Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
For the first time in the event’s history, spoga+gafa featured a theme: City Gardening. More than 2,000 exhibitors brought their products to Cologne, Germany, Sept. 1-3 to show how they cater to people who are committed to creating green spaces in urban areas. Whether your customer wants to fit dozens of houseplants in a one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, New York, or care for a container vegetable garden on a small patio in Austin, Texas, the trend of curating live goods in urban spaces is on the rise. Hardware Retailing was on-site to explore the four spaces of the show floor: Garden Living; Garden Creation & Care; Garden BBQ; and Garden Unique.
Read on for insights into each segment, and see more images below. spoga+gafa 2020 will take place Sept. 6-8, 2020, in Cologne.
Garden Living
The largest segment of the show floor was Garden Living. Attendees explored products in this category across seven halls in the convention center.
As consumers are spending more time in their outdoor spaces, they want to make them an extension of their living spaces. To meet their needs, the furniture, decor and leisure products continue to become more diverse to appeal to broad preferences. Many outdoor living collections could belong inside the home as well.
The products in Garden Living included an extensive selection of outdoor furniture and decor. But attendees also saw trends in outdoor sporting goods, from yard games and playground equipment to endless pools and unique container gardening inspirations.
Urban Gardening for Everyone
According to a 2018 report from the United Nations, 82 percent of North Americans live in urban areas, and population density in cities is expected to increase considerably by 2050. Consumers who move into cities will continue seeking options to create or enhance green spaces. spoga+gafa 2019 vendors recognized the need to serve this growing customer base now to prepare for the future.
Garden Creation and Care
You are likely the expert for many of your customers when it comes to establishing and maintaining their green spaces, regardless of how large or small their yard or garden may be.
The Garden Creation & Care segment of spoga+gafa occupied two halls and two passageways for attendees to explore garden innovations and solutions.
Attendees discovered trends in garden hand and power tools, with many opportunities to test the products.
In addition to equipment, attendees also had the chance to delve into the science of gardening. Many exhibitors featured innovative soils, pest management products and other resources that can be critical for the care and maintenance of small garden spaces.
Inspirations Down the Boulevard
The convention center that hosts spoga+gafa each year is about 1 mile long from end to end. In the main passage that connects the halls, called the Boulevard, spoga+gafa vendors set up inspiration spaces like this POS Green Solution Island. Attendees stepped inside these spaces to see how they can use live goods, containers and garden accessories to enhance their POS areas.
Garden BBQ
Two halls of the convention center featured wall-to-wall grills and grilling tools in Garden BBQ. Attendees explored traditional charcoal and gas grills alongside the latest trends in outdoor kitchens, innovative grilling accessories and all the pieces that make an outdoor space complete.
Exhibitors fired up their products so attendees could have a firsthand experience of the results from the products. Each day, chefs from BEEF! magazine presented cooking demonstrations in a complete kitchen in the center of the hall, featuring a variety of foods and cooking techniques.
Walk Through Outdoor Kitchen World
The path through Garden BBQ led attendees through the hall and outside for an extended grilling and outdoor kitchen experience. Exhibitors set up grilling stations outside to provide even more taste-testing opportunities for attendees. The space also served as another option for lunch and a networking spot for attendees and exhibitors.
Garden Unique
Trends tend to move from east to west, making it to the U.S. and Canada months—even years—after a concept or fashion statement has been popular in Asia and Europe. Exploring an event like spoga+gafa can give you insights into what the trends may be in the future so you can plan ahead.
One of the primary reasons North American attendees go to spoga+gafa is to see the trends that are already popular in Europe and around the world. In Garden Unique, attendees examined high-end outdoor living trends, which focused on outdoor furniture, from patio sets to lounge pieces.
Finding Furniture Trends
A highlight in Garden Unique was the Trendshow Outdoor Furniture & Decoration segment of the hall. In addition to trends in urban gardening, attendees found trends in sustainable, ergonomic, minimalist and smart designs for garden furniture and accessories. As with many of the products found on the show floor, these products captured the breadth of the consumers who are seeking these solutions.
Inside spoga+gafa 2019
Take in spoga+gafa as if you were there. Tour the show floor, check out the hands-on experiences and clear your calendar for next year’s event.
