Whole home supplier Emerald Home Furnishings is rolling out a rethought casual dining program at the Las Vegas Market. While the company has been known as a casual dining resource already, it is going after middle market customers in the $699 to $999 five-piece set price point with new pieces here, according to John Iasiello, vice president of wood products. Iasiello said the groups bridge the gap between casual and formal dining styles. The new groups have larger scaling than usual casual dining tables, servers and chairs. Tops include glass, stone, wood and vinyl under glass, rustic hand scraping and scything, Iasiello said, adding that woods used in groups range from acacia to primavera and pecan veneers. Emerald also expanded the color selection in its Brighton group with an ebony color.
Emerald says it's aiming for something different in the category here and at the fall High Point Market with designs to reach many consumer segments - but particularly millennials. "We're trying to figure what does that millennial customer from 25 to 35 need in terms of product to differentiate us from the me-too product that's out there," Iasiello said.A key piece of the casual dining puzzle is delivery, Iasiello said. Retailers wanted good designs but flexibility to order multiple groups in a container - making mixability from a humidity controlled distribution center in Vietnam an important to the program, he said.The company plans to add more color to dining groups in upcoming markets, Iasiello said.Each set has a sideboard or buffet that includes functional wine storage or platter storage. Typically those pieces cost about $100 less than the five-piece group they are offered with.Emerald shows in World Market Center B-1350.
