Fine & durable is what f&d (the lowercase is correct) stands for, but it could just as easily had been fun & delicious. Or fashion & design. Formal & dignified. Fresh & direct. f&d is the new higher end brand from Pasabahce – stemware designed for specific varietals of wine – and created from a new technology that makes the unleaded glass more break-resistant and lustrous. The company’s marketing manager in Turkey – where the company headquarters are – says the 130-SKU line (mostly stemware and barware, but coordinating decorative accessories as well) is ripe for the U.S. market. “There’s a demand for high quality items in the U.S. which can be met by f&d,” Sertaç Okten says. “The trendy wine culture is growing in the U.S. and our ongoing product development for shapes the U.S. demands – martinis, margaritas, and oversized items – proves we’re interested in the American market which is important in the growth of our company’s sales.”
When company sales hover at the $2 billion mark, you can bet this is an enterprise serious about monetary growth. According to Neil Orzeck, he runs stateside operations, f&d represents the latest outside-the-box technology developed by Sisecam (Sise ve Cam Fabrikalari A.S.), the 72-year-old Turkish glass conglomerate that produces glass for the industrial, scientific, foodservice, and household sectors. “This is an enormous company that continues to reinvest in new plants and technologies,” Orzeck says. “They’re always increasing capacity and coming out with new products that revolutionize the market.”

That’s not hyperbole. Pasabahce has been known for decades in our industry as a supplier to suppliers (as well as retailers including Crate & Barrel, Target, and Williams-
Sonoma). Not content to remain a behind-the-scenes force, the company opened a U.S. subsidiary in 2003 to bring its popularly-priced machine-made glass direct to retailers under the Pasabahce brand. After four years of steady growth – and acclimated to the American market – the time was ripe to launch a higher-end collection under a new brand. Tabletop veteran Orzeck – he started as an A&S dinnerware buyer and followed that up with a long stint at Mikasa servicing mass merchants and foodservice – joined Pasabahce when it entered our market four years ago. With a New York showroom at 41 Madison, a longtime trade ad campaign targeted directly to retailers, and continually refreshing products, Pasabahce has laid the foundation for amplified growth. “We’ve studied the U.S. market the last four years and have acquired a great deal of knowledge that we can now put into action,” Orzeck informs.

Just in time to coincide with the launch of f&d. “We felt it was important to offer all price levels in the market,” Orzeck says. “f&d is the perfect brand to cater to the increasing awareness of wine serving and home entertaining and for people looking for a quality wine glass.” The brand is currently undergoing a global roll-out to many of the 140 countries it sells to. “Certainly there are target areas where wine consumption is greater and we’re concentrating on those areas to start,” Orzeck notes. And although parent company Sisecam sees the whole world as its oyster, the U.S. is a coveted pearl. To that end, Pasabahce has plans to open its first U.S. warehouse, in New Jersey before year’s end. “We need to be close to the market, to be a local supplier, and give better service to our customers,” says Orzeck. “It helps us gain credibility and confidence with our customers.”