Last week’s virtual Excellence in Housewares Awards (December 9) was “what the industry needed” at the end of this exceptionally challenging year. Hundreds of industry members watched the event from around the UK and globally, joining in with the live chat during the Awards ceremony, and meeting in the EIH session rooms and via personal video calls before and after the Awards presentations.
Attendees of the virtual event have been looking back with enthusiasm, as well as making sure that October 2 2021 (the next EIH Awards) is firmly marked on their calendars. HousewaresNews.net shares some of the industry’s comments:
Hosting a very busy session room that bought together retailers, suppliers and the Bira team, Jeff Moody, md of Bira direct and commercial director of Bira comments: “Obviously nothing beats meeting the industry in person but this was certainly the best get together for nearly a year now and to see so many people commenting on chat and social media was great. The industry needed this. A great night.”
Peter Dunne, md of CellarDine (winner of the Plugged In Award) sent this message to the EIH team: ”Congratulations on a wonderful job under very challenging conditions; the industry certainly appreciated and needed this event, really very well done. We are delighted with our award and after what has been a very testing year for everyone it will help to lift the spirits of our staff and suppliers who all make this possible. Thank you so very much!”
Having hosted one of the festive looking session rooms, Philippa Howarth, sales controller at Le Creuset says: “Thank you for what was a fantastic night. The virtual awards were so well thought through and executed, a great mix of content and the organisation was second to none. It was great to see and hear from Nadiya too.”
Joint winner of The Outstanding Achievement Award, and scooping Excellence in Product Development, Antony Joseph, creative director at Joseph Joseph says: “We really enjoyed being involved and felt especially proud to win the two awards. A big ‘thank you’ to the EIH Awards team for making the evening so special under the circumstances. Very much looking forward to next year.”
Claire Budgen, commercial and marketing director at KitchenCraft says: “Thank you all at Max Publishing for pulling through with a fantastic virtual event. It would have been so easy to roll over the awards to next year but you guys put in the hard yards and ensured as an industry we did not go without. It is at times like these that all of our industry needs to pull together and you have certainly been a fantastic support structure not just to suppliers but actually to our independent stockists who we all know are going through such turbulent times.”
Marcus Lux, head of export and business development at Gastroback comments: “I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed The EIH Awards. I thought the whole event was well executed and the presentation and winner announcement parts looked phenomenal. With today’s technology available the platform was clear and easy to manoeuvre about. Session rooms were very easy to access for general networking. But yes, there is nothing like the ‘real’ thing and hopefully there will be a face-to-face again in 2021.”
IHA president Derek Miller (one of those attending in the USA, and participating in The Inspired Home Show’s session room) enthuses: “The event was simply wonderful – first class from start to finish!”
EKO UK’s Brian Walmsley describes the EIH Awards 2020 as a “thoroughly enjoyable and successful evening. The inputs from so many different people ensured it stayed interesting and engaging, it was great to have some time with buyers, and Alan Dedicoat was an inspired choice as compare.”
Clare Holland, brand manager at Meyer adds: “We all enjoyed it and our customers certainly did. We are all looking forward to next year.”
* If you missed Nadiya Hussain in conversation, or the Awards presentations, you can watch the production on Max Publishing YouTube channel.
* The live event returns next year on Wednesday 6 October 2021. You can find out all about entering, judging and sponsorship via the awards website, and book tickets and tables via the Max Publishing box office.
* Sponsors of The EIH 2020 include: Ambiente, Autumn Fair, Bira Direct, BHETA, Burton McCall, DKB Household, EKO, Exclusively Shows, Expose Travel, Gastroback, Groupe SEB, HousewaresNews.net and Progressive Housewares, The Inspired Home Show and The International Housewares Association, Joseph Joseph, KitchenCraft from Lifetime Brands, Le Creuset, Meyer Group, OXO UK, Salter, Tefal, Tower from RKW, Tramontina, and Ultimate Products.
Top: Cheers! Celebrations in the Burton McCall session room at the EIH Awards 2020.
