Shereen Shabnam

In an exclusive interview, Julia Uherek, Vice President Consumer Goods Fairs at Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH, provides a detailed overview of Ambiente, the world’s largest and most international consumer goods trade fair.

Uherek explores the key factors contributing to the fair’s growing popularity, especially in the Middle East, and its focus on various sectors including the hotel, restaurant, workspace, and retail sectors.

She sheds light on how Ambiente is adapting to current global economic and health challenges and maintaining its status as a trailblazer in the industry in an exclusive interview below:

Ambiente is known as the largest event of its kind in the world. What factors do you attribute to its growing popularity, particularly in the Middle East? Could you tell us about the sectors that Ambiente focuses on, including the hotel, restaurant, workspace, and retail sectors?

Ambiente is the leading and most international consumer goods trade fair in the world: The trade show reflects the decisive international trends in the industry – globally. And the product segments are truly all-encompassing: Whether Dining, Living, Giving or the latest addition: the Working segment – it shows what will be on the table in the future, what will belong in living and working spaces and what will be given as gifts. In short: Ambiente sets the agenda, reflects the latest developments and gives an outlook on new ones. The fair gives orientation to the industry, both to the producers and to retailers, and that on a global scale.

Moreover, with the two other international consumer goods fairs Christmasworld and Creativeworld held simultaneously at the Frankfurt venue, it is the quintessential one-stop- shop for the global consumer goods industry that provides everything that matters for future business success of companies from the UAE: Every entrepreneur who aims to do business outside the UAE/ME region will find the right business partners here. The professional audience meets decision-makers from all types of commerce throughout the distribution chain, commercial buyers, service providers and specialist visitors.

UAE exhibitors like RAK Porcelain, BelVida or Marcolo will benefit from access to exports on a global scale. And last, certainly not least, with our target group-specific digital platforms, Ambiente is a year-round business enabler as it matches interests and brings together supply and demand in a tailor-made way – 365 days a year.

With a significant increase in UAE visitors expected at the next event, can you share what drives this interest from the region?

The strong response among visitors from the UAE is significant, indeed. It undoubtedly underscores the region’s sustained demand for products, design and fitout for hotels, restaurants, resorts, shops and workspaces. This drives interest in Ambiente, as visitors can be sure to find any product and producer for any project at any scale in one place and at one time. Ambiente features the product segments of Dining, Living, Giving and – the latest addition – Working. The addition is owed to the fact that we are living in a world of increasingly hybrid lifestyles and hybrid spaces, where the spheres of living and working are merging. Offices become co-working spaces, homes turn into home offices, and hotels function as a second home – new requirements lead to new concepts and vice versa.

At Ambiente, visitors will find a plethora of forward-thinking design solutions and products that set new standards. For inspired, brand-strengthening design experiences, Ambiente is the place – especially for hospitality and real estate developers – where you will meet specialists who will be presenting their answers to the diverse demands of the market, from customising and the individualisation of serial products to high quality goods in large order volumes. Ambiente features exhibitors in any relevant product segment, from tableware, glass and kitchen supplies to living accessories and interior design who meet the highest standards for luxury, comfort and innovation, for example in hospitality interior design. Visitors will have the choice of any quality they want; the high-end range in particular is abundantly represented here. And they will find expert business partners here for projects at any scale.

To facilitate this matchmaking and, ultimately, business, Ambiente offers trade visitors a host of tools to help find suitable project partners via the online exhibitor search engine and the special interest labels at the stands such as “Contract Business”, “Ethical Style” or “nmedia.hub” for availability on the order platform of the same name. Moreover, via our digital platform, visitors and exhibitors alike benefit from the AI-supported matchmaking tool as it enables them to network and exchange business ideas throughout the year. Hence, for destination and hospitality developers, Ambiente is with no doubt the quintessential go-to place as it is the trading hub for the international contract business. And beyond being a platform for business contacts and contracts, it is a place of inspiration, after all.

What are the key highlights and expectations for the January 2024 Ambiente event, in terms of the number of participating nations, exhibitors, and visitors?

