast-casual restaurants with hand-rolled sushi and sashimi, baristas, and self-serve frozen yogurt stations. As if you didn't already have enough reasons to differentiate your restuarant!To read the entire article, go here: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/04/09/supermarkets-preparing-to-eat-restaurants-lunch.aspxTabletop companies.....have you considered the implications of this trend on your business?
We've mentioned it before, but the hospitality industry is a very giving, benevolent group. Restaurateurs, chefs, distributors, and manufacturers all give of their time ...and their money - to events on local, national, and international levels. Last week, we ran a story on U.K. tabletop company Churchill and their efforts of support for a local hospice charity- the Douglas Macmillan Hospice Now, here's a link to a blog devoted specifically to the ch - http://churchilldoingitfordougie.blogspot.com/You'll definitely want to check it out!And, here is a link to last week's article detailing more of Churchill's support and how they intend to raise £40,000 in honor of the charity's 40th anniversary: http://www.tabletopjournal.com/1/post/2013/04/churchill-china-raises-fund-for-local-uk-hospice-charity.htmlAnd, congratulations to Churchill's Paul Smith on his new PR in the London Marathon! Well done.
American tabletop company and category leader Fortessa CEO and Co-President Scott Hamberger announces via video the opening of their new Dubai showroom. To see the entire collection of Fortessa products for the hospitality industry, go here: http://www.fortessa.com/
 Steelite International has unveiled a new structure which it hopes will aid its expansion plans. A series of promotions at both Steelite and recent acquisition Royal Crown Derby will help deliver growth across the group, it suggests. Neil Hooper has been appointed as Managing Director for Steelite International Europe and Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and he will head up a newly-formed Operations Team for those regions. The team will be overseen by the Group Operating Board, and Phil Ray takes a seat on the Board in his new position as Company Secretary, with Wendy Dean as Group Human Resources Director. Kevin Oakes, Chief Executive of Steelite International, said: “We’ve enjoyed really strong growth, but we have no intention of resting on our laurels. “We are committed to manufacturing in Stoke-on-Trent, and sales growth allows us to invest in the site here and to develop products that help us compete around the world. The new Operations Team will help us do just that. They all have specialist skills, but they are also very commercially aware and share my passion and vision for this business. It’s a real pleasure to be able to bring on the next generation of exceptional managers and to reward people who have made an outstanding contribution to Steelite International.” Steelite bought Royal Crown Derby last year. Production of the world-famous china and giftware, which dates back to 1750, will remain in Derby – retaining the skills of its 200-strong workforce and paving the way for growth beyond the current annual turnover of about £7 million. A new structure will also act as a springboard for increased sales at Royal Crown Derby. Mr Oakes said: “Royal Crown Derby is famous the world over and we’re proud to be the new custodians of the brand. We want to protect and enhance the name whilst also reinvigorating it and introducing it to the hospitality market. The new structure is streamlined and very commercially-focused, which will pave the way for significant growth.”
 A ton of progress is being made to deliver a much improved hospitality tabletop component to next November’s IHMRS Show in New York. As you know, the show is held each year at the Javits Center, with the 2013 version set for November 10-12th. We reported earlier in the year that Hospitality Media Group now has the management contract for the show and Phil Robinson is the new VP Group Show Director for HMG, responsible for the development and management of the IHMRS show.
With a commitment to celebrating the great products, people, and places of the hospitality tabletop segment, TabletopJournal is partnering with HMG to help deliver a dramatically improved hospitality tabletop show. So, there’s lots of reason to be excited about hospitality tabletop in New York this coming November.
So, here are just some of the improvements so far….
….first, building on the IHMRS Show’s success using the “show within a show” focused concept, the tabletop section has been re-named “Hospitality Tabletop: Differentiating By Design”. By focusing on just the tabletop section, we can give the category a focused marketing effort letting industry decision makers know that November in New York is THE place to see the best in hospitality tabletop design.
