Connect with us

Technology

Prestige Cookware and Clean Coatings Defined Amazon Prime Day 2026’s Home & Kitchen Winners: Market Defense Report

Published

on

SEATTLE, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cookware went prestige and clean this Prime Day 2026, as premium sets and ceramic coatings pulled ahead of legacy nonstick. Market Defense’s “FROM CART TO COUNTERTOP: Amazon Prime Day June 2026 Home & Kitchen Report” breaks down the top sellers, the search terms, and the competitive shifts that defined Prime Day for Cookware and Kitchen Appliances.

The event itself broke records — $26.4 billion in U.S. e-commerce sales over four days, outpacing Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined — but the more interesting story for home and kitchen brands played out in the details.

Across Amazon, this year’s Prime Day shopper arrived more deliberate than usual — older, more price-conscious, and quicker to compare, with 52% checking prices or products at other retailers before buying. Roughly half cross-shopped Walmart throughout the event, and deal satisfaction dropped to 59%, down from 68% last year, a multi-year trend Market Defense has now tracked across three consecutive events. With shoppers this willing to compare, the competition wasn’t sitting still either.

Fierce competition fueled the frenzy

Prime Day was not the only game in town. Nearly every major retailer ran a parallel event, creating one of the most concentrated deal weeks in recent retail history:

Costco: ran a Member Appreciation Event through June 26, explicitly positioned to rival Amazon, Target Circle Week, and Walmart Deals.Walmart: Walmart Deals Days ran June 22 to 28 with up to 86% off across categories.Target: Target Circle Deal Days ran head-to-head with Prime Day (June 23 to 26).Wayfair: a four-day Flash Sale through June 26 offered up to 70% off home goods across the same dates.Williams Sonoma: matched the moment with discounts up to 75% off, with some pricing matching Amazon’s own Prime Day deals directly.

“Prime Day is no longer an Amazon-only discount event, it has evolved into an e-commerce-wide shopping moment comparable to Black Friday, but without a fixed place on the calendar. As competitors across the retail landscape fight for the same shoppers, brands can no longer assume that traffic and conversions will come automatically. Winning Prime Day now requires brands to actively capture demand across the full funnel and earn their share of the opportunity.” — Dave Karlsven, SVP, Partnerships & Growth at Market Defense

Home & Kitchen’s winners were built on search

Search behavior revealed exactly what shoppers wanted this Prime Day:

“Pots and pans set” was cookware’s top non-branded Prime Day search term, while “Carote pots and pans” topped branded search. Year-to-date, the term has grown 455% to nearly 700,000 average monthly searches, cookware’s fastest-growing keyword.”Air fryer” led non-branded search in Kitchen Appliances, while “Ninja CREAMi” topped branded search — mirroring Ninja’s #1 best-selling product of the event, its SLUSHi frozen drink machine.Cookware’s top five Prime Day searches also included “mason jars,” “dutch oven,” “cast iron skillets,” and “microwave splatter cover.” Year-to-date, dutch oven search is up 13%, even as cast iron skillet search has fallen nearly 24%.”Coffee maker” and “rice cooker” both ranked among Kitchen Appliances’ top five non-branded Prime Day searches, while Keurig’s K-Elite and K-Express swept the top two spots in the category by share of sales.

“Duking it out on non-branded keywords in real-time during the event is expensive and a gamble on conversion. The real gains were made by brands that invested in the weeks and months ahead of Prime Day, whether through search and social, TikTok, Creator Connections, or influencer and PR. Prime Day is the time to convert the shoppers you’ve already gained engagement with. It’s harvest time, not planting time.” — Jonathan Wilner, SVP, Commerce Media at Market Defense

That search behavior points to a bigger shift underway in cookware specifically: shoppers aren’t just looking for pots and pans, they’re looking for a material upgrade.

