Selected Archives
Selected stories 2011-2021
From Corona Hotelware's blog: "The Art of Plating":
First impressions are important. When it comes to presenting food to your guests, using the right plates are the solid foundation that will allow your dish to shine. Just like Chef Don Walker says in this video about using unique plates, “You’re not really doing anything different to the food, but the plate helps the dish be so much more interesting.” Whether it’s a patterns, shapes or colors, playing around with different styles can really affect the feel of your dish. It’s something fun to experiment with at home, as well as in your restaurant. Some more tips include:
At their just concluded General Meeting in Munich, Germany, BHS tabletop Group – manufacturers and marketers of the Bauscher, Tafelstern, and Schonwald porcelain brands - looked back at a positive business year in 2011 and once again presented its shareholders with a very good result – despite the difficult economic conditions caused by the euro debt crisis. Due to the positive earnings situation, a dividend of 0.56 euros per share has been decided on, 10 percent more than in the previous year. With a year-end price of 11.35 euros per share, that corresponds to a dividend yield of 4.9 percent. A world market leader for professional porcelain for the hotel and restaurant industry and catering, headquartered in Selb, Germany, BHS tabletop Group was able to show a slight sales increase in 2011, after strong growth the previous year.
Company sales of its brands Bauscher, Tafelstern professional porcelain, and Schönwald were 87.3 million euros (previous year: 86.5 million, gain of 0.9 percent) and the company’s annual net profit was 4.0 million euros (previous year: 5.6). This moderate growth was achieved despite the flare up of the euro debt crisis in the second half of 2011, which noticeably impacted the business in some of the European markets which are very important for the company. The export ratio increased from 46.0 percent (2010) to 47.8 percent. ‘In a market which continues to be very difficult and an economic environment which brought a significant headwind no later than the middle of the year, BHS tabletop AG was once again able to achieve a very good result in 2011 based on a clear business model,’ said Christian Strootmann, Chief Executive Officer of BHS tabletop AG, at the general meeting in Munich. A clear profit again The Group’s consolidated pre-tax profit (EBT) in 2011 was 4.1 million euros (previous year: 4.5 million euros). The Group’s consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) were 10.2 million euros (previous year: 10.7 million), and earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) were 5.8 million euros (previous year: 6.4 million euros). Equity ratio at a sound level In the 2011 business year, BHS tabletop Group was able to significantly increase its equity from 35.8 million euros to 38.0 million euros. The equity ratio improved from 41.0 percent (2010) to 43.9 percent. Thanks to its positive results in the 2010 and 2011 business years, the company’s capitalisation returned to the very sound level of the period before the recession year of 2009. Worldwide leader in energy efficiency In 2011, BHS tabletop Group continued to promote the expansion of its technology leadership and invested around 4 million euros. The focus of activities in 2011 included the implementation and auditing of the new energy management standard ISO 50001. With its successful certification, BHS tabletop AG has taken a global pioneering role in the porcelain industry. Further investments of around 5 million euros are planned for the 2012 business year. They will be particularly directed to the modernisation of production. Despite numerous successes in energy efficiency measures, energy costs at BHS tabletop AG have risen by several million euros in recent years. In his speech, Christian Strootmann demanded that politicians create stable conditions for companies in Germany and do not carry out energy policy changes on the backs of individual market participants. He warned that otherwise this would jeopardise ‘the willingness and ability to invest and, ultimately, jobs.’ Number of training positions increased significantly In 2011, on average 1,065 people were employed by BHS tabletop Group (previous year: 1,058). As part of a comprehensive human resources development strategy, the number of training positions was increased from 28 to 36. Outlook 2012: Renewed positive result despite difficult economic conditions, BHS tabletop Group remains confident for the current 2012 business year. However, due to the euro debt crisis, the Executive Board assumes a maximum turnover at the level of the previous year. A positive result is expected, but due to further increases in energy and personnel costs, it may be less than the high level of the previous year. You can learn more about the BHS tabletop Group and their brands by going here: http://www.bhs-tabletop.de/ Are we finally beginning a subtle move back to decorated dinnerware? Well, RAK Porcelain has introduced 4 new designs that offer chefs distinctive ways to differentiate their tabletops and enhance the dining experience for their guests. Clockwise above (from far left): YASMEEN: With its mineral shade, the YASMEEN collection reflects serenity. Both appeasing and contemporary, YASMEEN blends beautifully with RAK's Banquet collection to create a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere. CASTELLO: In shades of pastel colors, the CASTELLO collection brings out an atmosphere of hushed elegance, designed to create moments of mellowness. CASTELLO beautifully links classicism and cocoon-like atmosphere. TWEEG: Discrete and charming, the TWEEG product line exudes nature, greenery, and simplicity. It expresses exquisite freshness, a lightness of being whcih lets you drift off into another world. 1973: The 1973 design reminds us of a time when demands for freedom were born with the emergence of nonconformity resulting in a brightly colored design. This product line takes us on a journey back in time to the Seventies. Hmmmm....coould it be that the RAK Porcelain folks are at the forefront of a new trend in decorated dinnerware? Could the high tide of white dinnerware finally be receding? To see the entire collection of dinnerware products from RAK Porcelain, go here: http://www.rakporcelain.com/
For many chefs, food & beverage managers, and caterers, the name Turgla is synonymous with beautiful, handmade glass tabletop plates, bowls and platters. But, Turgla is more than simply colorful glass plates - although their glass pieces are indeed, beautiful!
