spoga+gafa 2025
The one and only
As the years go by, the Earth warms, the climate is disrupted according to scientific experts, and nature is suffering the consequences to the point of becoming an explosive issue. And yet, every inhabitant of the planet loves it more than ever, as it is a source of pleasure and joy in an anxious world. It offers us so many ways to enjoy it. The spoga+family provides us with proof of this with a trade fair dedicated to it, which, year in, year out, brings together everything that is permitted in the field of leisure and outdoor life, as was the case during this 2025 edition which was held in the pleasant city of Cologne.
In any case, this unique event, in its style and atmosphere, has no equivalent in the world, and it has been going on for decades. However, it is quite paradoxical to organize a show of this kind indoors, in a large park. Wouldn't outdoor leisure activities be better suited outside? It is a priori legitimate to ask the question. But let's not get the wrong idea. The spoga+family is not a leisure park. We don't come here to have fun or relax, but to work, exchange ideas, do business, like any self-respecting trade show, and the Cologne event is a real one, despite the attractive environment of the overall offer, and any player in the different sectors of garden or outdoor life will find what they are looking for on this unparalleled platform. Consequently, the offer is wide, as outdoor life offers a thousand and one ways to behave there. We relax there, we work there, we share meals there, we even arrange it like a living room. And then, our lifestyles have changed. The world has gone green, and our gardens, our terraces, our balconies have taken a decisive place in it, as our lives have become increasingly stressful. Also, spoga+gafa must be in tune with ever-changing trends. Consumer habits and demands are evolving at breakneck speed, and the show must constantly keep pace with them. Who could have, for example, imagined such a craze for barbecues and their derivatives? Yet it has become a way of life that has become as much a part of customs as it is a habit, an unavoidable reality that the organizers quickly took into account, to the point that this sector has undergone such impressive growth that it has almost become a show within the living room, with an offering that is unavailable anywhere else in the world. And what about life in the garden, with the explosion in demand for decorative furniture, well-being, and comfort? The time for basic picnic arrangements is now well and truly over.
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Supporting trends
We could multiply the examples, but these two are quite significant of a world that has changed a lot in terms of the approach of increasingly imaginative consumers. The spoga+family has above all understood that life in the garden is definitely marked by the seal of leisure and well-being, implying an ever-increasing demand for elements of comfort and leisure. This has been seen in the offer, like barbecues and outdoor furniture, as we saw above, to take the most significant examples. But all this has changed its appearance. Thus, tools, gardening equipment, to take the most significant examples, are a little more in decline with each decade. The big brands in these different sectors no longer come en masse as was the case in the past, even if some of them still maintain a presence. Gone, therefore, are the large stands, where the most important manufacturers organized cocktails and large receptions. Now, place is given to the lifestyle and products that these new audiences imply, hedonistic, even often self-centered on their family or intimate happiness. This is the great shift that has been taken the spoga+gafa, to the great satisfaction of the players in these professions. Thus, thanks to the fine observation of these behaviors, and the very precise knowledge of their markets, and strong in their observations, but also in their experience, the Koelnmesse teams were able to position themselves with great know-how. So many new exhibitors gradually set up while the organizers rethought their offer, little by little, fitting out spaces and proposing animations to exhibitors specific to these markets. Still, this very clever shift, allowed a development in these sectors, which compensate for the defections or reduced presence of the historical ones. However, not everything related to "work" in the garden has disappeared, far from it. The large companies have been replaced mainly by national manufacturers, still very numerous in these sectors, thanks to the German companies known as the "mittelstand" still as powerful. Without forgetting the place taken by foreign exhibitors, a constant to which the teams have always held Koelnmesse. So much so that the overall offer remains exhaustive, even if it has evolved towards the major trends we have spoken about, which means that the spoga+gafa remains the absolute reference in terms of exhibitions dedicated to the garden and its derivatives.
Once the scene was set, what happened during this 2025 edition?
Despite these turbulent times, filled with uncertainty, the trade fair welcomed some 26,000 trade visitors from over 100 countries and more than 1,600 German and foreign exhibitors. The largest number of trade visitors came from Germany, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Italy, France, Poland, as well as the USA, Australia and Canada. Given the economic uncertainties and geopolitical challenges, this is a truly remarkable result, which definitively removes the uncertainty surrounding the date changes to the calendar and fills the gap Oliver Frese, Chief Operating Officer Koelnmesse "In this year, which is still marked by economic uncertainty, spoga+gafa has demonstrated the key role it plays as an international event for the sector. This success underlines the international relevance of the trade fair, and it also heralds a visible change that we will continue to work towards systematically in the years to come. Because progress is impossible without change." he summarized.
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Change in the air
Exactly, and regarding the changes that Oliver Frese spoke about. spoga+gafa will launch a revamped concept in 2026 to equip itself for the future and position itself as closely as possible to the market. In this way, the show will meet the expectations often expressed by the profession, namely a clearer structure, a stronger focus on target groups and an appropriate response to new leisure and consumption habits. To this end, visitors will be able to discover three new features.
A new “Outdoor Adventure” themed universe with a dedicated hall
From 2026, the sector “Outdoor Adventure”, which has its own hall, will be added to those already established, namely “Living”, “Creation & Care” and “BBQ”. The lived experience, the activity and the outdoor lifestyle, the outdoor lifestyle, will be the link between the meeting of product innovation and community building. The underlying idea is this: the outdoor space becomes a place of experience to move, find balance and experience an adventure. spoga+gafa is thus expanding its target groups by addressing outdoor product distributors, content creators and brands wishing to create an attractive presentation of outdoor adventure and tell it in an original way.
Reorientation in the furniture sector
The outdoor furniture sector will be restructured as part of the implementation of the new concept. In Hall 9, a carefully managed presentation area will be created, dedicated exclusively to European outdoor furniture manufacturers, whose strengths include sustainable production, short delivery distances, and high-quality design. This focus on provenance, quality, and style will not only strengthen the European market, but also enable the trade fair to establish itself as a significant player on the international stage.
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Garden Sourcing Hub et Flavour Market
Other supply sectors will also be reoriented: for example, everything related to sourcing in Asia will now be grouped together, under the name “Garden Sourcing Hub”, in a dedicated hall and will target international buyers. In the barbecue hall, the “Flavour Market”, which will take place every two years from 2026, will bring together barbecue cooking techniques, culinary art and additional sales potential.
At first glance, these changes seem more like adjustments. However, it's important to remember that at a trade show, every detail counts. People don't come to browse, but to do business. Regardless, these changes clearly signify an intensification of the focus on the most cutting-edge sectors, and demonstrate more than ever that outdoor living has become a lifestyle, and everything suggests that this phenomenon is not about to reverse, quite the contrary.
After having experienced a revolution with the calendar changes that we know, knowing that these questions are always very sensitive among our German friends, the spoga+gafa, continues to evolve, placing even more emphasis on its strengths. It also includes the return of Asian exhibitors. This is perfectly in tune with the times, while also meeting the demands of buyers and exhibitors. However, we are betting, without great risk, that everything will be in working order for the 2026 edition.