KBIS 2025 Celebrates a Decade of Innovation with DesignBites and Announces Hard Hat Media Tour Selections
From Bold Pitches to Exclusive Previews, KBIS Sets the Stage for Kitchen and Bath Excellence
(LAS VEGAS, Nev.) — January 24, 2025 — The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its high-stakes competitions with this year’s DesignBites, an unmissable showdown of innovation and creativity. Over the past decade, DesignBites has become a signature event, spotlighting the industry’s most exciting brands and game-changing products.
DesignBites is the interactive, high-energy brand spotlight that selected 11 exhibiting brands to showcase their best new offerings in an accelerated presentation to judges and audience members on NEXTStage. This year’s milestone contest will take place on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at 12:00 pm and will be hosted by fan favorite Dancing Carpenter, Darren Keefe. After hearing every pitch, this year’s panel of judges will award the coveted title of Brand with the Biggest Bite, and the crowd will have a chance to get in on the action by live voting for the People’s Pick.
The following brands will go head-to-head this year, with just three minutes to make their case:
- BlueStar
- Blum
- Brondell
- Daltile
- Empava
- EMTEK
- LG Electronics
- Midea
- MOEN
- Potty Sniffer by JEMSMART
- Signature Kitchen Suite (SKS)
Complementing the excitement of DesignBites, KBIS is excited to share the finalist brands for the highly anticipated Hard Hat Media Tour, an invite-only tour that allows journalists and editors an intimate preview of top kitchen and bath products at the show. A tradition of KBIS and produced by partner Emerald Expositions, the tour takes place before the show floor officially opens on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 from 7:30am – 10:00am, and takes a group of editors to seven different booths for true “first looks.”
This year’s Hard Hat Media Tour drew 81 applicants competing for seven coveted spots, showcasing the tour’s prestige. The seven selected brands will join the official title and breakfast sponsor Signature Kitchen Suite (SKS), as well as coffee sponsor Empava.
“The Hard Hat Media Tour provides home and design media with an exclusive opportunity to experience the best of the show firsthand while sharing that inspiration with their audiences,” said Jason McGraw Group Vice President, KBIS. “With its invite-only format, the tour brings together our most valued editorial partners alongside fresh faces and new publications, broadening the reach of what KBIS has to offer.”
After review by esteemed media judges Chelsie Butler, Executive Editor, Kitchen & Bath Business; Katy Kiick Condon, Executive Editor, Dotdash Meredith; and Paul Makovsky, Editor-in-Chief, ARCHITECT, the tour lineup is:
- Signature Kitchen Suite *Title and Breakfast Sponsor
- Empava*Coffee Sponsor
- Airmada
- Caesarstone
- Danver
- Ruvati
- Whirlpool
With the milestone 10th anniversary of DesignBites and the exclusive Hard Hat Media Tour, KBIS 2025 promises to set the stage for cutting-edge innovation and creativity in the kitchen and bath industry.
For more information about the Hard Hat Media Tour, please visit the KBIS website here. For more information about DesignBites, please visit here. Media interested in attending can contact KBIS@sharpthink.com to reserve VIP seating and order lunch.
About the National Kitchen & Bath Association and the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show
The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is the not-for-profit trade association that owns the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), the largest kitchen and bath show in North America. With nearly 55,000 members in all segments of the kitchen and bath design and remodeling industry, NKBA has educated and advised the industry since it was founded in 1963. The NKBA’s mission is to inspire and support the kitchen and bath industry through community, events, learning, and professional certifications. For more information, visit www.nkba.org or call 1-800-THE-NKBA (843-6522).
KBIS® and NKBA® are registered trademarks of the National Kitchen & Bath Association.
About Emerald
KBIS is produced by Emerald. Emerald’s talented and experienced team grows our customers’ businesses 365 days a year through connections, content, and commerce. We expand connections that drive new business opportunities, product discovery, and relationships with over 140 annual events, matchmaking, and lead-gen services. We create content to ensure that our customers are on the cutting edge of their industries and are continually developing their skills. And we power commerce through efficient year-round buying and selling. We do all this by seamlessly integrating in-person and digital platforms and channels. Emerald is immersed in the industries we serve and committed to supporting the communities in which we operate. As true partners, we create experiences that inspire, amaze, and deliver breakthrough results. For more information, please visit: www.emeraldx.com
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