The ceramic and clean-cookware shift

“Cookware’s ceramic shift isn’t just a preference, it’s becoming law. Washington became the first state in the nation to restrict lead in cookware, and shoppers are increasingly reaching for PFAS-free ceramic coatings over legacy Teflon.” — Dave Karlsven, SVP, Partnerships & Growth at Market Defense

“Consumers are trading up in cookware, and it comes down to brand trust. Demand for premium sets on Amazon keeps growing. One chef-backed brand built real demand by leaning into its celebrity chef partnership, and that halo effect is lifting the entire premium category. Ceramic is the other half of this story — shoppers are drawn to space-saving, stackable storage and chemical-free composition just as much as performance.” — Trisha Hubbard, Director of Lifestyle Brands at Market Defense

This year’s Home & Kitchen Power Players

Ninja led the Home & Kitchen category at 12.7% share and dominated Kitchen Appliances at 42.0%, placing multiple products across the best-seller ranks including the #1 Ninja SLUSHi frozen drink machine.Cookware went prestige and premium: Carote led the subcategory at 17.4%, followed by HexClad at 16.5% and Caraway at 11.4%.”Pots and pans set” was the runaway search story in cookware, pulling 697,227 average monthly searches at 455.0% YoY growth.Value found an opening: CGK Linens’ Queen 4-Piece Sheet Set claimed the #1 best-selling Home & Kitchen product by Best Seller Rank at 42% off.Hydration and drinkware stayed strong, with Stanley Quencher tumblers and Owala FreeSip bottles placing multiple products in the top 10.In kitchen appliances, Keurig swept the top two spots by share of sales, with the K-Elite and K-Express single-serve coffee makers leading.

Why did some brands win while others watched?

AI is reshaping how shoppers find products before they ever search Amazon directly. AI-referred traffic jumped 89% year over year during Prime Day 2026 and converted 40% better than email or paid search. Brands that built demand off Amazon ahead of the event saw that investment pay off during it: consistent social content, not just a Prime Day discount, kept products in front of shoppers well before they searched.

“Shoppers are increasingly asking AI what to buy before they open Amazon, and the brands that win are the ones whose listings AI can actually understand. Clear, structured product content isn’t just good practice anymore, it’s how a brand gets recommended instead of skipped. The brands investing in AI-readiness now are the ones building trust with a whole new discovery channel, and that advantage compounds every day they’re ahead of it.” — Marty Borotsik, SVP, Tech and AI at Market Defense

“A new Ninja SLUSHi recipe drops on TikTok every Sunday: #sundaysummerslushie. A July 4th ‘Rocket Pop’ edition, a mudslide-flavored Baileys collab, and #NinjaPartner Creators are keeping the machine in front of shoppers all summer, a cadence set to run through Labor Day.” — Trisha Hubbard, Director of Lifestyle Brands at Market Defense

Eyes on the next event

“The window to win during Big Deal Days starts now — not in September or October. Brands that won big on Day 1 this year were preparing for weeks and months, driving discovery through TikTok Shop and warming up audiences with influencer and UGC content that get consumers excited about what they plan to spotlight. Prime shoppers were 10 times more likely to make a purchase after seeing influencer content versus typical social content. August will be a pivotal month to get influencer, affiliate, and other omni-channel marketing in play, including the right Day 4 strategy for social and email that drives to the brand store, where loyal shoppers built the biggest cart size of the four-day event.” — Amy Rudgard, SVP, Client Strategy at Market Defense

The full findings, category by category, are available now in Market Defense’s complete “FROM CART TO COUNTERTOP: Amazon Prime Day June 2026 Home & Kitchen Report.” Download Here

About Market Defense

Market Defense is a leading digital commerce platform and commerce media agency, helping the world’s most ambitious consumer brands accelerate growth across today’s most important marketplaces and digital commerce channels. As a strategic growth partner, the company delivers seamlessly connected marketplace operations, retail media, paid media, social commerce, influencer marketing, and full-funnel growth solutions across Amazon, TikTok Shop, Walmart, Google, Meta, and other leading commerce platforms. With a global operating model spanning every major commerce region, Market Defense enables brands to launch, scale, and optimize their marketplace businesses through a single, integrated partner.

