Retailers Head for Extracts Trade Show

Led by buyers from Florida and Canada, high traffic volume and palpable energy filled the aisles at the summer 2009 edition of Extracts—one of eight divisions of the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF)—with a sizeable increase in retailers from around the world attending the semi-annual market for personal care and wellness.

“Exhibitors were very pleased with buyer traffic, as well as the amount of order-writing at the show,” said Melissa Engongoro, Extracts sales manager. “There was renewed optimism at the summer market, and the momentum kept up all week for both exhibitors and attendees alike.”

Extracts grew to feature nearly 100 exhibitors this summer, with leading beauty and wellness suppliers Warren-Tricomi Haircare making its market debut, and Diana B and DayNa Decker moving into the division from other NYIGF locations.Extracts presents a wide range of cosmetics, perfumes, skincare, bath and body care, beauty accessories, hair care, natural/organic products, well-being lines, and home products such as aromatherapy, candles and home spa items.

In addition to overall gains in local, regional and national attendance, NYIGF recorded significant growth from the southeast, southwest, and west coast of the U.S., topped by a 90% increase in buyers from Florida.International attendance also increased, led by an 88% increase from Canada. “We’ve seen great international buyers, with an especially high concentration of Canadian retailers,” said exhibitor Joe Marks of Baudelaire. “The reorder business has been phenomenal at this show.”

The new partnership between Extracts and the Day Spa Association boosted attendance from spa buyers, encouraged by the access to new retail-ready bath and body resources. “Spa operators were here in large numbers, which is a great new opportunity for us,” said exhibitor Stacy Provines of TINte Cosmetics. “We’ve also seen buyers from all over the U.S., as well as a great deal of cross-over traffic from other NYIGF divisions.”

The strategic re-positioning of Extracts between two relevant NYIGF divisions—General Gift and At Home featuring Home Textiles—at the Javits Center resulted in an increase in cross-category sales during the market.”We’ve experienced great repeat business at this market, as well as exposure to different buyers due to the division’s more centralized location,” said exhibitor Maziar Aghalarpour of Berjang USA.”We’ve seen quality buyers at this show, and they’re not window shopping. They are low on inventory and writing orders.”

Awards for booth design and product excellence were presented to seven exhibitors during the show.Daniel Benedict Design received the Extracts Best Booth Award; and DayNa Decker’s Botanika Collection won “Best of Show” in the Extracts Best New Product Awards competition.

Five additional exhibitors were named best in individual Extracts Best New Product Award categories:Earthworks Products for its Earthworks Soap Wrapper in the Bath & Body category; Warren Tricomi Haircare for its Green Walnut Masque in the Beauty Accessory category; Fragonard Parfumeur for its Cette Nuit La Fragrance in the Cosmetic & Fragrance category; Compagnie de Provence for its Ylang Noir Dry Oil in the Natural/Organic category; and Tatine for its Garden & Forest Infusions candles in the Packaging category.

Extracts is one of eight divisions of the New York International Gift Fair, the nation’s premier gift, home and lifestyle marketplace. In total, NYIGF features nearly 2,800 exhibiting companies with 100,000 product lines.The winter 2010 edition of Extracts will take place Sunday, January 31, through Thursday, February 4, 2010, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Happi.com’s Nancy Jeffries will have a complete update on the show in the coming days. Information is available online at www.extractsny.com.