Continued growth for Kind + Jugend

Compared to 2022, what type of growth has the show experienced?

We are indeed very satisfied with the exhibitor participation in 2023. Around 970 suppliers, twice as many as a year ago, will be exhibiting from 7 to 9 September, presenting an internationality diversity and product quality as one would expect from Kind + Jugend.

What attributes does Kind + Jugend hold to make this a truly international event?

First and foremost our international exhibitors and visitors. Suppliers from all over Europe participate, but they also come from countries such as Turkey, India, Pakistan, South Korea, Taiwan, China, the USA, Israel and Thailand. In total, companies from 45 countries and from all continents are exhibiting. Even Australia is represented with eleven suppliers. Anyone who would like to find out more in advance, the exhibitor list can be found on our website.

For 2024, we have resolved to continue working on activating national and international brands. We are very confident that we will be able to add more good names to the existing ones in the coming year.

What do you feel will be the main focus this year for those visiting the show?

In terms of content, we expect the topics of sustainability and smart technology to play a major role - the expectation of innovative ideas in all areas of our industry is correspondingly high. All visitors can look forward to seeing which new products and innovative ideas will be presented for the first time in Cologne.

What can visitors expect by visiting Kind + Jugend 2023?

Our most important highlight is and remains the exhibitors with their product diversity. Their visit is the focus of the traders’ attention. Our event programme is designed to provide additional inspiration and specialist information. That is why everything on the Trend Forum stage will revolve around the topics of business performance and international industry trends.

In addition, the special area “Immersive Shopping”, which was presented for the first time last year, will be further expanded. Here, Koelnmesse is working together with ARkid from FOKUS KIND Medien. The focus is on innovative technologies and features that can be used in both B2C and B2C channels for the attractive digital communication of product information and product configurations. The special show is intended to provide impulses and ideas for experience-oriented shopping, also in the digital sector.

And by the way, good news for all those who want to do without animal products: we have opened a vegan restaurant in Hall 11.2. We are taking into account the trend towards plant-based nutrition and can also make a contribution to the topic of Co2 reduction and therefore have exanded our gastronomic offer, which was also a point of criticism last year.

Do you feel that Kind + Jugend is a great way for visitors to spot upcoming trends in the nursery and infant product sector?

From a global perspective, Kind + Jugend is the trend platform for international for high-quality baby and toddler products. It offers a high guest quality in addition to the well-known comprehensive exhibitor field: 77 % of our visitors are in management positions and 92 % are involved in purchasing decisions. There is no better source of inspiration and business platform for the buying trade. This is already confirmed by the ticket orders, demand is persistently high.

In my opinion, the special charm of the exhibition is that, in addition to the big players in the industry, many young companies and start-ups are also represented. Our Start-up Area, which is reserved for young and newly founded companies with their often impressively innovative ideas, is fully booked! We are very pleased about that - after all, it is a nice proof that our industry is tremendously attractive for founders.

Will visitors see leading brand names within the show halls?

I am particularly proud that we were able to win back many large and market-leading companies. These include, for example, Joie, Nuna and Graco, ABC Design, Britax Römer, Hartan, Hauck, Cam il mondo, Delta Children, Lässig, Nuby, Paidi, Peg Perego, Roba Baumann, Thule or Uppababy. Cybex will also be there again, albeit with a small presence.

Will there be show segments that are new or returning this year that you would like to bring to the attention of visitors?

A highlight that we look forward to every year is the Innovation Award, which this year can once again really exploit its potential. This year, 120 applications were received for the Innovation Award. This shows how renowned and established this competition is in the industry. And also how important!

Here, too, the applicants come from 45 countries, besides Germany, for example, also from Korea, Latvia, Thailand and the USA. It is further enhanced by the “World of Sustainability” category introduced last year and the new “Midwives’ Choice Award”, which will be presented for the first time in 2023. For that we are cooperating with hebammen-testen.de.

How important are the Innovation Awards to the event and where can visitors view the winning products?

As already mentioned, the presentation of the Innovation Award is a very special and important highlight of Kind + Jugend. The awards recognise extraordinary contributions to the further development of the baby and toddler outfitting industry in eight categories.

All nominees will be presented on site at the fair (Hall 11.2, F 41) and on our website. The award ceremony will take place at the start of the fair on 07 September 2023 on the stage of the Trend Forum. The winner per category will be announced live on stage www.kindundjugend.com

Have you experienced a number of firsttime exhibitors this year? Do you feel that these companies bring a newness of products to the show?

