What's Cooking with the CBA

In this episode, join host Fran Groesbeck as she has a conversation with Damien Dodane, President of CRISTEL USA, and Julien Djadane, Managing Director of CRISTEL USA, to explore the fascinating background of CRISTEL, a renowned French cookware brand known for its revolutionary cooking system and unwavering commitment to quality. During this episode, you will have the opportunity to delve into the rich history of CRISTEL, a multi-generational family business that has stood the test of time. Discover the origins of this esteemed brand and gain insight into how their legacy has shaped their approach to crafting exceptional cookware. You’ll be inspired by CRISTEL's values and their dedication to creating a positive environmental impact. Learn about their sustainable practices and initiatives. Innovations with unique designs in their stainless steel cookware, like removable handles for efficient storage, have really set them apart in the industry. During the conversation, there’s a reveal of the latest product line. Listen to the entire episode to learn more about CRISTEL's story and their world of exceptional cookware that combines tradition, innovation, and a dedication to excellence.

Host, Fran Groesbeck has a conversation with David Trigiani, Managing Director of Ekco Brands LLC, who shares his insights on introducing a new brand to the US market. David talks about the challenges of entering a new market and the importance of understanding consumer needs and building a strong brand identity. Ekco Brands is the United States marketing arm of Vasconia Brands of Mexico City, Mexico. Vasconia Brands is the leading manufacturer and distributor of cookware and non-electric food prep items in Mexico and broader Latin America. Vasconia features vertical integration and has a factory capacity to make over 150,000 pans per day, making us one of the largest manufacturers of cookware in North America. The Vasconia brand has been in the market in Mexico for over 100 years and carries very high, top-of-mind brand awareness. The Ekco brand has been in the market for over 70 years in Mexico and is one of the largest cookware brands in Mexico today. They manufacture aluminum nonstick (both roller and spray coated), uncoated aluminum, stovetop pressure cookers, enamel on steel, and even disposable aluminum foil pans. In the USA, Ekco leverages its well-known brands for the Hispanic market as well as having numerous supply chain advantages. Conversation Highlights: Discussion about naming the company and the brand recognition in the US and Mexico markets Importance of market expertise when entering a new market Advantages of nearshoring and diversifying supply chains David's decision to join the CBA and involvement in the sustainability subcommittee Connect with Ecko Brands LLC: Website: www.ekcobrands.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-trigiani-99a52717/

Mike Otterman, the CEO of Lodge Cast Iron and host Fran Groesbeck discussed the history of Lodge Cast Iron and their contributions to the industry, such as adding seasoning to cast iron cookware. Since 2019, Mike Otterman has served as CEO & President of Lodge Cast Iron. Mike has over 25 years of experience in the Housewares and Outdoor industries. Together with a strong leadership team and the support of Lodge shareholders and employees, he has helped continue the company's proud legacy, culture, and category leadership. Otterman spoke about Lodge's commitment to their employees and the community, including the National Cornbread Festival and the Lodge Museum of Cast Iron. As a board member of the CBA, Otterman highlighted the benefits of membership, including networking and the opportunity to push forward engineering standards. The podcast episode also touched on the CBA's update of their strategic plan and the importance of honoring tradition while also moving forward. Lodge Cast Iron has been making heirloom-quality cookware and accessories since 1896. They operate two foundries and a distribution center in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, their home since the very beginning. Backed by over 125 years of experience, each piece of Lodge cookware is crafted for durability and versatility. Today, you can find Lodge products in leading retailers around the world or directly through their website and four retail locations. The episode also touched on the CBA's update of their strategic plan and the importance of honoring tradition while also moving forward. Connect with Lodge Cast Iron: Website: https://www.lodgecastiron.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lodgecastiron/ Sign up for Lodge Cast Iron’s latest updates: https://www.lodgecastiron.com/email-signups

Interview with Melanie Schubert, Senior Technical Manager, Piyush Shah, Lab Manager, and Scott Nesson, Director of Sales and Business Development, for a conversation that celebrates SGS Testing Labs' membership, contributions to the industry and community, and dedication to creating safe consumer products.

