Taste of Home
New Housewares for a Legacy Brand
Developed and launched 4 lines of cookware and bakeware for a newly licensed brand.
Completed as Director of New Product Development at Range Kleen.
![Taste of Home Cookware Hero Image](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_bc753e20526e49f594ed8899ee9a7402~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_453,h_340,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Taste%20of%20Home%20Cookware.jpg)
Project Summary
1 Year
1 Product Designer
Product Management
Research - Learn about the organization, users, and market
Development - Design and prototyping
Production - Manufacturing the pieces
Launch - 26 New Products
![TN115G_15x10_Baking_Sheet_ToH_lifestyle-](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_2973fae0995a40868538c3809a4da2f1~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_67,y_176,w_890,h_673/fill/w_464,h_347,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/TN115G_15x10_Baking_Sheet_ToH_lifestyle-.png)
* Above images by Taste of Home.
What products should we create?
Initial Research
![Market Shopping - Bakeware](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_de99203a6d804d96b246ce71b5c5bb45~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_110,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/4e393a_de99203a6d804d96b246ce71b5c5bb45~mv2.jpg)
![Market Shopping - Cast Iron](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_c76ca8a537034a9ab29fe56976008c72~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_110,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/4e393a_c76ca8a537034a9ab29fe56976008c72~mv2.jpg)
![Textured Brownies](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_bde8314a527545679ee34362bfed91c6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_110,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/4e393a_bde8314a527545679ee34362bfed91c6~mv2.jpg)
![Testing Cast Iron Grill](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_9dbf85ab1d6e45ea99abee813bf08ae6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_196,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/4e393a_9dbf85ab1d6e45ea99abee813bf08ae6~mv2.jpg)
Survey of Taste of Home readers
Taste of Home most popular recipes
What is the Taste of Home brand?
Interviews with the Taste of Home test kitchen team
Market and competitive research of other lines
Product testing
Inspiration from old props they use for photography
![Taste of Home Fall Recipes 2019 cover](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_bb2e22af645d480186e2c5ccae426059~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_346,y_189,w_1079,h_1429/fill/w_76,h_100,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Taste-of-Home-Fall-Recipes-2019_Special-.png)
![Starburst Loaf Pan](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_f2aef14d9f3d47108778f77624176711~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_73,h_57,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/IMG_20180927_134222_edited.jpg)
What Will the Products Look Like?
Four Different Product Lines
Metal Bakeware
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Inspiration for pattern from mid-century bakeware and tin ceilings
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Refine the scale of the pattern
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Technical drawings
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Prototyping - metal and 3D printing
![Texture Drawing Final](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_654e95daa6194f4f9b9663af98b11b57~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_112,h_86,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Texture%20v3.png)
![Pattern Options](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_f1b99f349b68481a98d284f4127eefa7~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_5,y_5,w_1096,h_818/fill/w_113,h_84,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Pattern%20Options.png)
![Testing Bakeware Prototype Sample](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_a489d1c2b5724386878ec2a3c7b65ff9~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_56,h_40,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/IMG_20190102_081536_edited.jpg)
![3D Printed Bakeware (Painted Plastic)](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_4808ca1aa0f440f090b9f56157d02d25~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_53,h_40,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/IMG_20200413_110106_edited.jpg)
Aluminum Cookware
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Factory visit (Italy)
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Colors and printing
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Fittings and specifications
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Pricing and quantities
![Cookware with Color Swatches](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_2309ee2883304c69b13553e4abe28f4c~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_515,w_3036,h_2852/fill/w_164,h_154,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_3,enc_auto/IMG_20181108_102124.jpg)
![Cookware Skillet](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_27ef2f47a4dc41d29e73dc0319f9b145~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_28,y_99,w_972,h_798/fill/w_189,h_155,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_3,enc_auto/TC119A_12_5in_TasteofHome_Skillet_angled.png)
![Heat Testing Handles](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_97379929f22d4ede8d3654dd1b5645af~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_196,y_0,w_3852,h_2058/fill/w_73,h_39,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/IMG_20190402_153458.jpg)
