Twenty years ago when J Style started importing ceramics from Japan, few Australian retail buyers had heard of ramen, laksa or pho.
Their customers weren’t asking for noodle bowls or ceramic soup spoons, so Japanese tableware was something of a specialty item. It was used as part of an ‘exotic’ window display to grab a bit of attention, but not expected to sell in quantity.
Now Asian style meals are mainstream, and meat and three veg is being relegated to the historical cookbooks. With this change in the way modern Australians eat comes an increase in demand for tableware to suit.
There has been a definite shift in the style of dining settings in Australia, with less demand for matching 12 or 16 piece dinner sets, and more people looking for dinnerware that suits each type of meal and can be mixed and matched.
Hosting a dinner at home is becoming more about showcasing each dish individually and―in a way that very much suits the Japanese aesthetic―choosing a plate or bowl for each recipe that best complements the food being served.
New designs from J Style arriving in February include a range of beautiful blue and white noodle bowls in traditional Japanese designs, from simple stripes to detailed florals. Classic blue and white colours easily coordinate with existing dinnerware, while giving a special highlight to the dish being served.
Wholesale prices range from $4.50 to $9 per dish or bowl, or $12 to $36 for gift boxed dinnerware sets.
J Style is not exhibiting at the Sydney gift fairs in February 2019.
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