Giftable goods from small businesses

Yedi Houseware is a father-son family business established in 1979 by Yedidia Djavaheri, who started selling housewares over 40 years ago in Germany before settling in the U.S. Yedi was inspired by the kitchen and housewares he saw in Germany, which were important focal points of the household.

Yedi Houseware started selling their home products on Amazon 12 years ago, when they would receive purchase orders by fax machine every Monday. Today, they are still selling on Amazon, reaching millions of customers through Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). The team is also continuing to grow, now with eight full-time employees and plans to create more jobs as they anticipate additional growth.

2018 is Yedi Houseware’s fifth time appearing on Oprah’s Favorite Things, which has been instrumental in helping Yedi and his team grow. They have expanded exponentially in small appliances – from pressure cookers to sous vides. They will add griddlers, blenders, and other products in the future.

After the family dairy farm shut down in the 1960’s, sixth generation Vermonter, Chris White’s parents decided to use the land to produce Maple Syrup. In 1980, the family tapped 500 trees and started maple sugaring. By 2007 they were up to 5,000 trees, and today the company has 31,000 maple trees and 17 employees during peak sales season.

Mount Mansfield Maple Products began listing on Amazon in 2009, with just a few merchant fulfilled listings. After going all-in on their Amazon strategy and leveraging FBA to reach more customers, the company has grown exponentially. Mount Mansfield Maple Products now sells all of their products on Amazon including over 10,000 pounds of maple candy each year.

Being selected for Oprah’s Favorite Things list for the second year in a row is a great accomplishment for this family-run business. In addition to the boost in sales and new customers, the honor raises employee morale and energy during their busiest season of the year.

Dana DeVorzon had been in the beauty industry for over 15 years when she conceptualized La Chatelaine and brought it to market. Combining her penchant for design and French background, she had the know-how and passion to create a brand of luxurious French bath and beauty products that inspire one’s inner confidence. Paired with beautifully designed packaging and organic ingredients, La Chatelaine has won the confidence of Oprah herself and is included on this year’s Oprah’s Favorite Things list.

The products, created in the South of France, bring a modern twist to traditional favorites and are developed with a goal of remaining as natural as possible. In fact, each product contains ethically sourced ingredients and no harsh chemicals.

Since launching La Chatelaine Amazon and leveraging FBA for quick-delivery, Dana has seen her business grown dramatically and now reaches customers across the U.S.