New York Metro area trade publication Total Foodservice News sat down with Arc International's USA subsidiary Cardinal Glass President Bryan O’Rourke to talk about tabletop trends and what impact buying groups have had on the industry. What brought you to foodservice? I was always interested in food and beverage as a hobby. My background was in Wall Street, where I worked for Salomon Brothers. I moved to Washington, DC to be closer to my brother, who was starting a company down there, and I became friendly with the general manager of the Willard Intercontinental Hotel, and it turned into a job, and through that I met Richard Raphael at Cardinal Glass. I coordinated their standardization program at Marriott in 1995, and then from there became Sales Manager for the standardization program and worked my way up the ranks at Cardinal. What is the most important quality in doing business today in Food Service? People want to be able to trust the people they’re doing business with, and that’s what I bring into the equation. Their needs are identified through what I do best, which is to listen and execute. When I take into account what their needs are, I improve their buying experience. The fact that I’ve been on both sides of the desk gives me a big advantage. When you build trust into the equation, I believe that all parties win. There’s really no difference between what my dealers need and what my end-users need. What impact have buying groups had on this industry? It’s a very fine line to walk. Buying groups are looking for deals, and opportunities to take advantage of. But they also have to be held accountable for the relationships with manufacturers. I believe that you have to protect the people who protect you. We treat our clients with integrity, and we trust that they will act similarly towards us. Do you think dealers will continue to be a major part of how our industry functions? Absolutely. They have a vital role to play, managing the relationship between the end-user and the manufacturer. I think the Internet has actually helped dealers keep track of new products and really become the most educated consumers they can be. You’ve kept a lot of your manufacturing here in the United States. Why is that a priority for you? For us, it’s a matter of values. I’m proud to be part of an organization that’s committed to US manufacturing and New Jersey manufacturing more specifically. Also, I like having the plant close to me, because I can walk onto the plant floor, and interact with everyone. It gives us all a sense of pride to produce the best glassware possible. Do you think that the choice you’ve made would be viable in other industries? Are we poised for resurgence in American manufacturing? It’s all about desire. If you take the risk, you’ll reap the rewards. You have to really desire to do it –It’s a commitment that we believe in supporting. We had two advantages: we already had the factory in place, and we could build on an infrastructure that was already there. But for us, that’s part of a larger global strategy to manufacture close to our customers, and in local currency. The world is increasingly interconnected: the ups and downs of the economy in France affect us here in the US. What makes great glass? We make great glass because we have great equipment. But it’s also the knowledge of our staff at our plant in Millville, and also their commitment as well. We work hard to constantly invest in our people to ensure that they continue to produce that same high quality product day in and day out. This is where being privately owned is a huge advantage for us: it gives us the freedom to really invest in our people and our equipment, without having to constantly worry about shareholders. What are some important steps for creating a “Green” product and is there any waste that can be recycled or re-used? The most important step is the furnaces, in which the sand is melted down. Our furnaces get up to about 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. At this step in the process, we can separate out impurities to create clean and clear glassware. Arc has just invested $40 million to expand capacity and find new ways to reduce primary emissions from its glass furnaces. In fact, Millville, NJ now operates the cleanest and greenest glass making facility in the world. We use cullet, or waste glass in our materials mix to aid in the melting processes, and as a zero-waste plant, we donate any glass we can’t use to the state highway department for use in paving. For us, this is good smart manufacturing; this isn’t just a “Green” fad. What trends do you see emerging in tabletop design? You always have to introduce new products. Everyone’s always looking for the newest, best thing. The trends are driven by competition between restaurants, each of which wants to put their own personal seal on tabletop design. We design our collections around the needs of our clients. Especially with our high-end Chefs, Sommeliers and Mixologists - they’re always looking for something different, something that really expresses their creativity and complements the food that’s going to be plated and the