Cast Iron
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Requests from Taste of Home
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Reading reviews and testing reports
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Testing competitive samples
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Discussion with factory
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CAD
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Colors. logos, and specifications
![Cast Iron Skillet Concept](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_3b8b161720004b73bfb72286b795bbda~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_66,h_52,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Cast%20iron%20skillet%20concept.png)
![Color Comparison with Swatch](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_cec87da8c5d246539e63c696a89f606f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_158,h_211,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_3,enc_auto/IMG_20190501_183511.jpg)
![Cast Iron 5 Qt. Concept Page](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_ce9c5edc49644b7aa0dcb432d6a9b3d9~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_111,h_85,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Cast%20iron%205%20qt%20concept.png)
![Cast Iron Skillet Concept Page](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_4db84ffccac1447e95529699a0bf161c~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_112,h_86,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Cast%20Iron%20Skillet%20Concept%202.png)
Stoneware
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Decision on what pieces to design
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Feature development
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Textural pattern and color placement
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CAD
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Collaboration with factory
![Stoneware Color Exploration](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_066fbd7c696d47848bcd949458476e41~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_105,h_92,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Ceramics%20Colors.png)
![Stoneware 9x13 Color 1](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_a029ef5f40a84fb881b6653729101576~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_112,h_86,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Ceramic%209x13%20v%201.png)
![Stoneware 9x13 Color 2](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_a1819a500402420ca32bcf19cb9f19f5~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_112,h_86,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Ceramic%209x13%20v%202.png)
Bringing the Designs to Life
Production
Metal Bakeware - There was a bit of trial and error getting the embossed pattern on the bottom to come out consistently during production.
Aluminum Cookware - Taste of Home and I tested and approved samples that had the correct materials, sizes, shapes, and handles, but didn’t have the right colors. The factory matched the specified Pantone color well.
Cast Iron - The factory had provided useful feedback on the designs and good CAD for confirmation before tooling. The first off-tool samples were pretty good and we were able to approve them for production quickly.
Stoneware - The factory had evidently not reviewed the CAD before providing the quotes, which caused many issues later. Ceramic is a much more variable material than I am used to designing for, so many of the pieces ended up a bit smaller than I had intended and the glaze covers up a fair amount of the detail.
![Testing Cookie Sheet](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_f2ae0b22f0024886aa90660319d93c40~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_196,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/4e393a_f2ae0b22f0024886aa90660319d93c40~mv2.jpg)
![Brownies and Cake Bakeware Testing](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_ad93b7d5133142f094570d6554997b01~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_110,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/4e393a_ad93b7d5133142f094570d6554997b01~mv2.jpg)
![Stoneware Casserole with Mockup Packaging](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_7fd5c35875f943188dab6ac9797f14fc~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_110,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/4e393a_7fd5c35875f943188dab6ac9797f14fc~mv2.jpg)
![Stoneware Testing](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_89d7e0e0c3a04c7bbeeb3f05fa26f1ca~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_196,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/4e393a_89d7e0e0c3a04c7bbeeb3f05fa26f1ca~mv2.jpg)
![Bakeware Testing](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_58d7fc318c514c94987bc788f93a5610~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_110,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/4e393a_58d7fc318c514c94987bc788f93a5610~mv2.jpg)
![Bakeware Testing - Cleanability](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4e393a_ed0281000429438aa8396d662b829216~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_196,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/4e393a_ed0281000429438aa8396d662b829216~mv2.jpg)
Final Products
* Above images by Taste of Home.
What I Learned
Major Takeaways from this Project
Balancing new designs with existing technologies can be a delicate balance, especially when on tight timelines.
Working with new technologies (or materials, in this case) can add extra time to a project.
Confirm that the whoever is executing the design truly understands what I'm looking for and the design intentions.