Monday, January 07, 2002
CHICAGO— SILICONE ZONE will make its housewares industry debut at the Inernational Housewares Show here this month, showing a new line of silicone bakeware, an increasingly popular flexible bakeware formulation. The company, formed by former Catamount Glass executive Michael Karyo, is the primary manufacturer of the new line out of its own factory in China and is targeting the market with what it claims is commercial quality silicone bakeware.
“We’re not just another distributor,” said Karyo. “When buyers work with us they are working with the factory. We are doing a line of what we consider the highest quality commercial grade silicone bakeware out there.”
The initial line consists of 14 items including muffin pans, agel food pans, fluted cake pans, and bread and loaf pans along with silicone coated spatulas that Karyo claims is oven safe to 900 degrees. The new bakeware pieces are safe at temperatures ranging from -58 degrees fahrenheit to 428 degrees fahrenheit, according to Karyo. Each piece has a high gloss finish that renders is more stick resistant than traditional silicone bakeware, according to Karyo.
“We also pay particular attention to wall thickness, measuring each piece in six different places as it comes off the line,” he said.
The new line is packaged to call attention to the key features of silicone bakeware. Large type of individual product sleeves call out features such as “Professional,” “Non-Stick,” “Flexible,” “Easy Care” and “Cooks Evenly.”
The line comes in four colors Red, Blue, Almond and Saffron Yellow. Karyo said the company chose red and blue to help the product pop on retail shelves, where most bakeware is black and gray. “We want people to go over and pick it up, twist it, touch it,” said Karyo.
The company is currently targeting specialty and better department store retailers, where the product’s unique features can be explained to consumers. Suggested retails on the bakeware pieces are in the $15 to $18 range.