Discover. Order. Ready for the festive season

Anyone looking to develop individual assortments, discover new products and explore new business opportunities in a relaxed and family-like atmosphere atmosphere found exactly the right place in Hamburg. From 25 to 27 July, Nordstil Summer 2026 brought together around 500 exhibitors and their latest collections with more than 7,000 buyers[1]  from Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia¹. While fewer professional buyers travelled to Hamburg this summer, exhibitors consistently praised the high quality of discussions and the strong willingness to place orders. "When markets are changing and facing increasing pressure, retailers need reliable partners that provide guidance and strengthen their resilience. Nordstil brings together people, ideas and products, creating the basis for sound assortment decisions and successful business," says Philipp Ferger, Vice President Consumer Goods Fairs at Messe Frankfurt.

According to a recent survey by the German Retail Association (HDE), conducted among 600 companies, 65 per cent of respondents expect their 2026 turnover to remain below the previous year's level, while 69 per cent report declining profits despite rising labour, energy and purchasing costs. [2]

From the retail sector's perspective, Nordstil remains a key date for successful assortment planning. “The retail sector continues to face a challenging environment in summer 2026. Ongoing crises continue to dampen consumer confidence. This makes it even more important for retailers to stay on top of the latest trends and offer attractive assortments to their customers. Nordstil provides ideal conditions for targeted trend scouting. Its compact layout and clear structure help retailers identify exactly those products that fit their individual business. The combination of established brands, newcomers and complementary product categories such as gourmet food makes a visit to Nordstil particularly valuable," says Beate Schraml, Director of Glass, Porcelain and Ceramics at Handelsverband Wohnen und Büro (German Home and Office Retail Association).

The concentration of the exhibition on Hall A proved to be a clear advantage. Short walking distances, an easy-to-navigate hall layout and the consistent division into the four themed areas Home & Ambience, Delights & Pleasures, Finery & Gifts and Inspiration & Lifestyle enabled visitors to place orders efficiently and purposefully.

Buyers appreciate the exceptional
This summer, products with authentic stories, high quality and clear added value for end customers were particularly sought after. Sustainable concepts, customisable products and more than 80 first-time exhibitors provided valuable inspiration for assortment planning.

Isabell Ecks, owner of the farm shop „Bestes vom Elbdeich in Hamburg, has been visiting Nordstil for years to discover unique products and personalised additions for her assortment: "I'm interested in products that nobody else has. Hamburg always provides plenty of inspiration. Every week I present something new to my customers, and at Nordstil I discover creative ideas, small manufacturers and wonderful exhibitors. The Food & Delights section is especially interesting for me – it's a perfect fit."

Elke Schönbach from Bad Bergzabern, who combines a bookshop with an organic café and sustainable complementary product ranges, shares this view: It's always a pleasure to come to Hamburg for Nordstil. Since 2025 we've been visiting both the winter and summer editions because we reliably find products here that aren't available in southern Germany. Our customers love our selection. For example, we first discovered Dein Kakao's organic drinking chocolate and Tranquillo's sustainable fashion at Nordstil."

"I've known Nordstil for more than ten years and found this year's Guided Tours particularly helpful because they provide an excellent pre-selection. As the owner of a Christian bookshop with an integrated fair-trade store, sustainability and social responsibility are key criteria when selecting products," adds Heike Eberle, Managing Director of the Christian Bookshop in Stade.

Guided Tours provide practical decision-making support
The Guided Tours helped trade visitors discover new brands, sustainable concepts and high-potential product ranges in a short space of time.

Sustainability expert Mimi Sewalski introduced selected Ethical Style exhibitors during her Green Picks tours, demonstrating how sustainable products can be successfully integrated into retail assortments. "Sustainability is no longer a niche topic. Today, the challenge is to identify products that combine responsibility with commercial success. That's exactly the kind of concepts we discovered at Nordstil," concludes Mimi Sewalski.

