Menu's strong program for Spring 2010

Once again, Menu proves to be the most innovative Scandinavian Design company with its Spring 2010 Launch. We will be presenting Menu's new items at the New York Gift show Jan. 31- Feb. 4 in booth 4034 and we look forward to seeing you there.

Here's a peek at the Spring 2010 Launch

Burning For A Better World

Since 2008 more than 100 torches have been handed over to people who are making an extra effort to improve living conditions for women throughout the world. The recipients include UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, First Lady Michelle Obama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton along with quite ordinary, but at the same time extraordinary, people around the world.

It is so simple in its form and so powerful in its symbolic expression that it overcomes cultural, social, and language barriers: the torch that Danish Minister for Development Cooperation, Ulla Tornaes, in 2008 put at the heart of the MDG3 Global Call to Action, a global campaign to promote women's rights and empowerment. MDG stands for Millenium Development Goals, the 8 goals set by the UN in 2000 to eradicate poverty and inequality by 2015, and the number 3 stands for the third goal concerning gender equality and women's empowerment.

In his acception speech Ban Ki-moon said:

"We come from different walks of life, from international organizations to grassroots groups, from ministers to educators, and from CEO's to artists. That is what makes this torch project so meaningful. Because we need all partners working together to make gender equality a reality."

These torches are a creation of the Danish designer Pernille Vea produced by MENU.

MENUMAG 2nd Edition Now Available

Welcome to MENUMAG, the second edition of Scandinavian Design Originals. This time we open a window to our world and show you some of the fascinating processes behind good design. Whether it is the 2010 hair trends, one of the world's finest power boats or a double-walled thermo mug, it's all about design, and how to turn abstract trends into tangible products.

Like in the article on trends. Our logo has changed recently, marking the first step toward a new visual identity to suit the new times. The logo emphasizes that at Menu, daily dialogues between design and people constantly generate new ideas. And nothing is more fascinating than when millions of people all over the world suddenly do things in the same new way, made possible by design. That is truly original. View the magazine using the link below.

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/0e01a32d#/0e01a32d/1

Add A Little Gold To Your Life

Verner Panton's geometric patterns on Menu's thermal cups makes enjoying hot drinks cool. This line won both the Good Design Award and the Design Plus award. Panton originally designed the pattern for textiles, but the graphic design is particularly well-suited for porcelain, both in the Panton series' basic colors of black, red, orange, purple and turquoise, as well as in the new, limited edition gold version MENU is introducing this year. Verner Panton was in every way an original and ahead of his time. Just like MENU.

Happy New Year from Creative Danes

For Creative Danes 2009 was a rewarding year with double digit sales growth and many new happy customers.


We thank you all for your support in this past year and look forward to serving you in 2010.

Image: Creative Danes wish you Happy New Year from cold and dark Denmark.

Menu Moments To Be Proud Of

Best of the Best

The Red Dot "Best of the Best" award is fitting for Jakob Wagners most recent Menu design. A new, refreshing reinterpretation of the classic bottle archetype, combined with an ingenious 100% drip-free smart-lid that also acts as a filter for ice cubes, lemon slices, etc. Another Scandinavian Design Original of highest quality.

Oil On Fire
Christian Bjorn's series of outdoor oil lamps had not been on the market for long last year before the world's attention fell on the simple, Scandinavian design and the unique construction with its bonfire-like flames arising from inside the oil lamp. This excitement resulted in the Lighthouse series garnering the two most widely recognized international design awards, Red Dot and IF, serving as an international pat on the back for good design and a mark of quality for MENU's modern oil lamp, which is already considered a classic.

Bottle Fahrenheit
Jakob Wagner is also the man and wine connoisseur behind the award-winning wine thermometer. In its pure simplicity, the thermometer is wrapped around the body of the bottle, where it measures the temperature of the wine and ensures an optimal experience. As with all of MENU's products, this unique measuring device is constructed with a heightened sense of efficiency and simple design. Wagner's original wine thermometer has been awarded an IF, a Red Dot, and a GOOD DESIGN Award for its aesthetic functionality and practical design.

