That Mauviel copper pot that Meryl Streep stumbled upon in the film “Julie and Julia” was made in France, but it got to Hollywood via New Castle.
The Mauviel, as well as other upscale cookware from brands such as Arc Elegance, Cuisipro, Duralex and Rösle, is housed in the 44,000-square-foot Emile Henry USA warehouse in New Castle’s Centerpoint Business Complex Park (802 Centerpoint Blvd.). It’s the only warehouse of its kind in the United States.
“We are the minority shareholder of these brands,” says general manager Eric Jones. “The majority shareholders are the brands themselves.” That means local folks handle marketing, sales and distribution for overseas companies that operate in the United States. And though products are produced in Europe, including Emile Henry ceramic cookware, they are imported exclusively to New Castle.
So when the Sony Pictures people needed a well-burnished copper pot, Jones’ people had to supply it. The piece had to be authentic, since Julia Child, whom Streep portrays in the film, was trained on French copper.
The brands were successfully placed on store shelves “when they married up through our networks,” says Jones. The warehouse supplies the nation’s finest retailers, and its products are regularly featured in the national media.
So what does that mean to you? Lots.
Once a year, Jones opens up the warehouse to offer blowout savings on discontinued products or overstocked items. This year’s sale, scheduled for December 12-13, offers savings on Rösle and Cuisipro kitchen tools, Arc Elegance glass bakeware, Emile Henry’s heirloom-quality ovenware and tableware and more.
“This sale is a rare opportunity,” says Jones. Expect a festive party with food and music. “If you like to cook, you’ll feel like a kid in a candy store.”