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Seattle, Market Defense and its subsidiaries partner with over 100 of the industry’s most recognized and fastest-growing brands, including SLIP, Guthy-Renker, Davines, Lattafa, Phlur, Neal’s Yard Remedies, Donnamax, Warner Bros., Grown Alchemist, and Viking Culinary. By combining deep marketplace expertise, proprietary technology, and data-driven execution, Market Defense enables brands to unlock sustainable, profitable growth while delivering a seamless consumer experience across every stage of the digital commerce journey.

Commerce, seamlessly connected.

For more information about Market Defense and its suite of services, visit https://marketdefense.com/ 

Media Contact: Kayla Clayton

Director, Enterprise Marketing

Kayla.Clayton@marketdefense.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/prestige-cookware-and-clean-coatings-defined-amazon-prime-day-2026s-home–kitchen-winners-market-defense-report-302837090.html

SOURCE Market Defense LLC

Continue Reading

Technology

Hexaware Hosts Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire Mayoral Delegation, Deepens Partnership with University of Leeds

Published

on

By

Part of the Great North Mayoral Delegation’s visit to India, discussions focused on Hexaware’s UK expansion and planned R&D centers in Leeds and Manchester

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hexaware Technologies (NSE: HEXT), an AI-first digital and IT services company, hosted a delegation led by Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, and Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester, as part of The Great North’s first joint mayoral-led trade mission to India

Hexaware met with Tracy Brabin and delegates from West Yorkshire at its Mumbai office to discuss the company’s UK investment plans, regional employment, and opportunities for technology collaboration across the North of England.

During the visit, Hexaware and the University of Leeds discussed their agreement to strengthen industry–academic collaboration through research, knowledge sharing, and experiential learning opportunities for students.

Earlier in the mission, on October 14 in Bengaluru, Hexaware leaders met Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester, together with representatives of the British Deputy High Commission and the Invest Manchester team, to discuss Hexaware’s investment in the city region.

Hexaware announced that it will create hundreds of jobs and invest £9 million in a new Design and Innovation Centre at Manchester’s innovation district, SISTER, delivered in collaboration with the University of Manchester. By establishing a base at SISTER, Hexaware will have access to Europe’s largest clinical academic campus on Manchester’s Oxford Road Corridor and a rapidly expanding digital and tech ecosystem within the city.

The visits follow Hexaware’s June 2026 announcement of a £25 million UK expansion, expected to create approximately 1,200 jobs over three to five years across Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham, including 420 in Manchester and 240 in Leeds. Plans include proposed R&D centers in Manchester and Leeds, with Newcastle also under consideration as a potential future location, given the region’s strong university talent pool and proximity to Scotland.

Parameshwaran Iyer, Executive Vice President & Head – Europe, Hexaware, said, “The North of England is an important part of our UK growth plans. Our investment goes into developing technology capabilities and recruiting graduates from the region’s universities, training them to work with enterprise and public-sector customers. Our new agreement with the University of Leeds will strengthen this pipeline, giving us closer access to graduate talent as we grow our presence in the region. We see considerable potential in the talent and expertise available across these cities.”

Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said, “Greater Manchester has established strengths in healthcare, life sciences, and AI, supported by close cooperation between universities, researchers, and industry. We welcome Hexaware’s plans for Manchester and the opportunities they present for investment, innovation, and employment in these sectors.”

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said, “It was great to visit Hexaware’s headquarters in Mumbai and hear first-hand about the company’s ambitious plans for growth in the UK. Their investment in Leeds and the creation of hundreds of new jobs is fantastic news for West Yorkshire and a strong vote of confidence in our region. Trade missions like this give us the opportunity to meet decision-makers directly, strengthen international relationships and explore how businesses like Hexaware can deepen their links with West Yorkshire to create a stronger, better-off region that works for all.” 

Glenn McCauley, Head of Proposition Development at the University of Leeds, said, “We were delighted to join this Great North Mayoral Delegation to India and to discuss with Hexaware leadership and with the Mayor of West Yorkshire how the University of Leeds’ agreement with Hexaware can be a catalyst to drive economic growth in our region.”

