Retail & Consumer Goods Industry

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 25, 2026 -- Koelnmesse Italia has entered into a partnership with MADE4DIY to integrate BricoNight, the Italian DIY and home improvement sector's established evening networking event, into the International Hardware Fair Italy platform. The agreement covers BricoNight at the May 2027 edition of the fair in Bergamo as well as the two subsequent editions in 2029 and 2031. Under the arrangement, organizers will implement a structured incoming programme to bring delegations of international buyers to the event. The partnership follows a separate collaboration between Koelnmesse Italia and Collins for Buyer Point, consolidating the fair's position as the primary professional platform for the hardware and technical DIY sector in Italy.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 24, 2026 -- The BHB GardenSummit convened for the eleventh time at the spoga+gafa trade fair in Cologne, bringing together senior executives and industry experts from across the garden retail and home improvement sector to assess market conditions and chart strategy for turbulent times. This year's event introduced a notable format change — shifting from the fair's final day to the second day — and closed with a joint garden party hosted by BHB and partner association IVG. The summit covered ground from hard sales data and consumer sentiment to brand management, staff development, and the documented mental health benefits of green space.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 18, 2026 -- Epta has introduced MyEpta, a multi-function digital platform designed to serve as a single access point for all technical data, asset management, and service resources across its refrigeration equipment. Debuted at EuroShop 2026, the platform sits at the centre of Epta's broader shift toward a 360-degree service model — one that combines hardware, software, qualified personnel, and consulting across the full lifecycle of a retail store. The move marks a deliberate repositioning: Epta is no longer presenting itself as a cabinet manufacturer, but as a Fully Integrated Solutions Provider. For retailers managing large installed bases of refrigeration equipment, the implications run from maintenance scheduling to in-store media monetisation.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 18, 2026 -- Epta has launched the Zenith line of positive vertical display cabinets, a refrigeration range built around four stated pillars: merchandising performance, sustainability, reliability, and digital services. First presented at EuroShop 2026 in Düsseldorf, the line is now commercially available across remote CO2 and integral propane configurations. Alongside the product launch, Epta introduced "Good Never Stops" as its updated value proposition — framing the company's commercial direction around long-term integrity, reliability, and continuous improvement. For grocery retailers, the Zenith lineup targets the fresh department as a direct driver of store identity and customer loyalty.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 15, 2025 -- Nestlé is piloting Maggi Mami, an AI-powered voice advisory tool built for the tens of thousands of women food sellers who drive the majority of Maggi product sales across Central and West Africa. The platform works without internet access, operates in local languages on any basic phone, and draws on a structured knowledge base compiled from experienced market traders. It targets a seller segment that is both commercially critical for the Maggi brand and historically underserved by formal business training infrastructure.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 15, 2026 -- GS1 Germany is bringing its GS1 Step Inside community event format to Mars Wrigley's site in Unterhaching on July 14, 2026, focusing on point-of-sale touchpoint strategy and shopper activation. The six-hour event draws decision-makers and specialists from category management, shopper marketing, trade marketing, and e-commerce for a behind-the-scenes session combining presentations, interactive formats, and peer networking. Contributions from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Germany and Yagora are part of the agenda. The event is capped at 145 participants.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 15, 2026 -- GS1 Germany and Yagora GmbH are jointly hosting a free, hour-long online session on June 24, 2026, focused on the future direction of category management and shopper marketing. The session targets category managers, trade marketing professionals, and data and analytics specialists working in retail. Attendees will receive applied strategic input on the fastest-growing retail categories, point-of-sale insights translation, and practical promotional guidance drawn from both food and non-food environments.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 2, 2026 -- spoga+gafa, the Cologne-based international trade fair for garden lifestyle and BBQ, is restructuring its 2026 edition to place the BBQ and Outdoor Adventure theme worlds in closer physical and editorial proximity. Running from June 22 to 24, the fair will stage both segments jointly in one hall, supported by a central special zone, a dedicated BBQ demonstration stage, and a food and trend market. The move is part of the fair's ongoing conceptual development program, which KoelnMesse calls "growing forward."

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 2, 2026 -- The Industrieverband Garten (IVG) has opened registration for its annual Forum Gartenmarkt, scheduled for November 5 at the Maritim Hotel in Düsseldorf. The event runs under the theme "Fit for Change - Those Who Adapt, Flourish" and is expected to draw around 250 attendees from industry, retail, and media. Delegates who register before July 31 receive a 10 percent early-bird discount. A get-together the evening before is included in the congress fee.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 2, 2026 -- The BHB-GardenSummit, now in its eleventh edition, returns on June 23 with a revised format that reflects feedback from long-standing attendees. Germany's trade association for the home improvement and garden retail sector has shifted the event from the closing day of the spoga + gafa fair in Cologne to the fair's second day, a change developed in coordination with KoelnMesse. The summit closes with a joint garden party co-hosted by BHB and partner association IVG in Hall 6, positioning the networking finale as a centerpiece of the event.