I am glad to say: we are back on track. This means, we are growing in terms of quantity and quality. In 2023, we welcomed more than 4,500 exhibitors in total, of which 3,700 were Ambiente exhibitors. For the coming trade fair trio we expect even more. With regards to the hall space, we are expanding by three new hall levels to be able to create more space for our exhibitors’ presentations. Moreover, we are condensing the space in the halls and additionally placing the supporting programme stages in the foyers. With a high number of Scandinavian exhibitors, the coming Ambiente will be the quintessential hub for Scandinavian design. Another focus will be on Japanese design, which our visitors will be able to discover in great variety in all product areas at Ambiente.

The big players are back, for example at Ambiente Dining: brands such as Rosenthal, Royal Tableware, Seltmann-Weiden and Villeroy & Boch are attending the coming event. Zwiesel Kristallglas will also have a stand and will present its consumer product line for the first time together with its own HoReCa brand. In Halls 8 and 9, Fackelmann, JJA, Schulte Ufer, Severin and TVS, among others, will be exhibiting again.

At Ambiente Living, Hall 3 will once again shine with major brands such as Blomus, Bloomingville, Broste Copenhagen, Georg Jensen, IB Laursen, Lambert, Present Time, Schlittler and Stelton. Also back: exhibitors Eva Solo, Jan Kurz, New Edition Home B.V., Scholtissek and – this time new – Teppiche Lalee OHG. The paper, office supplies and stationery sector will be back in full force in 2024 – with a much larger range of products and a multiplied brand presence.

Ambiente Working is growing in all product segments and linking them in a new way with improved connections to Creativeworld and the Urban Gifts, Stationery & School product range at Ambiente Giving. Office suppliers for commercial office supplies and technology are now anchored in the newly added Festhalle and Forum 0. There, together with the German Office Supplies Industry Association (PBS-Markenindustrie), the ‘Office Heroes’ area will feature companies such as Durable Hunke & Jochheim/Luctra, Jakob Maul, Novus-Dahle, Sigel and the returners Casio Europe, Edding International, and Tesa. The cosmos of its own includes the entire range of the three leading fairs for paper, office supplies and stationery. Strong brands such as Country Living, Hey-Sign, Koenig + Neurath and Vario Büroeinrichtung can be found at Office Design & Solutions on the east side of Hall 3.1 – together with the highlight special presentation Future of Work.

Remanexpo, the platform for remanufactured printer components, brings together brands and distributors in the Congress Center and Forum 1. Stationery and school supplies are under one roof with gift articles at Urban Gifts, Stationery & School in Hall 4.2, where new brands and returnees such as António Augusto Correira, Caran d’Ache, Erich Krause, Factis, Hugo Boss, Kikkerland, Lund London, Main Paper, Maybach as well as Rössler and Troika are on show.

Ambiente places a special focus on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) through its Ethical Style program. Could you elaborate on the importance of sustainability in today’s market, especially in the HORECA (Hotel, Restaurant, and Cafe) sector?

With sustainability, you touch upon an increasingly relevant topic. We see a strong demand and, consequently, focus on sustainability in terms of production methods, alternative materials and manufacturing – keywords are 3D printing, the implementation of AI in production processes and circular materials. Customers attach more and more importance to sustainably sourced and produced goods as well as to high quality and durability. In this context, craftmanship is in high demand again: People value the beauty and quality in the craft that takes patience, expertise and ingenuity. They want products that are meaningful. We give visibility to all this in our Ethical Style programme. More than 10 years ago, we initiated this sustainability-focused programme that stages environmentally friendly, ethically produced and sustainable goods and their producers to the trade fair public: Exhibitors are listed accordingly in the online exhibitor search, marked with the Ethical Style label at their stand and are part of a customer guidance programme on this theme. The Ethical Style label in the online exhibitor search and at the stands facilitates the sourcing of environmentally friendly, ethically produced and sustainable goods.

How can producers benefit from this? They can apply for participation in six categories, from eco-friendly, upcycled and circular materials to resource-saving production processes to handmade products that demand craftmanship and save traditions to socially responsible working conditions and innovative products and processes – the scheme is very comprehensive. And it is an independent jury of international experts that thoroughly reviews all entries and curates the selection. The scheme is extended across all three consumer goods fairs, Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld: in 2024, there will be two Ethical Style spots, which will attractively showcase the corresponding products of all three fairs together under one umbrella.

