GRILLING OUT IS IN TO STAY; OUTDOOR COOKING ISN'T JUST FOR SUMMER ANYMORE. - barbecue grill outdoor

Port Washington, New YorkY.-Summer may be officially over, but the food season has been cooking.According to a study by NPD Group Inc., 8 of the 10 adults baked last year and 1 of the 5 families baked in winterIn fact, although summer is the peak season for barbecues, the other three seasons are also the reason for the increase in barbecue usage.For those who sell the grill, this may mean a new opportunity.According to the NPD study, winter barbecues have grown by nearly 4% over the past two years, while the number of families that say barbecues in the summer has dropped by 3%.Gas Grill users tend to grill each yearMore rounded than charcoal grill users."The study is surprising that the growth in the use of grills comes from seasons outside the summer," said Arnie Schwartz, vice president of national diet trends for NPD.Growth takes place in winter, spring, and fall, which is true across the country.Not just the West Coast or the warm area."The seasonal nature of the barbecue extends the time for retailers to sell the grill," Schwartz said."If people are using them all year round, there is a chance to sell them all year round," he said .".The trend is already clear, suppliers say."Yes, this is the trend that started four years ago and is indeed gaining momentum," said Mike Kempster, executive vice president of marketing at the ailing Palentine.-Headquartered in Webster Stephen products"We did an important business in the fourth calendar quarter with stores such as Sear, Home Depot and Lowe's," added Kempster ."."Even Target, who once left the grill after July 4, left the grill on the floor all year round.According to a study from Columbus, GeorgiaHeadquartered in CharBroil, 78% of the unit sales of the grill have occurred in the retail market since August.But 22% of unit sales arecalled off-season."Considering that many retailers closed down when they came back --to-The number of hits in the school, which is a lot of sales from a few retailers who choose to stay in this category when they get off work"The season is starting," said Ryan Neil, marketing manager at chambro.Dan Murphy, vice president of outdoor cooking marketing at Sunbeancoutdoor, said: "We really think this is a trend in the market .".Murphy said Boka-Raton, Fla.-US-based appliance manufacturers are working with retail partners to keep the grill on the floor every yearround."We are working to advance the cycle of new product launches so that retailers can take advantage of the fall and winter months," Murphy said .".It is also the key to Sunbeam's strategy --Quarterly grill sales will provide retailers with promotional products such as grill tools, he said.While Americans are increasingly accustomed to preparing their main courses on the grill, the NPD found that only 7% of the grill includes a twist side dish.Because of this, Schwartz says the grill is another potential market for grill manufacturers, equipped with a gas burner that makes it easy to prepare side dishes while the main course is in place.In fact, he says, any feature that makes it more convenient to prepare before meals is likely to pay off, because convenience is a big reason Americans like barbecues.Kempster agreed and noted that 40% of the grill sold by Webernow is equipped with a side burner."For consumers who want to cook corn or prepare sauces, this has become a very popular feature rather than re-cooking in the kitchen."Because the biggest increase in grill usage comes from families with children, Schwartz also sees a bigger sales opportunity --sized grills.But it's better to make the gas grill bigger.The study found that gas is more popular than charcoal: 53% of people own a gas grill, compared with 30% of charcoal.The indoor grill is also on top.The study found that 14 percent's grill owners own an indoor electric grill, an increase over previous years, Schwartz said.But he says electric grills are attractive to specific markets."The gas grill has penetrated into traditional families and families with children, and the indoor grill has entered the elderly market, more empty"Nest old man," Schwartz said.T-Fal Corp.From Pine Brook, NY.J.Jeremy Jones, marketing director, said the company is also tracking higher sales of indoor grills."The market is explosive," Jones said .""Over the past few years, we 've seen some very successful introductions of electric grills that can be used indoors."While the use of grills in almost all household sectors has increased over time, NPD has found that higher household income means higher use of grills.Among those who have used the grill at least once at atwo --43% of households earn more than $70,000 a week.Those who buy premium grills are also using them --David Becker, vice president of product management at Viking Range Corp.Miss Greenwood.-Based on equipment manufacturers."We must have seen this trend."End the grill," Becker said."It's a trend and people are also moving towards the concept of an outdoor kitchen, including a grill, an outdoor refrigerator and other kitchen products.