The Speed Dating with the Season's Highlights tour focused on selected first-time exhibitors. Angelika Niestrath, expert in complementary product ranges and presentation concepts, also shared practical advice on how new products can be showcased effectively at the point of sale. "Successful retail assortments are not built on quantity, but on carefully curated selections and effective presentation. It all starts where retailers become customers themselves – at trade fairs, in personal conversations with exhibitors and through direct product experience. With its compact selection of attractive collections, inspiring discoveries and excellent presentation examples, Nordstil once again demonstrated exactly that," says Angelika Niestrath.

How gourmet food and giftable delicacies can generate additional customer traffic was the focus of Christoph Puff's culinary tour through the Delights & Pleasures theme. "Gourmet products create occasions, invite customers to discover something new and encourage impulse purchases. Hamburg has once again demonstrated the tremendous potential of this product segment," says Christoph Puff, Managing Director of Puffs Brause.

Exhibitors confirm strong orders and valuable conversations
Numerous companies reported well-prepared buyers, intensive discussions and encouraging order results.

“We are extremely satisfied. This has been our strongest start to a trade fair in years in terms of orders. Our communication campaign regarding our new stand location paid off completely. Buyers came well prepared, were highly professional and appreciated the relaxed, family-like atmosphere. The relocation also brought many new customers to our stand. Retailers are facing challenging times. That's why it's even more important that they don't just discover new collections with us but also take home positive energy while enjoying meaningful conversations. That's exactly what Nordstil Summer and Winter are all about," says Philippa Ahlström, Managing Director of themoshi, summarising the feedback shared by many exhibitors.

David Führer-Giora, Head of Sales at Pickmotion, also highlights the strong willingness to place orders: "The retailers who come here are motivated, have budgets available and are looking for new products. Trade fairs remain incredibly important for launching new collections, and we're expecting Nordstil to finish on a very positive note."

First-time exhibitor Lovelab also draws a positive conclusion. The company aims to make diamond jewellery affordable for a younger target group. "We're delighted to be here in Hamburg. The first day exceeded our expectations. We were particularly impressed by the quality of the visitors. We'll definitely be back next time with an even larger stand," says Alberto Saleh, Managing Director of Lovelab.

Trade fairs also create unexpected business opportunities. At the Buddelhelden area, a spontaneous cooperation emerged between Lexxxir and neighbouring exhibitor Confisserie, combining gourmet pearls and handcrafted pralines. "These kinds of partnerships only happen at trade fairs. That alone made our participation worthwhile," says Kay Kaphingst of Lexxxir.

Many participants also highlighted the opportunity for personal exchange – whether during the Guided Tours or at the Nordstil Summer Vibes networking event – as an important added value.

[1] FKM-certified comparison figures for Nordstil Summer 2025: 542 exhibitors and 8,281 visitors. 
[2] Source: German Retail Association (HDE), Business Survey presented at the Half-Year Press Conference, 14 July 2026.

Next event dates

The next Nordstil Winter will take place from 9 to 11 January 2027, occupying Halls A and B of the Hamburg Exhibition Centre. Visitors can once again look forward to an extensive supporting programme. For the second time, Nordstil will also host the GenussGipfel, taking place on 10 and 11 January 2027 in Hall B2. Germany's leading networking event for the gourmet food sector brings together producers, retailers and hospitality professionals while complementing Nordstil's portfolio with a high-quality platform for business exchange, inspiration and new commercial opportunities. Together, Nordstil Winter and the GenussGipfel form Germany's largest trade event dedicated to gourmet food retail.

Note for journalists:

Further information and image material on Nordstil can be found at:
nordstil.messefrankfurt.com/press

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Background information on Messe Frankfurt: www.messefrankfurt.com/background-information

Sustainability at Messe Frankfurt: www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability-information

Background information on Conzoom Circle: https://conzoom-circle.messefrankfurt.com