India and the North of England are connected above all through people, with more than 81,000 people of Indian heritage living in Yorkshire and the Humber, and 50,000 people of Indian diaspora in Greater Manchester. Thousands of Indian students also choose universities in the two regions every year. Increasingly, Indian companies are also among the region’s investors and employers. The India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), in force since July 2026, alongside The Great North’s investment initiatives, gives that relationship fresh momentum.

Hexaware will continue discussions with regional partners on its proposed R&D facilities, graduate recruitment, and technology partnerships across the North of England, drawing on Leeds’ strengths in digital engineering, data science, robotics, fintech, and technology-enabled care, and Manchester’s strengths in healthcare, life sciences, cyber, and AI.

About Hexaware

Hexaware is a global technology and business process services company. Every day, Hexawarians wake up with a singular purpose: to create smiles through great people and technology. With offices across the world, we empower enterprises worldwide to realize digital transformation at scale and speed by partnering with them to build, transform, run, and optimize their technology and business processes. Learn more about Hexaware at https://hexaware.com.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/hexaware-hosts-greater-manchester-and-west-yorkshire-mayoral-delegation-deepens-partnership-with-university-of-leeds-302917888.html

Continue Reading

Technology

Fosun Wealth Opens Its First Private Wealth Center in Hong Kong at Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui

Published

on

By

Appointment-Only Center for High-Net-Worth Clients, Partnering with Fosun Wealth IFA to Expand Wealth Management Capabilities

HONG KONG, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fosun Wealth International Holdings Limited (“Fosun Wealth”) announced the official opening of its first Private Wealth Center on the 23rd floor of Prudential Tower, at The Gateway, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. The center provides a dedicated offline space for meetings and wealth planning in Hong Kong, exclusively tailored for high-net-worth clients. Visits are by appointment only, and the center operates in partnership with Fosun Wealth IFA (Independent Financial Advisor), supporting clients from initial discussions and tailored proposals through to signing and implementation.

The opening ceremony, themed “A Starry New Chapter on Victoria Harbour”, brought together business partners from fund, asset management and insurance industries in Hong Kong to celebrate the occasion.

Expanding amid Industry Growth to Address Clients’ Demand for Long-Term Advice

The opening comes as Hong Kong’s wealth management sector continues to expand. According to the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong, as of the end of 2025, total assets under management (AUM) in Hong Kong jumped 20% year-on-year (YoY) to a record high of HK$42.2 trillion. Among the major segments, AUM of private banking and private wealth management business increased by an impressive 24% YoY to HK$12.9 trillion. At the same time, client expectations have shifted. High-net-worth individuals are increasingly looking beyond fragmented, one-off product recommendations and seeking professional institutions that can deliver cross-market and multi-generational support over the long term.

The center’s location in Harbour City offers views across Victoria Harbour and a calm, private setting. It features four dedicated meeting rooms, with each client received by a relationship manager throughout their visit to allow for in-depth discussions in a confidential environment. In addition to client meetings and document signing, the center will also host smaller, focused sessions to help clients better capture opportunities in Hong Kong’s wealth management market.

Strengthening Collaboration with Fosun Wealth IFA to Enrich Service Matrix

The Private Wealth Center will also serve as a working base for Fosun Wealth IFA, supporting professional discussions and the review of more complex cases. Launched by Fosun Wealth in 2025, Fosun Wealth IFA is Hong Kong’s first one-stop platform for independent financial advisors (IFAs) to establish and grow their practices. It has already built a team of nearly 500 advisors. Built on a compliant licensing framework, the platform integrates diversified financial products, AI-powered tools and structured trainings, supporting advisors from licensing through ongoing professional development to independent practice. The goal is to help raise standards and professionalism across Hong Kong IFA industry.