Interview with Bill and Nancy McHenry

In this episode of What’s Cooking with the CBA, host Fran Groesbeck has a conversation with Kris Malkoski, CEO, of Home Solutions and Writing at Newell Brands. You may not be familiar with the name “Newell Brands,” but chances are you have many of their products in your home. Kris shares how Rubbermaid’s new innovative product, DuraLite Bakeware came to market and the rigorous testing it went through as it was being developed. She also gives insight into Calphalon’s new products and its recycling program with TerraCycle. Kris has been an international business leader for more than 30 years as CEO, COO, President and VP/GM in public and private branded CPG and Hardlines companies. She is seen as a strategic change leader and has successfully grown, transformed, or integrated brands and companies to drive meaningful revenue and profits. She is currently managing global iconic brands including Rubbermaid, Calphalon, Ball, Food Saver, Sharpie, Papermate, Expo, and Elmer’s Glue. She has driven significant (+30%) revenue and operating income growth, despite COVID headwinds including inflation, labor, and supply challenges. As a member of the Newell Executive Team, Kris oversees $4.4 billion in revenues and over 17,000 employees. Newell Brands is a $10B company with over 29,000 employers, with brands sold around the globe. Newell's brands are found in 100M US households and include icons like Elmers, Expo, Papermate, Sharpie, Parker, Dymo, Ball, Calphalon, Rubbermaid, FoodSaver, Crockpot, Mr. Coffee, Oster, Sunbeam, Yankee Candle, Woodwick, Rubbermaid Commercial, Graco, Coleman, Contigo, and Marmot. Newell is heavily committed to investing back into the communities where its employees live and work. In 2021, through Newell's Charitable Giving Foundation, Newell set a goal to provide $88M in product donations and over $1M in local grant programs over the next 5 years to support employee efforts to give back. Globally Newell supports several programs including The Nature Conservancy, No Kid Hungry, and Feed the Children Connect: Newell Brands Website: https://www.newellbrands.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/newellbrands/ Instagram: https://cookwareandbakeware.org/members/newell-brands/instagram.com/newellbrands/ Calphalon Corp Website: https://www.calphalon.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Calphalon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calphalon/ Rubbermaid Website: https://www.rubbermaid.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RubbermaidFoodStorage Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rubbermaid/

Fissler is a 6th generation family-owned company and is internationally known for producing premium cookware Made in Germany. Distributed via premium retailers throughout the world, Fissler is the market leader in Germany, as well as a major market player in Korea, Japan, and China. The company took direct control of the US markets two years ago and is determined to share Fissler's award-winning Made in Germany quality, design, and innovation with more Americans. Now warehousing in Charlotte NC, the company is well placed to deliver inventory to premium kitchen retailers within 2-5 days. In this What's Cooking with the CBA episode, host Fran Groesbeck has a conversation with  Fissler's Managing Director USA, James McArdle. James is an experienced consumer product executive skilled in sustainably building premium brands. He has held executive US management positions with global brands such as Tumi, L'Occitane, and Stokke. In their conversation, James highlights the history Fissler, its dedication to quality, the company's global journey, and its presence in the US. Fissler is very much customer focused and had decided long ago to stick to its core range of products and continue to find ways to bring their customer base what they want, when they want it, and how they want it. Listen to learn more about CBA member, Fissler. Additional Resources: Fissler James McArdle LinkedIn

June 1922 was the official formation of the association we now know as the Cookware and Bakeware Alliance. This year, 2022, marks a new name, a new look, and new member benefits to continue its long-standing mission of supplying the industry with standards, connections, and solutions. We are currently in the midst of our year-long 100th Anniversary Celebration. The alliance wouldn’t be here today without the hard work of its members, board, and managing directors. Today, host & current managing director of the CBA, Fran Groesbeck has a conversation with former managing directors, Penny Rosema and Hugh Rushing. Together, Fran, Penny & Hugh bring to the table over 30 years of managing director experience. In this episode, they pull the curtain back on the CBA as they share stories and their unique perspectives as to what managing such a long-standing organization is really like.

June 1922 was the official formation of the association we now know as the Cookware and Bakeware Alliance. 2022 marks a new name, a new look, and new member benefits to continue its long-standing mission of supplying the industry with standards, connections, and solutions. We are currently in the midst of our year-long 100th Anniversary Celebration. The alliance wouldn’t be here today without the hard work of its members, board, and managing directors. Today, host & current managing director of the CBA, Fran Groesbeck has a conversation with former managing director, Hugh Rushing. Hugh shares more details of the history of the CBA as well as the inside perspective of his 25 years of experience in his leadership role with the CBA. By understanding the CBA's history and hearing the events and perspectives that shaped the association, you can truly appreciate the longevity and look forward to how the future of the industry will evolve in a collaborative manner.