drinks that are going to be poured. Recently, we’ve seen sommelier and food manager communities grow in size and sophistication. How has that impacted the designs you take to market? They want to have their core competencies taken care of. They want designs that are clear, crisp, and effective. With the wines in particular: we’re seeing a lot of young wines being poured these days. So we’ve designed a new line of wine glasses that helps to enhance the flavor of the wine. What does the AJC honor mean to you? It’s an unbelievable feeling to be recognized by customers, friends, and industry colleagues. It’s really important for me to give back, because I really care about the community and the people in it. What does the future hold for you and for Cardinal? We’re going to continue to invest in areas with potential for growth, and especially in our people. That’s what has led us to so much success, and that’s how we’re going to continue to grow and take advantage of new opportunities that arise. To learn more about Total FoodService, the New York Metro's leading foodservice publication, go here: http://totalfood.com/
According to retail industry publication HFN, Italian tabletop company Richard Ginori is in liquidation, according to a statement released yesterday by the Sesto Fiorentino-based company. Liquidation is an Italian business practice that is akin to an American Chapter 11 filing, according to U.S. Vice President and General Manager Josephine Lynn Dillon, who added that the filing will not have an impact on the American subsidiary.
“Liquidation has not affected growth [or] sales in the U.S. market,” Dillon said. “We have recently signed a five-year lease at [showroom building] Forty One Madison. Richard Ginori USA closed the 2011 sales balance with a 33 percent growth. This year in May the sales grew by 43 percent, as first quarter 2012 sales were 30 percent above 2011, same period.” To read the entire article, go here: http://hfnmag.com/tabletop-gifts/richard-ginori-announces-liquidation-us-biz-unaffected-says-gm From now until early September, there is an exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London showcasing the ceramics design firm Queensberry Hunt. Designers of dinnerware for companies like Rosenthal, Dudson, Wedgwood, and many others, Queensberry Hunt is a dedicated small team of specialist ceramic designers who combine craft modelling skills with modern design technology. With their main studio situated in central London, the firm is led by designers Martin Hunt and David Queensberry.
For the V&A Museum to honor Queensberry Hunt with this exhibition brings to light the importance of everyday product design to the dining experience. You can read more about this interesting museum exhibition by going here: http://new.queensberryhunt.com/exhibition/ To learn more about the design firm of Queensberry Hunt, go here: http://new.queensberryhunt.com/about-qh/ “For me it’s all about having fun, enjoying yourself, that’s what’s important. How many times have you been to a restaurant where the food’s very nice but actually it’s quite boring, you don’t want to be there and you leave."
"We’re in the business of selling fun, we’re in the business of selling a night out, that’s what it’s all about really and I think the more dimensions you can add to that, the better.” - Marco Pierre White in a recent interview with HotelierMiddleEast magazine Marco Pierre White, at the age of 33, became the youngest and the first British chef to be awarded three Michelin stars in England. TabletopJournal has written recently about the brand building efforts underway at Tuxton China and, indeed, this is a company that is taking on a new look, a new feel, and new "essence" if you will. But, brand leaders must also show competence. In this case, Tuxton also must prove that it has competence as a manufacturer and they are doing this by using video to educate their customers. A while back Tuxton China developed a series of videos titled "Foodervice China 101" to help people understand the basics of dinnerware made specifically for the foodservice industry. In the above video from this series, Tuxton President Bill Burden explains the differences between a dinnerware having a glazed foot area and a highly-polished foot area. Not exactly the sexiest information you might hear about a dinnerware brand, but in the foodervice world of practicality and in-service value....videos such as these help show the expertise that Tuxton uses as it develops their product lines and that they understand the foodservice operators needs. Obviously, Tuxton feels their brand value is enhanced once the potential customer base becomes properly educated on some of the subtle features of the Tuxton products. Brand leaders develop trust in their competence and the message here is that customers can trust Tuxton China. Nicely done. You can find links to all the Tuxton China videos and learn more about the enitre line of foodservice dinnerware products from Tuxton by going here: http://www.tuxton.com/
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November 2021
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