Tupperware to Party in Target

Target (Minneapolis) has reached an agreement to carry Tupperware products in 62 of its SuperTarget hypermarket stores beginning in October. It's the first national agreement with a retailer for the Orlando-based maker of storage and serving containers, which has been seeking to extend its marketing efforts beyond its traditional home parties. In the last several months, there has been an explosion of Tupperware kiosks in malls, Tupperware offerings on the Internet and Tupperware products on TV's Home Shopping Network.

Each of the Target stores involved in the initial launch, from Las Vegas to Florida, will carry 40 to 50 Tupperware products like cutlery, vegetable-storage containers and microwave-safe cookware. According to the announcement, the Tupperware product displays will be run by a Tupperware employee (or independent sales agent), who will demonstrate the products. But the agents can also solicit in-store customers to join the team of Tupperware “hostesses.” “If the product just sat there on the shelves, people wouldn't know what it did,” said Tupperware ceo Rick Goings.

There are 37 SuperTargets in 12 states around the country. Target said it plans to open 25 more of the hypermarket stores by the fall, and each will carry Tupperware.