In this Stronger Together Series episode, host, Fran Groesbeck, has a conversation with PPG's North American Marketing Manager, Suzie Eberhardt.  Suzie has been in the cookware and bakeware industry for 10 years. Over the years, she's not only seen some changes in the industry but she's also had some big changes in her personal life. Listen as Suzie and Fran discuss topics related to the need for a different work-home life balance and how innovative ideas are generated through openness to listening to others' perspectives.  About CBA Member:  PPG Founded in 1883 as Pittsburgh Plate Glass by Captain John B. Ford and John Pitcairn in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Today, PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, and specialty materials. Through leadership in innovation, sustainability, and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces in more ways than does any other company.

The CBA supplies the industry with standards, connections, and solutions. Formally known as the Cookware Manufacturers Association, at the beginning of 2022, the name had officially changed to the Cookware & Bakeware Alliance, or the CBA. Making the change wasn’t done overnight. There was a lot that went into making the change. There was a lot of thought and many meetings to flesh out just the right words to rebrand the organization to align with its mission. CBA Managing Director, Fran Groesbeck, along with Tom Mirabile, Principal & Founder of Springboard Futures and Leann Schwarzkopf, Founder and Owner of Project Partners Network formed a team to uncover the new name of the organization to take it into the future. In today’s episode, you’ll hear the round-table discussion with Fran, Tom, and Lee Ann as they share the process of coming up with the new name…Cookware & Bakeware Alliance. Additional Resources: Tom Mirabile | Springboard Futures Lee Ann Schwarzkopf | Project Partners Network CBA Membership Information

Founded in 1922 as the Aluminum Wares Association, the non-profit trade association has become the premier resource for the cookware and bakeware industry. In the 1970s, the name was changed to the Cookware Manufacturers Association (CMA) where a renewed mission of developing engineering standards for the betterment of the cookware and bakeware industry.   Over the last 100 years, the CMA has made changes to meet the times and industry requirements. There was a need to update the association’s name to better reflect whom they represent and how they serve the industry. The CMA is now the Cookware & Bakeware Alliance.   Managing Director, Fran Groesbeck shares why changing the name was so important at this point in time and what to expect for the future of the CBA.   Resources Mentioned: Become a CBA Member Subscribe to Industry News Springboard | Future Focused Scrivener Solutions Project Partners Network

Supplier member PPG is featured in this edition of the What’s Cooking Podcast. CMA’s managing director Fran Groesbeck has a conversation with PPG’s Marketing Communications Manager, Mike Petrasek, and Regional Color Design Manager, Vanessa Peterson. You’ll learn what is taken into consideration when it comes to choosing colors for products in different industry segments. PPG’s color of the year is revealed, and you’ll hear how the color palette was picked and why. Follow along as Fran, Vanessa, and Mike flip through the 2022 Color Trend book and discuss the three color and trend directories and how each one tells its own story and has its own narrative and personality. PPG offers a complete line of non-stick and decorative coatings for housewares, designed to protect and extend the life of items like toasters, griddles, fry pans, irons and more. Additional Resources: Introducing PPG’s 2022 Color of the Year: Olive Sprig 2022 PPG Color Trends 2022 Global Trends Book PPG Resource Materials

The housewares industry is full of wonderful and amazing companies and individuals. The Cookware Manufacturers Association has the privilege of having these incredible people as our members. As part of our Stronger Together series celebrating the diversity in our industry and how this makes us stronger, we celebrate the amazing people in our industry. We have so many great stories to share and people to celebrate. Emily Cappiello, President/Chief Content Officer of The Gourmet Insider shares her amazing story in this episode of the What's Cooking Podcast.  Being resilient means hitting problems and challenges life throws at you head-on. Standing taller and moving forward in the face of adversity easily describes Emily Cappiello. Recently, events occurred that Emily could have crumbled under or hit head-on. Guess which route she took? Join host Fran Groesbeck as we get to know this amazing woman and her resilience to keep moving forward!  

