Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JULY 2019 30 I nternational exhibitors will present pioneering products from the world of the garden and offer a comprehensive overview of the new products for the coming outdoor season. The diversity of offerings will range from trendy outdoor furniture and design for garden equipment, to smart garden appliances, high-tech grills and outdoor kitchens, to decorative accessories for outdoor living. As an overriding trend, the trade fair will pick up on the this year's forward-looking theme "City Gardening" and set new accents for designing and furnishing the green living room. CITY GARDENING: OPEN-AIR OASES IN THE CITY A global megatrend that spoga+gafa and many exhibitors will address this year is increasing urbanisation. More and more people are moving to the city, and they don't want to go without their own green space, and relaxation under the open air. With City Gardening the trade fair will set a new main focus at its upcoming edition. For city dwellers, green areas are becoming increasingly important as a place of refuge from their hectic everyday lives. "Today, the garden more than ever takes on the task of being a place to wind down and relax," said Stefan Lohrberg, director of spoga+gafa. "It gives people the feeling of security and hominess and is thus gaining a totally new significance." Living in the city center while surrounded by greenery is no longer a contradiction. It is blossoming and flourishing in small gardens and on more and more balconies and roof terraces. It's why numerous exhibitors will presente new products for urban open spaces at this year's spoga+gafa. MORE THAN STEAKS AND RIBS: NEW GRILLING DIVERSITY Barbecuing continues among the favorite open-air leisure time pastimes. However, the days when only sausages landed on the barbecue are definitely over. Today, increased importance is being placed on diversity when preparing our meats and vegetables. Thanks to modern high-tech grills with their many accessories there are numerous possibilities for smoking, curing and baking. New high-temperature and upper-heat models lend the meat a totally new flavor. Cast-iron plancha grills, stack grills for barbecuing directly in the embers, and XXL fire plates are available to extend preparation methods. Even the good old fire pit is a lot more versatile nowadays, offering flexible attachments with grill and wok holders. "Multifunctional" is also today's motto for accessories, such as LED barbecue lights and integrated Blue-tooth loudspeakers. WEATHERPROOF COOKING ENJOYMENT: OUTDOOR KITCHENS ARE BECOMING MORE HOMEY With a growing offering of outdoor kitchens, cooking in the open air has long developed into more than just the classic barbecue evening. Modern kitchen units for outdoors can be individually combined with elements such as sinks, fridges or worktops following the modular construction principle and can also be safely installed on a balcony. Thanks to high-quality design and technical sophistication the new models are on a par with their indoor counterparts. Specially designed frame profiles or special supports create a homey look and are extremely weatherproof – and they can be coated with different decors. Furthermore, foldable side panels offer protection against wind and rain. W H E N S P O G A + G A F A O P E N S I T S D O O R S F R O M S E P T E M B E R 1 - 3 , 2 0 1 9 , T H E W O R L D ' S L A R G E S T G A R D E N F A I R W I L L O N C E A G A I N P R E S E N T T H E C U R R E N T T R E N D S A N D T H E M E W O R L D S O F T H E G R E E N I N D U S T R Y . SPOGA+GAFA 2019: A LOOK AT THE TRENDS OF THE OUTDOOR SEASON O U T D O O R [ T R E N D S ]

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