….second, there will be a series of educational tabletop seminars with industry experts conducted in the “Tabletop Matters Theater”, which will be located in the middle of the tabletop section of the show floor. Seminar topics will include the future of tabletop design, developing the beverage-only experience, and how & why to have a “green” tabletop.
….third, there will be an adjoining “pop-up” Lobby Bar Concept constructed to showcase new bar & beverage concepts; this area will also serve as a concierge area for show attendees and exhibitors to relax, network, and conduct business.
….fourth, a hospitality tabletop products recognition awards program is being developed to additionally celebrate the many great tabletop products that are being developed to elevate and differentiate the hospitality dining experience. Look for more news very soon on the nomination process and the categories to be involved.
…finally, special exhibitor packages are being developed to make it easier than ever for tabletop companies to exhibit. With a heavy emphasis on design and future tabletop trends, this will be the one tabletop show you don’t want to miss. We will be coming back to you soon with details.
This is all in addition to working with the American Hotel & Lodging Association, local NYC Hotel Assn, and more to insure a higher level of both the quantity and the quality of show attendees. Look for a lot more decision makers in the aisles of Hospitality Tabletop: Differentiating By Design.
We’ve also developed a Twitter handle - @IHMRStabletop – and a separate show website www.HospitalityTabletop.com and blog is underway to bring you the latest news on the many upgrades that are being done to make “Hospitality Tabletop: Differentiating By Design” the hospitality industry’s greatest tabletop showcase!
So, save the date and plan on being in New York next November 10-12!
It’s going to be a whole new show!
 The International Food & Beverage Forum has announced it is celebrating its 20th anniversary year of support to the food and beverage industry. Having helped a great number of young hospitality professionals to get a better start to their careers through the funding of scholarships, the IF&B Forum has also honored 17 Restaurateurs of the year and inducted 31 Hoteliers & Beverage Industry professionals into the International Food & Beverage Forum Hall of Fame. On April 3rd, the group celebrated the 10th anniversary of their International Food & Beverage Forum Hall of Fame Society with a special toast at a group dinner held in Frankfurt. This year is set to be another busy year for the International Food & Beverage Forum says group Founder and President Kurt H. Fischer. “In addition to celebrating our 20th anniversary, we look forward inducting out 50th Honoree into The International Food & Beverage Forum’s Hall of Fame and we will be moving the permanent home of the IF&B Forum Hall of Fame to its new location in Chicago. Finally, last fall’s auction achieved a record level of sales allowing us to further fund the scholarship program that proves so helpful to those starting their hospitality careers. Our goal this year will be to improve upon this record-setting fundraising effort.” The International Food & Beverage Forum will hold its annual breakfast meeting in Chicago at the Chicago Hilton Magnificent Mile Suites during the National Restaurant Show to be held in mid-May. For more information on the International Food & Beverage Forum, please go here: www.foodandbeverageforum.com
TabletopJournal has written about the fact that one of the best ways to increase your ROI when participating in trade shows is to take advantage of the “free” marketing and promotional opportunities that are available for exhibitors.
One of the easiest opportunities to take advantage of is to make a press kit and have it available - both in your booth and in the show “press room”. Having a press kit helps make sure that members of the press who are going to write about your company and products get their facts correct. It also makes arriving at the storyline much easier for the author of the article, meaning that it is much more likely that the exhibitor’s story will be told. You want your press kit to be one-stop shopping for any journalist looking to write about your company.  We feel every press kit should include the following elements:
Company overview: What does your company do? When did it start? Is there something unique about your founding that people might be interested in? The overview is the place to sum up your business so that even someone who hasn't heard of you before will understand what you operation is all about. This can also include a fact sheet listing elements of your business or a timeline of growth and achievements. Often, a company’s history is well known, but just as often it’s not. And even for “well known” companies, often what is known about them is not correct or the company is trying to change its image in some way. A company overview is a good place to do that.
