A successful Spielwarenmesse encourages the toy business

 

There were great expectations for the 2023 edition of the Spielwarenmesse, the largest and most representative toy fair in the world, after a gap of three long years when the event was cancelled due to the pandemic, and they were met, or even exceeded: although 700 exhibitors were missing as compared with the 2019 show – 2,100 companies from 69 countries participated this year – and visitors dropped by 8% to 58,000 from 128 countries, the German toy exhibition, held for the 72nd time in Nuremberg (February 1-6), was considered a real success by anybody concerned. It is obvious that the war in Ukraine and the compulsory visa for Chinese visitors kept both exhibitors and visitors from several territories away. On the other hand, attendance from the US toy market was higher than ever, growing by almost 10%. Since most international toy markets registered turnover decreases in 2022, the positive feeling that was manifest in the Nuremberg fair halls pointed to better results in 2023.

All the leading companies in the international toy business were present. New products and concepts abounded. A significant shift toward sustainability was on the forefront everywhere. The Toys Go Green area enjoyed great acceptance with its presentation of the sustainability theme in four sections. There was strong focus on one of the three trends selected by the Spielwarenmesse together with the international TrendCommittee, namely Meta Toys, which opens new technological horizons for the toy business. The other trends were Discovery and Brands for Fans.

The usual itinerary through the halls underwent some changes as a few major companies were moved to different locations but those exhibitors eventually expressed satisfaction with the new placement. A survey revealed that 95% of exhibitors rated participation in the event as important or very important, and 92% declared themselves satisfied or very satisfied with the way it went. Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson of the Executive Board at Spielwarenmesse eG, announced that 83% of the exhibitors were already making plans to take part again.

On January 31st, during the Spielwarenmesse Press Preview, six products received the coveted Toy Award: among them, there were EverEarth 7 in 1 Space Activity Cube by Ever Earth Europe (Baby & Infant Category, 0-3 years) and Yummy Bear Scale by Topbright (Preschool Category, 3-6 years). Paw Patrol AR Tattoo & Stickers by Holo Toyz was awarded a Toy Award for the Startup Category. Among the Soft Toys, Wooden Toys and Educational Toys areas, we met a broad selection of products relating to babies and infants. We noticed Montessori-inspired articles for the children’s room, extended employment of eco-friendly materials, wooden outdoor play equipment. Baby and infant toys were exhibited in several other halls of the Spielwarenmesse.

The next Spielwarenmesse’s dates will be announced within the end of February.

 settings.

Click Here

Highlights of Kids’ Time 2020

by | Jun 18, 2020 | Articles

Kids’ Time 2020: Largest B2B Expo Representing Central and Eastern Europe


Notwithstanding a slight decrease in the number of exhibitors, the Polish event held in Kielce on February 19-21, 2020, was lively and crowded. Among a great deal of new proposals we picked some of the most interesting products exhibited by Polish companies. We also report on the fair’s Kids Time Star Awards

©Text by Daniele Caroli, International Managing Editor at Parents’ Choice Russia / Vibor Roditelei, and Reyne Rice, Global Trend Hunter and Co-President of the International Toy Trade Magazine Association
Pictures: Branża Dziecięca, Daniele Caroli, ©Baby, Hobby & Leketoy, Hans Henrik de Glasenapp

Kids’ Time in Kielce is the largest B2B Expo representing Central and Eastern Europe.


At its 11th edition in 2020, Kids’ Time, Fair of Toys and Products for Mother and Child, experienced the end of its constant growth. Exhibitors decreased from 564 the previous year to 532. There was a good reason to explain it, however: due to the coronavirus outbreak in the province of Hubei, the Chinese companies which had booked their booths could not take part, and some local distributors had to give up, having not received the products that should have arrived from China.
“Of the originally registered 33 Chinese companies, 22 resigned because of serious problems with shipping their goods and travelling”, Andrzej Mochoń, President of Targi Kielce (Kielce Fair), told our German colleague Ulla Cramer in a short interview. “To the remaining 11 companies we offered the possibility to hire local stuff but at the end they also decided not to come. They can participate at next year’s edition without costs.”

Despite this, the show was both busy and lively, filling 8 exhibition halls (the whole fair quarter of the Polish town of Kielce plus a mobile pavilion). International participation: 60 of the exhibitors were foreign companies from 20 countries including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The Russian offer was featured in the Russian pavilion, the presentation arena for entrepreneurs from the Region of Kirov. There were no other special pavilions – but companies from Italy, Spain and Sweden were positioned fairly close to one another. A robust educational program offered trade guests insights into various topics including global trends, market research and retailer participation programs.

532 exhibitors (60 from abroad) presented their products and trends in the eight exhibition halls.