The Prize of Prizes

Jakob Wagner's propeller trivet has thrilled consumers and critics around the world with its simple construction and aerodynamic design. The elegant trivet, which already boasted an IF Award, a Design Plus Prize and a GOOD DESIGN Award, was awarded a silver medal in one of the world's most prestigious competitions this year, "Designpreis der Bundesrepublik Deutchland 2008." An impartial jury bestowed the trivet with Germany's official design distinction - a prize that is considered by many to be "the prize of prizes."

Hanging Jewelry
Louise Christ has designed a new solution for jewelry storage. Rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces can be admired on the simple and sculptural Menu Jewelry Tree when they are not being worn. Louise Christ won in 2008 the Red Dot Award, which is awarded by Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen, Germany for excellent design quality and trendsetter status. The jewelry tree is manufactured in silver or black chrome aluminium and, as with all of MENU's characteristic design, it features superb functionality. The jewelry tree is very durable and has sufficient weight to hold the jewelry without toppling.

Good Design

Pernille Vea is the designer behind the MENU Black Thermal Jug, which combines the forms of nature with stylish and effective high-tech materials. With its high degree of functionality, well-balanced design featuring a double-walled stainless steel thermal insert and matte black rubber coating, the jug was enthusiastically named the winner of the 2007 GOOD DESIGN Award in Chicago. The award, which is one of the most prestigious in the world, is awarded by the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design to the most innovative and ground-breaking international design.

Menu Double Candleholder XL

The Menu Double Candleholder XL is enormous. Measuring at 26 inches tall, this impressive XL edition of the elegant Menu Double Candleholder stands on the floor. This stylish stainless steel accessory is sure to steal the spotlight in any room, retro or contemporary.

Menu's Best Selling Collection: Water & Wine

Four water and wine items are on Menu's Top 10 Best Selling list, making this collection Menu's most popular. Check it out:

A Classic Favorite

Menu® thermo cups have a double layer of porcelain with an isolating air-cavity in between. This keeps your coffee or tea warm for much longer than regular mugs and fingers never get burned. Some of the designs even come in two sizes: 7 oz and 10 oz.
These cups have it all ­– brains and beauty! Menu® has created multiple design lines – hopefully one of them will fit your needs and personal taste…

Designer Jakob Wagner continues to impress

The latest water carafe from Menu® by Jakob Wagner recently won the prestigious Red Dot Design Award “Best of the Best."

Menu's new water carafe, along with Wagner's new set of glasses, benefit from being made of tempered glass. It’s much stronger than usual glass – it doesn’t break as easily and if it does break, it does not break into sharp shards. Adding to this, it’s heat resistant – so the glasses are great for hot drinks like café lattes or hot chocolate. And they possess a beautiful, contemporary design!

When Jakob Wagner isn't creating award-winning water carafes he's busy creating phenomenal wine accessories...

Menu® and Wagner has improved the classic waiter’s corkscrew by adding a layer of Teflon to the windings. This makes it much easier to use – and makes the opening of bottles with even long or old corks look much more professional. It’s always a nice touch when the bottles are opened at the table. The classic lever ensures that even the most difficult cork is easily and elegantly removed from the bottle. Also includes a foil cutter.

Wine – not necessarily something that has to be hidden in a dark cellar…

Very good wines may need this – but why not make some of the bottles a showcase of what your home or restaurant can offer? Jakob Wagner has designed a wall mounted wine rack for Menu® – inspired by the winding, branched grape vine –mother of all wine. It creates an eye-catching piece of art when the bottles appear to be poised an inch or so from the wall.

Gense Introduces Royalty-Inspired Silverware

The Swedish Prince Carl Philip Bernadotte has designed the latest silverware, CPB 2091, for Gense.
“It has been a fantastic challenge and I am very proud of the result," says Bernadotte, who was assigned to think ”new and contemporary”.
This line is handmade from 830 Silver by the silversmiths in the Eskiltuna factory in Sweden.

With its international character, CPB 2091 adds an extra essence whether you choose to arrange the table in a traditional or modern setting.