Biographies: Use this section to talk about your company's founders, CEO, chairperson, VP, Sales & Marketing, investors or any other key players. In the hospitality tabletop business, the essence of many companies is its topline management. So, why not provide background and let people understand who the people behind the brand and the products are? Keep the biography concise and relevant, but understand that space available for the article may dictate editing, particularly for online publications that may likely be read on mobile devices.
FAQs: This section may be the most informative part of the press kit. By using a Q&A format to questions that you know will eventually get asked, you save yourself – and the author of your article – time. You can also use this section to differentiate your product or company by the questions you use and the answers provided. As you develop your questions, make sure to include your sales team and address the questions that they feel their customers will bring up.
Press Releases: Have several recent press releases, ideally in both print and hard copy for images and on a CD or thumb drive. Again, you want to make as easy as possible for the publications to get your story into print. If you don’t have recent press releases, think again. Nearly all companies do things weekly that are press release worthy. Donated to a charity? Have a new product? How about a new website? Hire a new employee? Have an executive who has been quoted in the press? Start a new customer relationship recently? Also, try to include a quote or two in your press release as it always personalizes the news and your company and always make sure names and titles (properly spelled) are included. Images: Be sure to include multiple images – again, both hard copy and digital – that help tell your story. These should be images that can be easily used individually or collectively. Also, if you can do it, hi-resolution images allow for maximum flexibility in case a publication needs to crop them. These photos can be of your products, your executives, your customers, or your manufacturing process. But, remember, to use images that reinforce the press releases or the story that you are trying to
tell. In today’s age of being able to shoot high resolution images on $200 cameras, providing solid images to support your story should not be an issue. Always make sure that you have the rights to use the pictures you include in your press kit.
In your images, make sure to include a copy of your company’s current logo, as well.
If you have videos or the ability to produce them, be sure to include these as well. When doing so, however, keep them short - we think videos under two minutes in length work best.
Contact information: While this may seem simple, you might be surprised how often this is left out of press kits. Make sure you list phone numbers and e-mail addresses for your company spokesperson, public relations person, or a designated staff member who handles media requests. Also include social media platform handles and addresses, as well.
And, finally, remember, a press kit doesn’t have to be fancy or cost a lot to produce – but it does have to contain useful and easy to access information. Press people are trying to quickly determine how your story is relevant to their readers and how they can convey that story in a quick and accurate manner.
So, keep it simple and keep it informative….and you’ll be successful at getting articles placed and having your brand story told.
Accoridng to Stock Market Watch, Churchill China's pre-tax profits increased 15% to £3.1m in the year to the end of December despite revenues slipping to £41.4m from £42.3m. Operating profits at the manufacturer and global distributor of ceramic and related products to hospitality and retail markets rose by 4% to £2.8m. The proposed final dividend of 9.4p per share (2011: 9.2p) takes the total to 14.2p (2011: 14.0p). Chairman Jonathan Sparey said : "Churchill China has delivered a good set of results for 2012 and has started 2013 on a positive note. We have an ambitious programme of new product development to drive future returns and I am confident we will continue to improve our operating performance in 2013."Churchill has recently launched its new BAMBOO shape and added a variety of new items to its GLIDE shape.
| Steelite USA President John Miles opened the company’s annual Sales Conference tonight with a theme of ”Building Bridges Together” at Mansion on Fifth which is among the last of the grand mansions of Pittsburgh’s storied “Millionaires Row,” home to many great turn-of-the-century industrialists and financiers.
“There are many ‘take aways’ for the participants that need to happen at great sales meetings,” commented Miles. “From giving out new product information to recognition of great sales efforts to overall team building – and we work hard to make sure to all these are included. Steelite always has.”
