In other Weber news, convenience distributors received notification that Weber is going to exclusively distribute through Ace Hardware's Emery Jensen Distribution. The change begins in 2026 and it was surprising to other distributors like Do It Best and Orgill. It also presents opportunity for other brands to increase their distribution. The Hardware Connection has a good article on the change.
High quality cookware brand, Made In, has jumped into the outdoor cooking market by releasing their first grill. It's a portable charcoal grill that has a height adjustable charcoal basket to control heat. It's made from carbon and
stainless steel by a fabricator in Texas. They sent us one to test, so we'll have a full review in the near future.
Blackstone released a new Culinary Deluxe Griddle exclusively at Lowe's. It has their latest griddle tech including their Omnivore plate, and it has a digital display to tell you the heat level of each cooking zone. Beyond it's functionality, it's also a really nice looking unit.
Middleby reported that they expect tariffs will increase their
expenses by $150 million to $250 million this year. They plan to mitigate it by some supply chain changes and price increases. They committed to preserving double-digit margins on their grill brands.
Gozney launched their biggest ad campaign yet, featuring their long-time ambassador Matty Matheson. Mumbrella wrote an article about the campaign and the inspiration. Gozney really nailed it with this one, their fake informercial video is alot of fun.
Finally, Solo Brands filed an appeal to being delisted on NYSE. They feel that their stock price doesn't accurately represent the value of
their company. They file earnings on Monday, so we'll get a fresh look at how they're handling tariffs.
