Industry Overview
Cookware products include a range of kitchen utensils used for cooking and various other purposes. Overall, cookware was a strong category for retailers in 1995.
Indian Cookware Industry
India is one of the huge markets comprising of many Indian manufacturers, exporters and suppliers of cookwares. These vendors of wholesale cookwares are scattered all over Indian markets nurturing the requirements of large variety of buyers for the products who are also scattered throughout India. Different varieties of cookwares are available for different industrial purpose.
Aluminum utensils are increasingly becoming popular among the inhabitants of the state, including the tribals. The products which are largely in demand are tea kettles, milk cans and other household utensils.
India's production of stainless steel reached 1.15 million tonnes in 2002-2003. In the next four years, Indian production of stainless is expected to climb to the 2 million tonne mark. The stainless steel industry in India is in an upbeat mood. Stainless Steel production in India is rapidly growing every year. Today 75% of the end use market of stainless steel is still in Kitchen segment. The total stainless steel demand is of around 650,000 tpa. In the utensils sector, 200 series grade is used, of which Jindal Stainless is the largest producer in India. Stainless steel cookwares are widely been exported to US.
Varun has emerged as India's no. 1 exporter of stainless steel utensils & kitchenware products with an average turnover of US$ 75 million, with ISO 9001:2000 accreditation. Today, VARUN is emerged as one of the most reputed Government Recognized Trading House, carving a position of reckoning as one of the prime and largest Manufacturer-Exporter of Stainless Steel Utensils from India to the world, with a patented brand of VARUN.
India being such a culturally rich and diverse country has a special place for beautiful and utilitarian pottery & kitchenware. It is a bustling market for the same, especially in the auspicious season of Deepawali, a festival that marks the gift exchanging of the level, matched only by a festival like Christmas internationally.
An approximately 10 crore rupees per month worth of Pottery, Kitchenware & Glassware is sold specially during the season of Deepawali and making India a very lucrative market for such business for everyone.
The Indian cookware industry continues to respond to consumer demand for quality, durability, style and attention to health concerns. Multi-versatile cookware that functions as bakeware, serveware and dinnerware is becoming increasingly popular as the casual entertaining trend continues.
US Cookware Industry
Metal cookware, bakeware and kitchenware products set sales records, according to the Cookware Manufacturers Association based in Mountain Brook, Ala. Sales for U.S. manufacturers in 1995 were $999 million, a 4.3% gain over $958 million in 1994.
Cookware forms the largest category of housewares, according to NPD. The biggest increase in housewares in 2000 was dinnerware that saw a 13.2 % dollar gain over 1999. All the leading brands enjoyed double digit sales increase. Stainless steel cookware surged by 12% in 2000 and these days it forms 26% of the total sale of cookwares. Aluminum cookware remains the largest segment with 65% of the dollar volume.
The high end of the U. S. cookware market is occupied by two types of product : (1) traditional heavy cast iron ware that has been covered with enamel (e.g. Le Creuset), and (2) cookware made from lightweight and energy efficient new metal alloys (e.g. Caphalon). Most enamelware is imported from Europe. Enamelware's share of the U.S. market held relatively constant at around 20% from 1980 to 1995, but has declined since then, to 10% in 2000. In contrast, cookware using new metal alloys first appeared in 1990, and accounted for 35% of the U.S. cookware market in 2000.
Housewares Categories Year Over Year Sales Growth 2000 vs. 1999
| Categories | Percent Change In Dollars |
| Dinnerware | 13.2% |
| Cookware | 7.9% |
| Bakeware & Microwaveware | 7.3% |
| Flatware | 2.9% |
| Beverageware | 2.0% |
| Total Housewares | 7.3% |
China Cookware Industry
China cookware's industry is grappling with soaring prices for both stainless steel and aluminum. The rising material costs have resulted in a dramatic drop in export growth rates. While exports rose by 20% in 2003, they slowed to a mere 6% in 2004.
China is also considered to be one of the biggest market for aluminum and stainless steel cookwares. Stainless steel cookware makers are hard hit since the cost of material rose by almost 70% in 2004. although aluminum costs have also increased by almost 40% but still aluminium cookware makers are benefiting from the steep rise in stainless steel prices.
| Industry Snapshot | |
| No. of exporters | 1,000 |
| Export sales | US$1.5bn |
| Export volume | 536mn kg |
| Export ratio | 75% |
| Capacity utilization | 83% |