by Cynthia Ward Vesey, Senior Editor

Reprinted with the permission of Home World Business, ICD Publications

CHICAGO March 20 2005 - The Wedgwood Housewares Group, a new division of Wedgwood, will launch the Emeril Professional collection of dinnerware, food prep and oven-to-table pieces here at the International Home & Housewares Show.

The new Emeril tableware joins a growing stable of housewares licensed by popular restauranteur, TV personality and author Chef Emeril Lagasse. The Emerilware line includes cookware and bakeware by All-Clad and cutlery by Wusthof.

All-Clad kicked off the Emerilware licensing program in 2000 as a subsidiary of Waterford Wedgwood, which sold All-Clad to Groupe SEB in 2004.

Armand Figueras, president of the Wedgwood Housewares Group, stressed the importance of Lagasse’s direct involvement with the products developed under his brand.

“The Emeril brand is about quality, performance and consumer satisfaction that is second to none,” Figueras said. “The material is very high-quality stoneware. The products are microwave, conventional oven, dishwasher and freezer safe.

“Emeril makes sure there is a consistency in the quality and performance on anything that has his name. He wants the brand to be a destination.”

The Emeril Professional line is the everyday offering by the new housewares group of Wedgwood, known for its upstairs table ware and giftware. The housewares division plans to introduce additional collections, Figueras said, although details were not available at presstime.

Wedgwood Housewares’ Emeril collection includes several open-stock pieces, such as a dinner plate, salad plate, cereal bowl and mug.

Many items will also be showcased in colorful gift boxes, including the, four-piece place setting, serving bowl, three-piece setting, serving bowl, three piece mixing/batter bowl set with spouts, four-piece ramekin set, four-piece spice cellars set, square baker, rectangular baker, souffle and covered casserole.

The gift boxes feature lifestyle shots depicting a chef using the products, which are filled with delicious dishes and desserts.

The dinnerware, serving bowl and three-piece mixing/batter bowl set are over-sized, and the covered casserole has an eight quart capacity.

All of the pieces are available in sophisticated taupe shade called Adobe Clay. The gift-boxed, four-piece place setting and serving bowl are also available in Linen White, a white satin on white; Titanium, a charcoal satin on white; and Very Berry, a red satin on white.

The Professional line also features wood serving pieces: a three-piece salad set, baguette tray with steel handles, coupe bowl and three-cavity entertainment server.

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