Fosun Wealth subsidiaries hold securities and insurance brokerage licenses. Under strict compliance, they provide access to insurance, securities, asset management, and corporate financing services. Fosun Wealth has also established partnerships with numerous leading fund houses, asset managers, and insurers, supporting both the Private Wealth Center and the IFA platform.

Cheng Kang, CEO of Fosun Wealth, said: “Hong Kong continues to strengthen its position as an international hub for asset and wealth management, supported by its resilience and openness. This creates a valuable opportunity for us to deepen our presence in the local market. The opening of the Private Wealth Center is more than the launch of a new location—it marks a new chapter in Fosun Wealth’s commitment to serving high-net-worth clients in Hong Kong with a more personal, long-term approach, bringing our ‘warm private wealth stewardship’ to a broader client base. Whether we are serving high-net-worth clients or building a stronger ecosystem for financial advisers, we aim to set a high standard in Hong Kong’s wealth management industry. We will focus on turning our capabilities into lasting value for clients, and work with clients and partners to support the continued growth of the sector.”

About Fosun Wealth International Holdings Limited

Fosun Wealth International Holdings Limited (hereinafter referred to as “Fosun Wealth”) is an AI-driven global one-stop Web5(Web2+Web3) wealth management platform wholly owned by Fosun International Limited (stock code: 656.HK) in Hong Kong. With its solid financial position, Fosun Wealth has obtained various licenses via its subsidiaries, including Type 1, 2, 4, 6, and 9 licenses granted by the Securities and Futures Commission(SFC) of Hong Kong, and an insurance broker license granted by the Insurance Authority(IA) of Hong Kong. Fosun International Securities Limited, a subsidiary of Fosun Wealth, is one of the first batch of brokerages to provide virtual asset dealing service. Fosun Wealth has launched several industry-leading brands, including the Fosun Wealth App, Finloop, FinChain, and Fosun Wealth IFA. For more information, please visit: www.fosunwealth.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/fosun-wealth-opens-its-first-private-wealth-center-in-hong-kong-at-harbour-city-tsim-sha-tsui-302917889.html

SOURCE Fosun Wealth International Holdings Limited

Continue Reading

Technology

WOLFX Student Super App Reaches 104 Universities One Month After US Launch

Published

on

By

All-in-one college platform reports 300 percent subscription growth following Arizona campaign 

MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — WOLFX, an all-in-one app designed to help college students thrive academically, socially and financially, has been downloaded by students at 104 universities in 130 cities across the US just one month after its launch in Indiana.

The platform recorded a 300 percent increase in subscriptions following its Rush WOLFX campaign in Arizona. Rush WOLFX is a game of skill that involves college fraternities and sororities putting their business skills to the test to win a $10K prize. 

WOLFX plans to hold six additional Rush competitions at Universities across the country next month.

WOLFX brings together AI-powered study tools, wellness support, a student marketplace and opportunities for student entrepreneurs in a single app, giving students who juggle academic, social and financial pressures one place to manage college life.

“I developed WOLFX to make the lives of college kids better. To see the app being so well received across America gives everyone involved a huge boost,” said Simon Bishop, founder of WOLFX. “As a father, I know college can be a daunting time for students and parents. WOLFX is aimed at easing those fears of loneliness and isolation. I’m so happy WOLFX is making a difference.”

Students say the app is already part of their daily routine.

“This is honestly the only college app you’ll ever need,” said Katie Wolf, a cheerleader at Indiana University. “Whether it’s managing my schedule, working on a business idea or even selling some items on the student marketplace, WOLFX has me covered. This app is a game changer for college students.”

WOLFX Platinum is available for $28.99 per month. WOLFX can be downloaded on iOS and Android.

About WOLFX

WOLFX is a student-focused super app designed to help college students navigate campus life through AI-powered study tools, wellness support, a student marketplace and entrepreneurial opportunities. The platform aims to make college life more connected, manageable and rewarding. WOLFX is available on iOS and Android. Learn more at https://wolfxapp.com/.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wolfx-student-super-app-reaches-104-universities-one-month-after-us-launch-302917619.html

SOURCE WOLFX

Continue Reading

Trending