Menu Boogie Woogie on Extra TV

A Menu Milestone!

Since its debut in 2007, Creative Danes has successfully grown the Menu brand from just a few stores to more than 300 stores all over the US and Canada. We are very proud to introduce the first Menu shop-in-shop. This year Emmo Home has taken Menu to the next level, now carrying every product we offer. And the location couldn't be better. Emmo Home is now a part of the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, one of the finest and highest-grossing malls in the United States. We're happy to report that the newly established shop-in-shop is doing extremely well, out-selling any other brand in the store.
http://www.emmohome.com/

A creative, enticing display of Menu

Speranza Design Gallery's striking arrangement truly gives life to all that Menu has to offer. Speranza's Menu display makes expressing your individuality and creativity a breeze when selecting a gift for somebody or something for yourself. Inspiration is easy to find with this polished presentation. "We carry Menu products for two reasons: They're great products and they sell - fast. This display truly illustrates what Menu has to offer also in terms of sales materials."
-Alex Lubarsky, Owner

For more on what Speranza has to offer: http://www.speranzaonline.com/

Technical Revolution in the Kitchen...

At first glance, these MENU stackable dishes appear to be just nicely designed - not with a masculine touch and innovation. But appearances are deceptive; the dishes are supported by four "legs" made of heat resistant silicone that can endure high temperatures, and function as a dish mat. They come in three sizes and can be stacked into three of more layers, depending on the size of the oven. And everything gets cooked - including stuff in the middle. The option of stacking eight dishes on top of one another is an innovation in good cooking and gives unprecedented options for combining oven dishes. And the time you save allows you to enjoy a good bottle of red wine while all the elements of your dinner are approaching the finishing line - all at the same time! Viva La Innovation!

This Season's Must-Have Gifts for Him and Her

For Her...

The way to a woman's heart is through the gift, but choose it with love, care and let it reflect her personality. These modern and elegant gift ideas are sure to evoke joy.

For Him...

Find the perfect present for the man who thinks he has got everything. We offer you a nice selection of masculine gift ideas. You know him best, so it's up to you to decide whether the gift should be practical, funny, classic, creative - or a bit of everything.

For Both...

The gift for both must be something that both he and she can appreciate. We suggest simple, Scandinavian design. Beautiful, clean lines with an aura of peace and harmony. Here is a selection of gifts that can be shared and enjoyed by both.

Elegant Service by Norm

The two architects at Norm, Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen & Kasper Ronn, are deeply rooted in the Scandinavian design tradition - which they honor and refine. According to Jonas & Kasper, good design should meet real needs and satisfy all senses. This philosophy comes to life in their design: a classic, recognizable shape gets a new, original twist that calls for attention. A surprising, little detail or a new material entices you to touch and smell the product, and makes you enjoy the sound it makes when you put it on the table.

Norm brings function and beauty together in the Menu Carving Set, always adding that little extra in pursuit of timelessness and soul.











A hole at the center of the bamboo board allows meats juices to drip down into the tray to avoid stains on the tablecloth. Bamboo has natural anti-bacterial properties and can be grown without the use of pesticides.

With the Menu Serving Set, the white porcelain dish fits perfectly into the tray. There is space between the dish and tray for the accompanying cooling pad if the food has to be kept cold. Without the cooling pad the set is a great serving plate for hot dishes - or the tray and dish can be used separately.

Norm's bowls, dishes and trays are designed to meet actual needs. From the start the designers sought to create functional products that were timeless and original in their design and combination of materials. The Menu Bowl comes in both black and white.

Coffee's New Competitor

Tea as a trendy form of wellness. Steamy spas and relaxing massages are no longer the only means of pampering both body and soul. What started with a fortune accident 5,000 years ago in China has become a new form of wellness that can be enjoyed today in many a stylish tea salon.

Coffee's New Competitor. Coffee-to-go remains as popular as ever, but quality tea leaves are now giving coffee beans a run for the money. Danes are crazy about tea, as many have taken well to this hot beverage swirled in Eastern mysticism and healing powers. Tea has become a very special indulgence.

