EVENT REPORT: SPOGA+GAFA 2025
SPOGA+GAFA PROVES ITSELF WITH REAL INNOVATION
Kerry and Clive Daley from DIY, home improvement and garden industry market specialist and strategic development agency, Daley Hub, report from spoga+gafa, the leading trade fair for garden lifestyle and BBQ, which took place in Cologne, Germany earlier this year.
I
n these economically challenging times, every exhibition or trade event must prove its worth, not only for
exhibitors looking for return on show investment, but also for retail and decision maker influencers who travel to attend. Cologne- based spoga+gafa, claimed to be the world’s biggest garden, DIY and BBQ trade fair, now brought forward to June from its historic September slot, needs to prove value for money like any other, and having been there for the duration, I’m relieved to report that it did. How? Real evidence of innovation, not something that every trade show can honestly claim these days. Spoga+gafa brings together
28 DIY WEEK AUGUST 2025
companies from the garden lifestyle sector and trade visitors from all over the world, promising ‘Come and Grow’, the strapline for the event. In a world that struggles to deliver truly new innovation, as most things have already been thought of in their concept form, there were several interesting ‘story’ products, that were worth the trip.
Show highlights To name a few, Batavia dominated the entrance of Hall 6 with a movable scaffold made easy to transport through a world first set of telescopic ladders supporting each side. Upyard’s DIY build of a raised bed, as modular in design so as long, wide, high as you like with the added benefit that you can change it as your garden grows was also inspiring.
A new business from Poland, Saltrino, showed us how to create a kitchen in the garden instantly having it delivered in a box. There was also a three-minute assembly sauna… imagine taking that round to your friends for a chilled afternoon! And not all interesting stories must be big. Chefstemp has developed a clever meat electronic temperature device. Nothing new in that, except that this one is pen- like in design, in a range of bright colours, rechargeable and magnetic! A great pick-up line and add on sale for every BBQ.
Unsurprisingly Hall 6 was the busiest, as it usually is. In addition to the above, it showed off the latest in robot mower innovation, and swimming pool underwater cleaners. Must mention Mammotion for a superb execution in the form of a large tank on its stand. As American YouTube content creator, Andrew Rog said from the Chefstemp stand, “This event is crazy… drawing together so many retailers and suppliers from the industry in one place.”
“With garden buying decisions now made throughout the year, the new spoga+gafa June date seems ideal”
The verdict Speaking to exhibitors in general, the verdict was that while visitor numbers may have been down, the quality was great. It seems that those who were there wanted to buy, with the second day being the busiest. Visitors and journalists also seemed happy with what they had seen, all saying they will be there next year. With garden buying decisions now made throughout the year, the new spoga+gafa June date seems ideal thanks to the increased speed created by marketplace retail and retailers’ online business. As far as a networking this event also delivers, around every corner was the well-known face, John Herbert, creator of the Global DIY summit and industry icon, and a
L-R: Heiz Wieczorek, Annekatrin Conrads, Rajmund Kokot, John Herbert & Clive Daley
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