This year’s edition of the fair in Cologne attracted more than 15,000 trade visitors who could see the novelties and bestsellers of 974 companies from 46 countries.
Going with this positive vibe, this year’s trade fair had not been this innovative, inspiring and international for a long time. It has been a testament to its position as the leading global event for baby and toddler products. “We have achieved all our goals and sent a clear signal to the entire industry,” said Oliver Frese, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse. “The results show that Kind + Jugend is the definitive platform for presenting, discussing and marketing new innovative products and ideas. This is how a trade fair should be,” continued the COO. Jörg Schmale, Director of Kind + Jugend, summed up the trade fair as follows: “The atmosphere was phenomenal, we have achieved a major breakthrough.”
Over the course of three full days, the exhibition halls buzzed with vibrant energy driven by the lively networking and business activities. Continuing its pre-pandemic success, Kind + Jugend welcomed 974 exhibitors from 46 countries (2022: 480 exhibitors from 37 countries). This year, the event drew around 15,000 trade visitors from 113 countries to the world’s largest industry gathering in Cologne. The combination of high level of expertise among visitors along with the quality and innovation showcased by the exhibitors was a key factor in ensuring that the trade fair could lead the way for the entire industry.
The world comes together at Kind + Jugend
Boasting an international share of 92 percent for exhibitors and 76 percent for visitors, this year’s trade fair was the most global to date. The majority of visitors came from all over Europe, with the Netherlands, Great Britain, Poland and Italy leading the way. Particularly pleasing was the significantly higher number of visitors from overseas that once again made their way to Cologne, especially from the US, Taiwan, China and the United Arab Emirates. The number of visitors from Germany increased by 31 percent compared to the previous year, underscoring the trade fair’s status as an established industry platform within Germany.
The trade fair where trends and innovations are born
The market for baby and toddler products is facing significant economic challenges. At the same time, the industry is undergoing a fascinating transformation driven by sustainability, artificial intelligence, new intelligent technologies and multifunctional products. These trends are not only shaping the market but also consumer behaviour, especially among millennials and the younger Generation Z.
Many of the products showcased by the exhibitors that were nominated for or won the Innovation Award fall into these categories. The award recognises outstanding new products in the baby and toddler industry each year.
Kind + Jugend 2023 in numbers
Kind + Jugend 2023 featured the participation of 974 companies from 46 countries, with a foreign share of 92 percent. Among them were 80 exhibitors from Germany and 894 exhibitors from abroad. Including estimates for the last day of the fair, Kind + Jugend 2023 saw around 15,000 visitors from 113 countries (2022: around 10,000 visitors from 103 countries). The international share of trade visitors was 76 percent. *
Dates for Kind + Jugend 2024
Next year, Kind + Jugend will be held during the week from Tuesday, 3 September to Thursday, 5 September 2024.
Kind + Jugend Innovation Award Winners 2023
The Kind + Jugend Innovation Award was presented again this year. The award is highly regarded among both industry professionals and consumers, often contributing to the success of the winning products in the market.
After a preliminary selection from all 120 entries, 24 products were nominated in the final round by an independent international panel of experts. During the festive award ceremony at the start of the trade fair, the following companies were pleased to be recognised with the Innovation Award in their respective categories for their innovative products:
Moving & Travelling Kids – Vamos KLX, Osann GmbH, Germany
Moving & Travelling Kids Accessories – MiniMeis Hero Parent Backpack, MiniMeis AS, Norway
Kids Toys – Xtend Ride On, smarTrike, Israel
Kids Textiles – B.Love 2-IN-1 Pillow, Babymoov Group, France
Kids Care – Multi Cooking Divider, SocialBean, Korea
Kids Furniture – MoveMi, Naolima GmbH, Germany
Sustainability for Kids – Matratze Wind, Träumeland GmbH, Germany
The new Midwives’ Choice award
This year, the new Midwives’ Choice award was presented for the first time. A panel of midwives in partnership with Hebammen-testen.de selected three products from all the submissions. The winners are as follows:
1st Place: DuoGlider, Unilove Baby Ltd, Taiwan
2nd Place: MODU Dreamer Set, MODU ApS, Denmark
3rd Place: MoveMi, Naolima GmbH, Germany
Read more about the winners: https://www.kindundjugend.com/events/events-onsite/innovation-award/winner-innovation-award/
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