Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Kitchen, Dining & Housewares will move from Hall 2 to Hall 3 for Autumn Fair International 2014.
Exhibition organiser i2i Events Group said the new location (between Contemporary Gift & Home in Hall 3 and Home Interiors & Furniture in Hall 2) “will serve to attract exclusive cross-over buyers from the buoyant Home sector into Kitchen, Dining & Housewares; an increasingly important category of product for the gift and design-led homeware markets.”
Some 50 suppliers will showcase their latest products in Hall 3, including 10 that are brand new to the show including Stow Green, BergHOFF and Lekue/Emile Henry. Returning to Autumn Fair International this year are some of the biggest names in the industry including T&G Woodware, EPE International, Anniversary House, Arthur Price, The DRH Collection, Rayware, Neat Ideas, Fairmont & Main and Tunisie Porcelaine (the company’s only UK show of 2014).
The Cookshop & Housewares Association (CHA), which is a specialist division of the British Independent Retail Association (bira) will once again have a presence at the show, with a bar and lounge area. The CHA Café will be surrounded by exhibitors that are part of of bira’s buying group, bira Direct. A new CHA trail will be introduced, which is designed to make it easier for visitors to identify CHA members and companies offering relevant cross-over products located throughout the show.
Autumn Fair International will be held at the NEC in Birmingham from September 7 – 10 (volume halls open on September 6). i2i Events Group describes the event as the UK’s premier autumn retail trade exhibition. More than 60,000 new launches will be showcased at the show from over 1,400 UK and international exhibitors, 400 of which are new to Autumn Fair this year.
Other changes for 2014 include a New Ecommerce Zone in Hall 2 where exhibitors will cover the full range of internet services from online marketing and social media to state of the art payment systems; a rebranded Greetings, Gift & Craft sector in Hall 4; a revamped Fashion Catwalk to offer enhanced viewing from all angles; multiple product trails (eg Hobby & Craft, Ethical Product, Made in Britain, Exporters, Retail Services, Licensed Product, Body, Bath & Home Fragrance and Creative Britain); and a WGSN Homebuildlife-supported Trend Bar to provide design direction, while the Brands of China showcase has doubled in size to include more than 150 suppliers.
i2i Events Group said: “As consumers continue to follow the trend for last-minute buying around major occasions – especially Christmas – retailers are increasingly turning to shows held later in the year for their merchandising requirements. By buying little and often throughout the year they are able to minimise their financial risk, whilst sourcing from ranges that are on-trend and in stock. Halloween is another important selling opportunity that Autumn Fair exhibitors are perfectly placed to serve. Looking further ahead to 2015, Autumn Fair is also the prime event for retailers to get an early preview of hot new products for the crucial Spring seasons including Valentine’s, Mother’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day. With 10 market sectors and a vast array of giftware covering all consumer demographics, Autumn Fair offers unrivalled cross-over buying opportunities for retailers seeking to refresh their shelves.”
Product categories represented at Autumn Fair International 2014 include Gift, Contemporary Gift & Home, Greetings, Gift & Craft, Home Interiors & Furniture, Kitchen, Dining & Housewares, Children’s Gifts, Toys & Gadgets, Fashion Jewellery & Accessories, Gift, Home & Volume, Body, Bath & Home Fragrance, and The Summerhouse (featuring 36 designers from around the world).