Designer Pernille Vea chose a bold blend of semi-transparent New Bone China and silicone for MENU's new tea and coffee series. The series design is simple and sleek, and the Menu mugs, Menu tea pot, and Menu coffee press pot have all the modern functions one could hope for. At first glance, the pots resemble earlier porcelain models, but by lining the fine porcelain in mocha-colored silicone, Pernille Vea has given them a straight forward touch.

Dine in style every day with Nobel flatware

It was anounced in early October that U.S. President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. The official Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony is coming up and will be held in Oslo City Hall, Norway, followed by the Nobel Banquet held in the Blue Hall of Stockholm City Hall. There, Obama will dine on a Scandinavian-inspired feast using none other than Gense’s own Nobel Gold and Silver flatware.

Nobel was created by Gunnar Cyren in 1991 in celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Nobel prizes. This magnificent Swedish flatware setting is a modern classic for both official and special occasions and for everyday use at home. This unique flatware is still one of the most popular flatware lines in Scandinavia and is offered in stainless steel as well. Several new pieces have been added over time since its introduction in 1991, making it more versatile and comprehensive.

Happy Halloween

Emmo Homes alternative use of Rubbervases for Halloween Night.

Need a centerpiece? We offer four modern solutions...

The Menu JW Mini Lamp by Jacob Wagner offers both a classic and contemporary centerpiece. The lamp consists of a clear outer glass and an inner smoke-hued glass allowing form, color and vivid lighting to interact with one another.

The Menu Galerie Candleholder allows for a customizable centerpiece. A couple of fresh flowers immersed in water, dried rosebuds, stones gathered on the beach...create a new atmosphere, week after week.

Designed after ocean-front lighthouses, the Menu Lighthouse Hurricane lamps offer a sea-inspired centerpiece. Contemporary and unique, they come in two sizes.

The Menu Simplicity Vase offers a fresh take on floral centerpieces. Add one or two long-stemmed flowers for a delicate and contemporary look.

Want Something Different?

Gense's Appetize series is characterized by its soft, wavy lines and elegant simplicity. This flatware is perfect for both everyday use and special occasions.

5 piece place Setting

Appetize is known for its great emphasis on having a function, which must fit well in the hand, but at the same time must have a beautiful visual design that is inviting. The combisticks pictured below are great for cocktail parties. One side is an appetizer fork, the other side is a spoon.

Appetize Combisticks

The appetize collection of flatware is one of the best-selling series by Gense and is used e.g. in the VIP Dining Room at the New York Marriott Marquis. The oval shape of the Japanese tea plant leaf inspired the design. The Appetize Dessert Set features a picking fork and spoon.

Dessert Set

MENU : New Black Contour Products

Menu has added a fine little salt and pepper set to the popular Black Contour series. Made of porcelain of the finest quality, this stylish salt and pepper set with soft, flexible and tight-fitting rubber lids makes it easy to fill with salt and pepper.

Small Black Contour bowls are perfect for quick everyday breakfasts, to be used as a candy dish, or single dessert dishes and are freezer and oven safe. The stylish design is suited for parties, but simple and practical for everyday use.

Menu's new Black Contour jars are fit for a variety of purposes. The "built-in" label is a creative idea that makes it easy to see what is inside.

Below a presentation of Menu's black contour line

Mizu Prime Steak and Sushi chooses Menu

Mizu Prime Steak and Sushi, a world class restaurant located in the hills of West Austin recently opened within a new $4.5 million dollar building.

Mizu features prime steaks with a full sushi bar and innovative new American cuisine. With both an award winning chef and sommelier, the food and wine shine and are the focus in a beautiful space with miles of breath-taking views of the Hill Country.

General Manager and Sommelier Brian Phillips picked a number of Menu items for the new restaurant. Brian Phillips says “We wanted the restaurant to be special and once I saw the beautiful items from MenuÒ, I knew I’d found what I was looking for. MenuÒ’s products help us deliver a functional and unique service experience to our guests and help differentiate us from any other restaurant in Austin.”
You can see more about Mizu on http://www.mizuaustin.com/