March 03, 2022
TOP TRENDS AT 2022 HEARTH, PATIO & BARBECUE EXPO:
New Fireplaces, Furniture and Grills to Meet Our More Expansive Lifestyles
Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo, the nation’s largest trade show for all things flame, is marking its return to a live experience this year in Atlanta, as manufacturers unveil and showcase their newest barbecues, outdoor kitchens, grilling accessories, fire pits, indoor/outdoor fireplaces and much more.
“We’re delighted to be back in person for the first time since 2020 for retailers and distributors to connect with manufacturers as spring grilling and patio season begins and store owners set their fall fireplace and stove lineup,” said Jack Goldman, president and CEO of Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association. “It’s an exciting time to be in this industry, illustrated by attendance here being just as strong as our last live show two years ago.”
“It’s also the most ideal moment to benchmark what we see are the top trends taking shape for the grilling, backyard and fireplace industries for 2022 and beyond,” Goldman added.
According to HPBA, manufacturers are both increasing and decreasing the size and scope of their hearth, patio and barbecue purchases as they both invest more in their homes and plan for more travel in the months and years ahead.
HPBA’s five top trends on display at the 43st Expo:
· It’s not just about grills, it’s the whole outdoor kitchen. While grill sales and usage remain at all-time highs, customers are expanding their patio vision to incorporate full backyard kitchens, including premium counters, refrigerators, grills, smokers, stovetops and…yes…even the kitchen sink. “After two years spent at home more than ever, consumers recognize the opportunities a fully functioning backyard can bring, and are responding by not just updating their grill, but also going all in on a full kitchen,” Goldman noted.
- Portable returns. “With people on the move more – vacations, picnics, road trips, tail gating, camping and beyond – portable grill and smokers are back in fashion to meet our more mobile lifestyle,” Goldman said. And they are coming in all styles and formats – gas, charcoal, pellet, kamado and electric.
- Homeowners do the electric (fireplace) slide. You know those fancy, long, horizontal electric fireplaces adorning hotel lobbies? They are moving into home living rooms.
- “Homeowners are increasingly looking to electric fireplaces as a flexible, functional fireplace options for their homes,” Goldman said, “and not just for their living rooms, but also home offices, bedrooms and even bathrooms.”
- Patio furniture goes sleek. The newest lines of backyard patio furniture are looking more and more like indoor furniture – sleek, modern and minimalist. “Gone are the bulky benches and puffy cushions of the past,” Goldman noted. “Consumers continue to view their backyard patio as an extra, extended room to their house, and the design patterns of that outdoor room are beginning to mirror the indoor.”
- Cast iron in focus. While forward-looking innovations make up most of the trends, nostalgia still plays an essential role in our perception and purchase of grills. This year’s nod to the past is a return to cast iron – whether its increased sales for cast iron skillets or griddles, or grills that either feature cast iron finishes, or have deep black exteriors that mimic the always dependable and hard-working cast iron materials.
About the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA)
The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), based in Arlington, Va., is the North American industry association for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, representatives, service firms and allied associates for all types of barbecue, patio and hearth appliances, fuels and accessories. The association provides professional member services and industry support in education, statistics, government relations, marketing, advertising and consumer education.
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Media Contact: Eric Davis, 612-202-9407, edavis@curiousplot.agency