WILLIAMS-SONOMA EXPANDS ITS RENOWNED 'ARTISANS' MARKET' PROGRAM

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Williams-Sonoma announces the expansion of its monthly Artisans' Market program to 75 stores in the U.S. and Canada, furthering its connection to the communities it serves. In 2010, Williams-Sonoma hosted its first Artisans' Markets in four stores featuring local purveyors of artisanal foods and beverages as an effort to connect with the local community and support small businesses. The markets are curated to highlight regional specialties and authentic flavors, as well as superior craftsmanship. Customers have the rare opportunity to discover, taste and purchase one-of-a-kind products from the producers themselves during the markets.

The Artisans' Market program is an extension of Williams-Sonoma's ongoing commitment to the artisan food community. For the fifth year in a row, Williams-Sonoma is a sponsor of the Good Food awards, a national platform to recognize small batch food producers for environmental and social responsibility. The Good Food organization honors artisans that meet these standards, in addition to exceptional taste, at their annual Awards Ceremony and Marketplace in San Francisco, which takes place today. Numerous award recipients from previous years have become Artisans' Markets vendors in their local communities across the country.

"Williams-Sonoma has always been about building a sense of community around food and bringing the highest quality products to our customers," said Jean Armstrong, VP of Brand Marketing who oversees the program. "We're proud to support local artisans, who are truly experts in their craft, by giving them a marketplace in our stores."

The markets have also come to serve as an incubator for small, local producers who have evolved and successfully scaled their production to serve the more than 240 Williams-Sonoma retail stores nationwide. In 2012, a small Portland-based vendor by the name of Jacobsen Salt Co. was featured at the local Artisans' Market and quickly caught the attention of customers for their unique, high-quality sea salts. Four years later the Jacobsen Salt Co. has more than 35 exclusive products available in Williams-Sonoma retail stores and on williams-sonoma.com.

Among the vendors to be featured in the 2016 Artisans' Markets are Bee Local and Just Jans in the U.S. and purveyors curated by partner Foodie Pages in Canada. Contact stores for details.

About Williams-Sonoma

Since its founding by Chuck Williams in 1956, the Williams-Sonoma brand has been bringing people together around food. A member of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. WSM portfolio of brands, Williams-Sonoma is a leading specialty retailer of high-quality products for the kitchen and home, providing world-class service and an engaging customer experience. Products include cookware, cooks' tools, cutlery, electrics, bake ware, food, tabletop and bar, outdoor, cookbooks, as well as furniture, lighting and decorative accessories. Each store has a professional demonstration kitchen for cooking classes and tastings conducted by expert culinary staff. Williams-Sonoma Cooking Schools, located in select locations in the U.S. and Australia, offer hands-on classes led by professional chefs. A comprehensive gift registry program for weddings and other special events is available in stores and online. On williams-sonoma.com and the Williams-Sonoma blog, Taste, customers can find recipes, tips, and techniques that help them.

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