2023 + X

How have you found the season so far?

Stefan Lohrberg: If you look at the green sector and the market, you can see that not all the lights have turned dark green again - we are still talking about full warehouses in various segments, both for retailers and manufacturers.

We are therefore all the more pleased that we are hearing more and more, especially from manufacturers of larger products such as furniture and BBQs: The season is off to a good start, better than expected - at least initially, good weather at the right time. This means that the trade is working, and not only with segments that have been consistently doing well, such as plants, but also with hard goods, which is a good sign.

This year, the European Football Championship is taking place in Germany and also in Cologne at the same time as the trade fair. Will that cause problems?

Quite clearly: No. There are enough rooms in Cologne and the surrounding area, even at moderate prices. The Kölnmesse is easy to reach by public transport, taxis and Uber. You can be right outside the door in no time at all. In addition, there is no football match in Cologne during Spoga+Gafa, only one day before or after the trade fair. Some hotels in the immediate vicinity of the city centre are already fully booked, and yes, room rates are a little higher this year - but nowhere near as expensive as during other trade fairs. If our customers and partners still have problems finding a room, please contact our hotel service (via spogaga.de) or the Spoga+Gafa team directly. And if all else fails, I also have a guest room.

What can visitors expect from this year's Spoga+Gafa?

14 halls, some of which are packed to the rafters. The trade fair presents itself as "2023 plus X", so to speak. This shows us as organisers that Spoga+Gafa has once again grown in its relevance and added value. Spoga+Gafa is sought after as a platform to bring supply and demand together.

What about the big brands?

All the products that retailers need for the coming season are in Cologne. And almost all the brands that were at Spoga+Gafa last year will also be back in 2024. Hall 6, for example, was the first hall to be fully booked - only Fiskars is missing this year. Otherwise, all the brands from 2023 are represented there, plus a few exciting start-ups. Also exciting: Keter is returning to Spoga+Gafa with a few hundred square meters and will be located in Hall 9 next to the second, equally large returnee Elho.

We can look forward to two brightly…