The CMA looks for new ways to share important market information. That is why we have partnered with Design Research to present CMA Members with the insight needed to navigate a Post-Covid World. Design Research is a market research and insights company that focuses on housewares and other products for the home. Design Research has a long history in these markets, servicing well over 100 world-class brands for the past 22 years. In this podcast, we will learn about How Best in Class Companies are Anticipating a Post-Covid World. How many times a day do you catch yourself thinking about where you were this month week or day in 2020?  What were you dealing with during the Pandemic?  What were you doing – or not doing – and what was going on in your business and personal life.   Life is resuming, but so many people, places, and things are still adapting to post covid life.  And the uncertainty is not over.  We still have spikes, variants, and vaccine dos and don’ts to deal with.  For your business, as you try to move forward, have the pandemic trends continued for your business?  What has changed?  How are you adapting?   How do you plan and predict the next steps after the unpredictable?  Today, host Fran Groesbeck has a conversation with Design Research's Vice President of Market Intelligence, Janine Michalek, and what they are doing to help understand the new consumer and the new marketplace. Additional Resources: Design Research Website Janine Michalek Market Research's Role in Today's Economy with Richard Babick | Podcast Design Research CMA Partner's Page | CMA Member Login Required    

The CMA looks for new ways to share important market information. That is why we have partnered with the Good Housekeeping Institute for a series of podcasts. GHI is driven by the same mission of providing vital information to make good buying decisions. GHI focuses on the testing and science behind houseware products reinforcing safety and regulations. In this episode, Nicole Papantoniou, Deputy Director, Kitchen Appliances & Technology Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute joins us. We learn about the testing conducted to find the top 7 best stainless steel cookware sets – but this is no ordinary best cookware list. Listen and see why. Additional Resources: 7 Best Stainless Steel Cookware Sets to Buy in 2021, According to Kitchen Experts The Good Housekeeping Institute Facebook Twitter Instagram  

The CMA looks for new ways to share important market information. That is why we have partnered with La Termoplastic FBM to present CMA Members with insight into the sustainability of cookware accessories and the push for this important topic in the industry overall. FBM is a world leader in the production of handles, knobs, and accessories for cookware. The company offers the market a vast catalog of its own items and produces exclusively on the specific needs of its customers. The undisputed quality of its cookware products is distinguished by the FBM trademark present on all its items. In this podcast, we learn about Sustainability in Cookware. Host Fran Groesbeck has a conversation with FBM's CCO-Sales Director, Paolo Canciani. Topics discussed: FBM’s new line of sustainable handles and how other companies can contribute to the eco-friendly movement. Sustainability trends in the cookware industry. How a cookware manufacturer, brand owner, or retailer can develop a planet-friendly cookware collection. How you can add value to an eco-friendly concept of cookware through accessories. The benefits of recovering materials. Guest Contact Info: Website www.fbm.eu/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/latermoplastic/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/latermoplasticfbm/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/la-termoplastic-f-b-m-srl/

The CMA looks for new ways to share important market information – and what is more important in business than saving time and money? In this episode, host Fran Groesbeck is thinking outside the pan and exploring how leveraging metals science can save time and money. New efficiencies in all aspects of our market are key. Leveraging metals science sounds technical and complicated, but it's not. Our partner at Industrial Metallurgists, Michael Pfeifer, helps explore this new efficiency and how it will reduce component costs, solve quality problems faster, increase productivity and reduce risk. That's a recipe we can all in the cookware and bakeware industry can get on board with. Listen as Fran and Michael explore deeper into metals engineering. Additional Resource: Connect with Industrial Metallurgists, LLC on LinkedIn View CMA Partnership | Exclusive CMA Member Offer [login required]

The CMA looks for new ways to share important market information. That is why we have partnered with La Termoplastic F.B.M. to present CMA Members with insight into the trends of cookware accessories. F.B.M. is a world leader in the production of handles, handles, knobs, and accessories for cookware. The company offers the market a vast catalog of its own items and produces exclusively to the specific needs of its customers. The undisputed quality of its cookware products is distinguished by the FBM trademark present on all its items. Host Fran Groesbeck has a conversation with F.B.M.'s Marketing Manager Giorgia Munari, to explore and learn about the Market Trends of Cookware Accessories. Connect with Guest: La Termoplastic F.B.M. website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn 

The CMA looks for new ways to share important market information. That is why we have partnered with Impact Innovations to present CMA Members with an innovative process for metal coating with great mechanical properties. Impact Innovations (Headquarters located in Germany) has 20+ years of experience in Cold Spray Technology. Along with being a global technology leader in High-Pressure Cold Spray Equipment for industrial applications. In this podcast, we learn about Cold Spray Technology. Join host, Fran Groesbeck as she has a conversation with Sascha Bernhardt with Impact Innovations as they explore how Cold Spray Technology works, the advantages, and the recent developments that have given this application a boost.