New Products and Latest Trends Heat Up the Barbecue Industry

SALT LAKE CITY, March 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- HPBExpo Press Room: Salt Palace Convention Center, Room 150G (Salt Lake City, Utah) -- The heat is on! With the most exciting new products and emerging trends, the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo (HPBExpo) reveals what's hot and what's not, March 3-5 in Salt Lake City's Salt Palace Convention Center. The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) welcomes 288 exhibitors and more than 7,000 attendees for the annual Expo, the largest indoor-outdoor living show in North America.

Kicking off HPBExpo, the industry announced today promising year-end sales with shipments of grills and smokers reaching more than 15 million in 2010 – a slight increase from 2009 and positive returns from smoky economic conditions nationwide.

"From the grilling novice to the most seasoned chef, new innovative accessories and all-purpose add-ons give cooks more options to enjoy outdoor cooking throughout the year and for any occasion," said Leslie Wheeler, HPBA Communications Director. "New time-saving technologies and innovative international cooking techniques offer something for everyone and make this one of the most diverse Expo experiences to date."

2011 Trend Watch

As the May-to-September peak outdoor cooking season approaches, consumers can expect to see grills, smokers and outdoor living products in high demand. Unveiled today at HPBExpo, the trends that will drive sales during 2011 and beyond include:

The Expandables: It's easier than ever before to expand your grill-abilities with the latest "add-on" products. For example, the new Gourmet Barbecue System from Weber-Stephen Products LLC offers six affordable separately sold, heavy-duty add-on grill features, including a cast iron wok and griddle that gives chefs delicious new versatility. Or grow your grill space with the Summit Grill Center with Social Area (Weber-Stephen Products LLC); this new stainless steel "L" shaped build-out comes complete with cabinets that enclose a rotisserie system, a paper towel holder and a dual-ring side burner for an affordable addition to your outdoor grilling get-up.

Grill-ovative Accessories: New accessories are keeping outdoor cooking fresh and fun. Moistly Grilled™ from The Companion Group is a two-piece cast iron vessel and vented lid, an innovative gadget that adds humidity to the grilling environment. Just add water – or any other cooking liquid – to make the most succulent, flavorful grilled meat. Or for grilling made easier, Fire Wire® offers the Fire Wire Entree Skewer, a bendable skewer perfect for grilling single portion meals and adapting to any cooking surface. A perfect accessory to any meal, Memphis Barbecue Sauces and Rubs from Hearthland Products will entice taste buds with its award-winning, zesty Memphis-mix of 100 percent natural, premium ingredients.

Portable and Compact: Perfect for tailgates, picnics and backyard barbecues, portable grills bring the heat on-the-go. Fuego North America offers the Element Portable Gas Grill this year as part of its contemporary line of gas grills – which all include a handy roasting lid and dual zone burners. The new Cuisinart Petit Gourmet Portable Gas Grill by The Fulham Group offers a versatile table-top grill that combines portability with ample grilling space. And from Empire Comfort Systems, Broilmaster's new Broilmaster H3X Deluxe Grill with stainless steel rod cooking grid is compact, a convenient entry-level stand-alone grill that fits into tight spaces.

Generation Grill: With the outdoor cooking arena constantly evolving, manufacturers continue to rethink convention. This year Carson Rotisseries brings the technique of Brazilian slow-turn barbecue to the traditional American grill for the first time with the Brazilian BBQ. And for personalizing meals, the Poco Pizza Oven from Bull Outdoor Products features a stainless steel oven with smokestack, designed for pizza cooking perfection. Or try The Ace of Hearts BBQ Specialties' The Pony Express™ Smoker and Grill, which lets you cook up foods with real pit-barbecue flavor with a unique damper control cooking environment. And from Fahrenheit Technologies, the Grilla sets itself apart from the pack with its new innovative wood pellet grill and smoker, including 16 smoke settings, NeverFlare flame disk, KeepHeat chamber door and quick change pellet drawer.

Clean up in a Cinch: Making clean-up less of a chore, Grill Pillow from Grill Pillow is a new biodegradable pillow that absorbs drip pan grease from outdoor grills, making the removal of unwanted grease easy and mess free. The new Hydro Grill Blaster and BBQ Stone Cleaning Kit from Mr. Bar-B-Q cleans and sanitizes with the help of steam; the trigger action of the Hydro Grill Blaster allows you to control water flow while the BBQ Stone is a soft-pumice that deep cleans your grill.

Sales Re-ignite in 2010

In 2010, more than 15 million grills and smokers shipped in North America with a slight increase (.05%) from 2009. Gas grills continue to top the charts as the most popular type of grill, followed by charcoal and then electric.

• Total Gas Grills Shipments (57 percent of sales) – 8,553,500
• Total Charcoal Grills Shipments (41 percent of sales) – 6,232,500
• Total Electric Grills Shipments (2 percent of sales) – 276,600

Light your Fire!

May is National Barbecue Month and the kick-off to the peak grilling and smoking season. Retailers see their highest sales during the warmer months and HPBA forecasts continued growth this summer.

For more industry and HPBExpo information, please visit www.hpba.org and www.hpbexpo.com .

About Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA)

The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association based in Arlington, VA, is the North American industry association for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, representatives, service firms and allied associates for all types of hearth, barbecue and patio appliances, fuels and accessories. The association provides professional member services and industry support in education, statistics, government relations, marketing, advertising and consumer education. There are more than 2,500 members in the HPBA.

SOURCE Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association