OUR PURPOSE 

 Metrokane designs housewares products that are unique and proprietary with broad consumer appeal. We never offer so-called "commodity merchandise" -- products that are virtually interchangeable with those of other companies. We provide our retailer customers with high-visibility, promotional products that build traffic and generate "plus business." So in a nutshell, our purpose is to grow our business by growing the business of the retailers we sell to.

OUR STAFF

Metrokane employs a skilled staff of professionals to handle the day-to-day details of a growing company. If you need assistance with shipping, import-export, accounting or consumer service, you’ll find the right person to talk with by clicking on Contact.

RIKI KANE

 Metrokane was founded in 1983 by Riki Kane who had been an advertising copywriter and a syndicated journalist, creator of the popular newspaper word game, "Wordy Gurdy." While travelling in Mexico, she purchased a manual citrus juicer, which she brought home to squeeze her morning orange juice. She was surprised to find that manual juicers had been extinct in the U.S. since the advent of electric citrus juicers in the '50's. Convinced that the manual juicer is superior to the electric kind, she re-introduced it to the American market with a classic retro design called "The Mighty OJ." Metrokane's Mighty OJ Juicer was an immediate success in department and speciality stores around the country.

Initially, Ms. Kane ran the business from her apartment -- expanding her line of juicers and fighting a long, but ultimately successful legal battle against Mighty OJ imitations (called "knock-offs" in the industry). As the company expanded, she was joined in the business by her husband, Bob Larimer, who had recently sold his advertising agency to a large company.

BOB LARIMER

 Mr. Larimer took charge of the company's marketing and product development efforts and an array of innovative products were soon introduced by Metrokane. Just as Riki Kane's interest in fresh-squeezed orange juice had led to the Metrokane line of citrus juicers, her husband's interest in fine wine led to a line of Metrokane wine accessories. Mr. Larimer holds a number of patents on Metrokane products including the Bullet Cocktail Shaker, the Faucet Corkscrew and the Velvet Pocket Corkscrew.

JOEL GROSSMAN

 As Chief Operating Officer of Metrokane, Mr. Grossman oversees the company's administrative and warehouse operations and also serves as Chief Financial Officer. A Certified Public Accountant, he has extensive executive experience in business management, development and finance, including 18 years as head of his own accounting firm.

MIKE GIRGENTI

 Previously with Metrokane, Mr. Girgenti has been welcomed back to the company as Senior Vice President of Sales. He brings with him 28 years of valuable experience in the housewares industry. That began with a career as a retail buyer with Federated Department Stores. He later moved to the supplier side of housewares, where he has overseen Sales, Marketing and Product Development for major housewares companies, most recently J. Pomerantz. His combination of retail and supply side experience gives him a unique ability to understand the customers’ perspective. He says, “My background enables me to work with retailers developing products specific to their needs. As I see our industry evolving, successful suppliers will be those who are truly entrepreneurial.”