With our Start-up Area and the joint stands of the Young Innovative Companies from Germany, there are already a couple of exhibitors who will be attending Kind + Jugend for the first time. This shows that the Kind + Jugend trade fair is not only an irreplaceable marketing tool and a relevant business platform for established companies, but also for emerging companies.

In addition, there are also other companies that do not belong to any of the above-mentioned categories but are nevertheless here for the first time. With refreshing ideas, these exhibitors in particular ensure that new products and concepts come to the attention of retailers and provide new impulses.

Coffee Break

We catch up with Bibado’s B2B Sales Manager Kirk

McVeigh to find out his thoughts on feeding/weaning products and how Bibado’s range assists.

What do you feel are new parents’ common anxieties when it comes to breast/bottle feeding, weaning and self-feeding?

One of the most frequently mentioned anxieties around weaning that we hear about from customers and parents is the safety aspect, most notably the fear of choking when introducing solids to babies. It’s cited as one of the main reasons many parents opt for purees or fail to progress with more texture and variety in their weaning journeys. The other common complaint is not knowing how or where to get started and a fear of ‘not getting it right’.

Do you have sufficient ranges that assist?

The award-winning Bibado range has been created to tap into the innate curiosity babies are born with. Our products empower parents to set their children free to explore food without limits. Whether that be through letting them messily learn to self-feed or by taking care of the mess with our Coverall or making it easier for them to learn to use cutlery with the innovative Dippit and Handi Cutlery. Bibado works extensively with nutrition experts and brands like Mini First Aid to incorporate educational material and, indeed, products and tailored weaning bundles into our offering to give parents the confidence and resources to wean their babies without fear. Our Feeding Curiosity podcast also allows us to speak to a wide repertoire of experts to impart knowledge, education and inspiration to parents

Is innovation important within this category?

Innovation is important in any consumer goods category, but only if it solves a genuine need and creates value. There’s a fine line between innovation and gimmickry.

Innovation underpins our approach to NPD at Bibado and was recognised in 2023 with an inaugural King’s Award for Enterprise for our Coverall Weaning Bib. We’ve also received notoriety for other groundbreaking innovations like the world’s first two-handed multi-stage weaning spoon and dipper in one, the Dippit. Dawn the Dinosaur, our multi-sensory teething toy was designed to strengthen mouth muscles to establish the foundational skills needed for safe swallowing and independent eating.

Innovation offers a point of difference in a crowded marketplace and helps signpost truly pioneering brands in a sea of me-toos.

Are parents looking for coordinated ranges from brand names?

Functionality and safety remain the primary concerns for new parents when choosing baby products. However, social media and a growing legion of influencers have contributed to an ever-increasing demand for the design aesthetic to be en pointe. The matchy-matchy trend has been prevalent for some time and shows no signs of abating. A muted Scandi design also continues to be on-trend. We’re seeing growing consumer demand for complete weaning sets in complementary palettes that collectively look as good as they perform.

How important are brand names within this category?

Trust, authority and reputation are key in this sector. Bibado regularly achieves Trustpilot scores in excess of 4.8 and boasts over 10,000 5-star reviews. These are the benchmarks against which a customer will assess a brand to arrive at a purchase decision. Typically these attributes are built over time by established companies that invest heavily in premium products and build brands. Such companies tend to have industry longevity and a strong track record along with other hygiene factors like strong customer service and an abundance of high-rating testimonials. A proliferation of unbranded white-label goods available to ship internationally from unknown sources means that the consumer is faced with ever more choices but more risk. Choosing a household brand like Bibado offers parents the highly-valued reassurance and peace of mind that our products are safe and tested to the highest global standards with independent test houses.

Again, it all links back to arming parents with maximum confidence, and what peers and experts say about your brand, can speak volumes.

What benefits can retailers expect by stocking products that fall within this category?

Weaning is one of the most significant journeys and milestones for families. It is a relatively protracted stage of childhood development spanning at least 2.5 years and lays some crucial foundations for other key development stages like motor control, speech and socialisation. As a consequence, it is a vast category with a host of interdependent and complementary products. Repeat purchase can be significant and word-of-mouth recommendations for brands that invest in social media, digital advertising and parent-influencer outreach programmes can yield high sales.