June 30, 2022

Momentum Builds for GCX: Expo & Education at Atlanta Market

ATLANTA – June 30, 2022 – Momentum is building for the first presentation of GC Buying Group and International Market Centers’ (IMC) new GCX: Expo & Education with some 40+ exhibitors; 13 presentations, demonstrations and celebrations; and 50+ retailers confirmed. The semi-annual gourmet and housewares buying and programming launch event will launch on July 13-14 during Atlanta Market (July 12-18, 2022) at AmericasMart.

“The industry response to the GCX: Expo & Education concept has been excellent,” said Janis Johnson, founder and president of GC Buying Group. “Vendors are excited for the opportunity to show their brands in Atlanta, and retailers are making commitments to attend. Early indicators are that this is going to be THE gourmet and housewares event of Summer 2022.”

Confirmed GCX: Expo & Education exhibitors represent the complete spectrum of gourmet and housewares categories including small electrics, tools, cutlery, cookware and bakeware, tabletop, gourmet foods, service providers and more. The Atlanta Market showcase on July 13 in Building 2, Floor 3 features these brands:

Breville USA – small kitchen appliances
Browne & Co. – kitchenware products for professional and home use (also in Kasperzak & Associates, Inc. showroom B2 8-876)
Buzzee – beeswax reusable food wraps (also in Housewares booth B2 2-709 and Dugan-Bliss showroom B2 17-1701)
Cangshan Cutlery – knives and knife accessories
Casa M Spice Co – spice blends, rubs and seasonings (also in Kitchen2Table showroom B2 8-891A)
Chantal – professional cookware, award-winning teakettles and bakeware Clipper/Viking – commercial quality cookware, cutlery, bakeware and kitchen accessories (also in Synergy Sales Associates, Inc., showroom B2 8-837)
Cuisinart – small kitchen appliances, cookware, bakeware, kitchen tools and kitchen accessories
Delilah Home – organic home textiles
DKB Household USA – Culinare, Cole & Mason, Ken Home Ethnic Cookware and Zyliss housewares brands (also in Synergy Sales Associates, Inc., showroom B2 8-837)
Dreamfarm – kitchen tools and gadgets (also in Synergy Sales Associates, Inc., showroom B2 8-837)
E-Cloth – reusable cleaning cloths (also in Dugan-Bliss showroom B2 17-1701
Electra-Craft, Inc. – Dualit, Espressione and Solac specialty kitchen appliance brands
Emile Henry – ceramic ovenware, cooking products and bakeware products made in France (also in Kasperzak & Associates, Inc. showroom B2 8-876)
Fellow – coffee brewing tools
FinaMill Co. – spice mills
Fissler America, Inc – pots, pans, knives and utensils (also in Kitchen2Table showroom B2 8-891A)
Gourmac – melamine utensils and mixing bowls, food savers, baking gadgets, cookie cutters and other tools
Handstand Kitchen – bakeware, kitchen utensils, baking sets and aprons for chefs aged six and up
Harold Import Company – Beyond Gourmet, Cutlery-Pro, Fante’s Kitchen Shop, Helen’s Asian Kitchen, HIC Kitchen, Maine Man Sea and Mrs. Anderson’s Baking kitchen tool brands (also in showroom B2 8-894A)
Heritage Steel – American-made multi-clad steel cookware (also in Kasperzak & Associates, Inc. showroom B2 8-876)
Jokari – kitchen gadgets (also in Synergy Sales Associates, Inc., showroom B2 8-837)
JURA INC. – super automatic coffee centers (also in showroom B2 8-869B and in Synergy Sales Associates, Inc., showroom B2 8-837)
Kikuichi Cutlery – knives handcrafted in Japan
Kuhn Rikon – Swiss-designed knives (also in Synergy Sales Associates, Inc., showroom B2 8-837)
Le Creuset – enameled cast iron cookware (also in Houseware booth B2 2-802)
Lodge Cast Iron / FINEX – cast-iron skillets and cookware (also in Kitchen2Table showroom B2 8-891A)
MUkitchen – kitchen textiles (also in Kasperzak & Associates, Inc. showroom B2 8-876)
Myregistry.com – registry management tool
Opinel – folding knives and pocketknives
Regal Ware Inc. – cookware made in the USA
Rooted Lifestyle – environmentally and ethically responsible products
Rosle USA – kitchen utensils made in Germany (also in Kitchen2Table showroom B2 8-891A)
Samuel Lamont USA – kitchen textiles (also in Housewares booth B2 2-701)
SimpleCoat – countertop sealer
Smeg – small kitchen appliances (also in Kitchen2Table showroom B2 8-891A)
Spectrum Diversified Designs / Tovolo – storage and organization and housewares
Swissmar Inc.– European housewares and cookware (also in Ben Tally & Associates showroom B2 8-895A)
TB Groupe– high-end French cutlery
The Cookware Co.- PFAS-free (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) cookware (also in Kasperzak & Associates, Inc. showroom B2 8-876
Tramontina USA Inc – cookware and kitchenware
Vitamix – blenders (also in Ben Tally & Associates showroom B2 8-895A)
WellnessMats – anti-fatigue floor mats (also in Ben Tally & Associates showroom B2 8-895A)
Wusthof USA – knives and knife accessories

