editor’s letter

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Here we all are in the month of September and it’s not long now until the doors open to Kind + Jugend 2023 and as such, you will find a preview of the show starting on page 14.

Kind + Jugend has continued to experience growth, with more than 970 suppliers selecting the event to showcase their products. As an international trade fair for the baby and toddler sector, Kind + Jugend has consistently proven itself as an indispensable platform for industry professionals. Attending this event offers nursery retailers a unique opportunity to explore the latest innovations, network with key players, and gain a firsthand look at the products that can potentially drive trends in the coming year.

This year’s Kind + Jugend promises to be more significant than ever before. As the show recovers and adapts in the post-pandemic landscape, this event is poised to showcase ground-breaking products and solutions that address the evolving needs of modern parents. Nursery retailers attending will be positioning themselves at the forefront of discovering advancements across many nursery product categories.

We also had the opportunity to catch up with their Show Director, Jörg Schmale prior to the show doors opening to find out what’s new and what the expectations are for the 2023 event. You can read this by simply turning to page 26.

But that’s not all. This issue also shines the light on Feeding & Weaning (page 27) Gifts (page 36) and Compact Folds (page 45).

Furthermore, we understand that in the fast-paced world of nursery retail, establishing a strong brand presence and business awareness is paramount. That’s why we’re excited to introduce you to specialist PR companies that possess deep-rooted knowledge of the baby and infant sector. These experts are armed with the insights needed to amplify your business’s reach and elevate your brand awareness, leading to increased customer engagement and loyalty. To ‘meet the PR’s’ simply turn to page 42.

You will also notice that our Cover Star this month features Joie, introducing their newly launched i-Spin Xl. Allison Baby, the home of Joie, Graco and Nuna, and hot on the heels of a successful 2022, the business has been determined to reaffirm its position as industry leaders when it comes to design and innovation. In a bumper year of launches, Joie unveiled a new addition to its spinning family, the i-Spin XL – a birth to 12 powerhouse that can fulfil the brief as the only car seat kids will ever need. Nuna launched the PIPA urbn, an innovative infant carrier with built in ISOFIX – meaning there’s no need for a base, while Graco launched its bedside crib, the Sweet2Sleep. You can check out our Cover Story starting on page 12 for more information.

Last but certainly not least, can I extend hearty congratulations to the winners of our annual Nursery Today Golf Day, where we experienced our first female player who totally stole the show! Malcolm Naish gives his ‘round up’ of the day’s events over on page 50, adding: “Wow! Woman power in the nursery industry. Well of course I already knew that our industry abounds with ladies at the helm of many companies holding key positions, but within our annual golf day, a lady had never won the Individual Stableford competition.” Enter stage left, Doddl’s Cat Dodd who told Malcom beforehand that she had not played golf for at least 15 years! “With that in mind I gave Cat a lady’s handicap of 36 and she comes into the clubhouse having scored an amazing 48 points! I’m told by her team mates that Cat produced some fantastic golf. Cat took all of this in her stride, as if she won golf days every day of the week. A lovely lady and well deserved.”