Expansion plans

Targi Kielce plans to expand Kids’ Time in the next years: “Since we have witnessed a big decline of the wheeled goods for babies in Poland, we are considering the opportunity to add new categories, such as school articles, paper products, textiles and baby birthday party items”, said Mochoń. “We intend to build a new pillarless hall with a 12,000 square metre surface and are waiting for the approval and required documentation from the Town of Kielce, which owns the fairgrounds. If everything is approved, it will be completed in August, 2021. We are also engaged in getting more exhibitors from abroad, seeing great potential in Germany and in Russia and other Eastern European countries. We look forward to hosting more exhibitors from Turkey next year and we have started a cooperation with the chamber of commerce in Kazakhstan. As to visitors, we concentrate mostly on the East – Russia, Ukraine – and on Southern neighbours like Czech Republic and Slovakia so that the companies from Western Europe can find new clients. But we want to strengthen the communication in Germany and Italy in order to make the fair more and more international”. The 2021 edition of Kids’ Time will be held on February 17-19.


The Kids Time Star Awards

On the first day of the fair, six companies received the prestigious Kids’ Time Star awards. The jury panel chaired by Marek Jankowski, publisher of Branża Dziecięca, the BCMI member Polish trade magazine, selected products belonging to six different categories of nursery products and toys.

• Products for parents and children: Jack N’ Jill Toothpaste (distributed in Poland by Eco & More). Australian brand.
• Car seats: BeSafe iZi Twist B i-Size (distributed in Poland by Marko). Norwegian brand
• Textile, clothes, shoes: Muslin collection by Doctor Nap (distributed in Poland by Elan). Polish brand.
• Prams and strollers: Thule Spring (distributed in Poland by Scandinavian Baby). Swedish brand.
• Toys (0-3 years): InnyBin by Fat Brain Toy (distributed in Poland by QElements). US brand.
• Toys (3+ years): Pucio – Where To Put It? by Nasza Księgarnia. Polish brand.


Appealing products


Across the halls we stopped at booths of Polish companies featuring products of special interest.

  • Rollersy Bib
  • Sun Baby vehicles
  • Rollersy baby car seat with wheels
  • Dostawka universal rider
  • Marioinex building blocks
  • Marioinex building blocks
  • Childhome Evolux Changing Table
  • Pinio baby room furniture


ROLLERSY

Rollersy, now in its third year of activity, was founded by two mothers. Their first idea was to add wheels to the baby car seat (Group 0+) along with a strap and adapters and a backpack in order to easily carry the accessories. Later, they introduced car seat accessories, such as an air layer to avoid the baby’s sweating and car pillows, as well as baby footmuffs and handmuffs for the mum, provided with a pocket for the telephone. The line has now been extended with a bib that can be fixed to the table top using velcro and with an organizer containing a changing mat, that can be rolled and carried hanging from the arm or from the stroller.


DOSTAWKA

Dostawka, established 4 years ago, exhibits a universal rider that attaches to 99 % of the strollers on the market and features two or four wheels, equipped with LED lights for safety: it is available in six different models, all of them featuring a seat for the little passenger; other stroller accessories include an extension bar and bags that can be attached to the side.

MARIOINEX

Founded in 1986 by Halina and Marian Suchanek, family-run Marioinex has been focusing on its award-winning Mini Waffle building blocks, manufactured in Poland using high quality plastic material; later additions are the Micro Waffle sets, that can be used by adults as well in order to improve concentration and psychomotor skills, toy vehicles, different kinds of blocks and beach toys. The Waffle building system is suitable for disabled children who cannot play with hard, sharp pieces.

PINIO

Pinio has been manufacturing baby room furniture since 2005, launching their own brand in 2010. Their most successful line, Marsylia, still in production, was introduced five years ago: offering a wide choice of elements, it follows the child’s growth from small baby to teenager and sports an attractive French style, inspired by the Riviera bathing-cabins. It is available in pine wood or in a slightly different MDF version.

SUN BABY

At the booth of the Sun Baby start-up we are shown a very special construction set which received the Zabawka Roku (Polish Toy of the Year) award in November 2019: the elements allow to build vehicles for kids from 3 to 15 years-old, with a maximum weight of over 50 kg, starting with a balance bike or a tricycle (Mini Docyke) up to various kinds of scooters and bikes (Maxi Docyke) and to a three- or four-wheel rider driven by an electric motor (Electro Docyke).

CHILDHOME

At the booth of the Belgian company Childhome we noticed the Evolux Changing Table which had been nominated for the 2019 Kind + Jugend Innovation Award. A few days after Kids’ Time, the product won the Dutch Baby Innovation Award 2020 for Furniture & Deco. It shares the design of the award-winning Evolu 2 and Evolu ONE.80° high chairs and it stands out for adjustability, being the first of its kind with 4 different heights, and safety features, thanks to a 3-point harness with removable crotch. The large Changing Unit with higher sides can be removed and used separately.

The 2021 edition of Kids’ Time will be held on February 17-19.