GCX: Expo & Education programming -- open to GC members and Atlanta Market attendees – kicks-off on Wednesday, July 13, with a networking breakfast and lunch and Party in the Kitchen, a special housewares and gourmet floor party in the JURA Demonstration Kitchen (AmericasMart Building 2, Floor 8). Day two, Thursday, July 14, offers industry insights, roundtable discussions and product demonstrations beginning at 1 p.m. Former trade publication editor, Forbes contributor and retail expert Warren Shoulberg gives a presentation “Home, Gift and Housewares” at 2:15 p.m. Two networking roundtable discussions facilitated by Drop the Mic explore “Inventory Control & Planning” at 1:45 p.m. and “Best Sellers / Trends & Identifying Your Customers / Generations” at 3:45 p.m. Brand representatives will share exciting news and provide demonstrations with this schedule: GC team offering a cutlery demonstration and overview at 1:15 p.m., Le Creuset at 2:45 p.m., Outbound at 3 p.m., Cuisinart at 3:15 p.m., Cangshan at 4:30 p.m. and Dreamfarm at 4:45 p.m.

Retailers from coast-to-coast and beyond representing some 60+ storefronts plan to attend Atlanta Market and GCX: Expo & Education. In addition to a core group of leading kitchen supply and gourmet grocery retailers, representatives from appliance / electrics stores, hardware stores and garden centers, gift and home décor stores and kitchen designers are confirmed. Buyers of note attending Atlanta Market for the first time for the event include Casa di Mazzaro in St. Petersburg, Fla.; The Milled Olive in Star, Idaho; and Wisconsin Cutlery in Madison, Wis.

“GCX: Expo & Education is offering Atlanta Market buyers an outstanding experience,” added Dorothy Belshaw, IMC executive vice president, chief marketing officer. “The high-quality gourmet and housewares product, live demonstrations and ability to network with the best in the industry is an unmatched opportunity for buyers exploring this in-demand category.”

GCX: Expo & Education is open to GC Buying Group’s 350+ members from across the United States. For more information about GCX: Expo & Education or GC Buying Group membership, visit GCBuyingGroup.com.

At Atlanta Market, some 475+ gourmet, housewares and tabletop lines are presented in showrooms on two dedicated floors of Building 2 with an additional 100+ gourmet, housewares and tabletop lines presented in five temporary exhibit categories: Gourmet, Gourmet LUXE, Housewares, Tabletop & Entertaining and Tabletop LUXE. The JURA Demonstration Kitchen is the heart of the gourmet and housewares collection presenting live demonstrations from national and local chefs and tastemakers throughout the market week.

Atlanta Market is the industry’s premier gift, décor and lifestyle market. Housing the nation’s largest gift product mix complemented by a broad selection of home décor, it features more than 8,000 brands across all categories. Held semi-annually Atlanta Market attracts retailers and designers from every U.S. state and more than 60 countries. The next edition runs July 12-18, 2022, at AmericasMart Atlanta. For more information, visit AtlantaMarket.com.

About International Market Centers: International Market Centers (IMC) serves as the center of commerce for the wholesale furniture, gift, home decor and apparel industries. With more than 20 million square feet of premium wholesale showroom space in High Point, N.C., Las Vegas and Atlanta, IMC has more than 60 years of relationships and experience creating scalable business platforms for wholesale commerce. With the launch of Juniper, a fully-integrated B2B commerce solution, IMC now provides the only omnichannel sales and marketing platform that seamlessly connects physical and digital wholesale commerce. For more information, visit IMCenters.com.

About GC Buying Group: GC Buying Group Members form the original and leading buying group in kitchen, home and gift. Dedicated to the success of the independent retailer since 1981, the GC mission is to keep the independent retailer independent, while providing solutions against competition and alleviating big store advantages. Celebrating 41 years in 2022, GC negotiates merchandise discounts, freight allowances and special dating for its 350+ store members with 150 vendor members. Multiple member meetings are held each year including an exclusive member trade show in January, plus store networking opportunities and a Members-Only website that allows members to stay ahead of their competition. For more information, visit GCBuyingGroup.com.

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IMC Media Contacts

Chelsea Peabody Bohannon, 404.220.2141 or cbohannon@imcenters.com

Cathy Steel, 203.340.9251 or cathysteel@cathysteelassociates.com

GC Buying Group Media Contact

Jaci Milliron, 214-855-0005 or info@gcbuyinggroup.com

Tag:Atlanta Market