Company personnel from all over North America, Steelite USA headquarters, and Steelite's UK offices all joined in the tonight's opening events.
|  Steelite design leader Andrew Klimecki and Grammy Award winning record producer Steve Lillywhite at the opening party of Steelite USA's 2013 Sales Conference. | Steelite also had on hand as keynote speaker was Grammy Award winning (U2, Dave Matthews Band, 30 Seconds to Mars) record producer Steve Lillywhite who spoke on the success that can come from always staying passionate about your craft - whether it be music or tabletop. Weaving in stories about his famed music clients, Lillywhite told the group that keys to achieving and maintaining success were to keep the journey fresh and to remain relevant. And, that it's all about the passion. Well received by the crowded room, Lillywhite's comments set the tone for an upbeat, creative evening and a great start to the overall conference.  Steelite had rooms in the mansion decorated with the wide range of the company's products set in multiple vignettes. Showing room service, bathroom amenity items, fine dining tabletop displays and more, products were shown in a wide range of use. The remainder of the Sales Conference agenda includes industry updates, a presentation on newly acquired Royal Crown Derby, and sales training seminars, concluding with Steelite's Annual Awards Dinner
 Left to Right: Michael Hartman, Antoinette D'Ambrosio & Jennifer Lauritzen from i-Sell Solutions, Inc. with Michael Cleveland, Director of Sales from Hollowick During a special presentation at last month's NAFEM Show in Orlando, Hollowick announced a couple of special company awards. First, i-Sell Solutions Inc., based in Portland, OR, was named the HOLLOWICK REPRESENTATIVES OF THE YEAR. Principals Michael Hartman & Antoinette D'Ambrosio along with Sales Representative Jennifer Lauritzen were on hand to accept this award on the behalf of their company. The Hollowick Rep of the Year is awarded to the Hollowick Representative Organization for superior sales performance and support of Hollowick throughout the previous year. "i-Sell Solutions was able to significantly grow Hollowick sales last year across all our product categories by focusing on new business and growing existing business with our key strategic partners in their area. Those efforts, along with their ongoing everyday support of our line made this group the ideal choice for this year's Rep of the Year.", said Paul Kuzina, Hollowick's Director of Marketing.  Alan Squier, Dining Essentials |  Bill Squier, Dining Essentials | Hollowick also announced the induction of Alan Squier and Bill Squier from Dining Essentials Inc. (A Squier Company), based in Rockville, MD, into HOLLOWICK's HALL OF FLAME. The announcement was also made during another special presentation at the NAFEM Show.
"The Hall of Flame is the highest level of recognition Hollowick gives. It is only awarded to select individuals within the Hollowick Community that we feel have made a significant contribution to the long-term success of our company. Our latest induction is not one person, but a pair of remarkable individuals. Each has made their own unique contribution to Hollowick's success, however we believe it is their collaborative efforts that are truly worthy of our highest honor. Our relationship with them goes back almost 30 years and their dedication, integrity and professionalism is recognized throughout the industry." said Kuzina.
Past inductees into Hollowick's Hall of Flame are...
Jerry & Beverly Menter - founders of Hollowick
Jon & Pat Bolles - former Hollowick VP of Sales & wife
Robert Spence - Principal, Spence-Wells Associates (Hollowick Representative in New England Market)
| Hollowick also named Mary Jo Jansen with Dining Essentials, Inc. (A Squier Co.) as the 2012 HOLLOWICK HIGHLIGHT recipient. Dining Essentials, Inc. (A Squier Co.) is based in Rockville, MD.
The HOLLOWICK HIGHLIGHT AWARD is a special recognition given to a specific individual within the Hollowick Community for their exemplary dedication, enthusiasm and professionalism.
"This year's HIGHLIGHT recipient exemplifies all of these traits, not only for Hollowick, but for all the lines she represents. She is truly one of the hardest working people I know and it is always a distinct pleasure working with her." said Paul Kuzina, Hollowick's Director of Marketing.
|  Hollowick's Paul Kuzina presents his company's Hollowick Highlight Award to Mary Jo Jansen from Dining Essentials |
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