It is worth mentioning that the Ethical Style programme highlights to the global consumer goods industry that ethical practices in business are ultimately also a profitable investment from a commercial standpoint: Many companies already combine very successfully sustainable production with success at the commercial front. There is a general misconception that the two targets of sustainable production and commercial success don’t match. Take the companies that exhibit in the Remanexpo segment for upcycled or remanufactures printing components. Or the German company Koziol in hall 3.1 for example which operates in a CO2-neutral manner. 70% of this neutrality is achieved by the company through savings in CO2 emissions achieved through its own measures. 30% will be offset by intelligent reforestation of an existing forest on the island of Rügen with new, climate-resistant tree species and maintenance of the existing population. Moreover, Koziol focuses exclusively on thermoplastics, which are 100% recyclable. In the HoReCa segment, we definitely see a trends towards sustainability: Almost forgotten materials and techniques, as well as elements from nature and sustainable materials are playing a major role for the table setting. There is a great potential in the area of sustainability – this is expressed through the increasing use of environmentally friendly resources, innovative technologies and durable, circular designs. Many designers are currently exploiting the principles of recyclability and experimenting with alternative materials for the dining area such as compostable bioplastics for disposable and reusable packaging. As much as possible is recycled: waste or leftover materials are turned into high-quality raw materials and vintage pieces are transformed into new designs.

In what ways does Ambiente support and showcase sustainably-produced materials and products in the sectors it covers? How does Ambiente facilitate sustainable product sourcing, design, recycling, and green trends within the industries it represents?

Ambiente is not only about styles, but about lifestyles: This globally leading trade show is so much more than a platform where products and producers are on display. It reflects lifestyle movements and is infact one in itself. Against this backdrop, allow me some more general reflections on trends that are mirrored both in the exhibitor line-up as well as in our fringe programme.

We see at the Ambiente Talents program for young and upcoming designers, a generation of creative minds arising for whom sustainability is a conditio sine qua non, a set standard. Quite often, we see that universities are also involved in the new or further development of sustainable materials. The variety and selection of materials is increasing and thus there is a more complex sourcing issue here included. When it comes to supply chains, designers who operate sustainably try to use as few different materials as possible. As the most comprehensive consumer goods fair in the world, we give visibility to companies and designers involved with sustainable design and production. Take our Ethical Style programme, for example, that makes products and producers visible on two Ethical Style spots. In the fringe programme, we have declared the fair’s Tuesday the Sustainable Office Day in the Future of Work Academy.

Moreover, we provide smart tools to bring together supply and demand for sustainable products and producers: Via the online exhibitor search, you can identify exhibitors

according to interests such as “Global Sourcing” or “Ethical Style” or both. Moreover, via the AI-based matchmaking tool in our digital platform, we ensure producers of sustainable solutions and the trade looking for these meet. On site and online – all year round.

Being also a knowledge hub, Ambiente is also home to four academies or speakers’ programmes where international industry experts share their insights in keynotes on sustainability in all its facets in order to inspire, spread knowledge and enrich the participants’ experiences.

What role do you see Ambiente playing in shaping the future of these sectors in the UAE and the wider Middle East? Are there any specific trends or innovations that you anticipate will have a significant impact on the industries Ambiente caters to in the coming years?

Messe Frankfurt is per se a perfect platform to integrate various very different straits of business by providing them all with one unique platform at one place and one time each year in early spring. I am convinced that what we have defined as global or meta themes, such as the future of work and sustainability, will be growing even more in the future and turn into a decisive factor for the world of tomorrow and coming generations. The combination of home and office, of lifestyle and workstyle, will continue to define our living and working environments in the future. Now let’s take the Future of Work area with the academy of the same name: Here, we open up completely new, unprecedented perspectives. Questions of how and where work will be done in the future are being discussed today: It is today that we have to find answers and new ideas for the work of tomorrow. After all, working is now possible from almost anywhere. Ambiente provides a holistic perspective on this topic. Here, the modern world of work is combined with the products and services of the Ambiente Living sections of Interior Design and Contract Business. This is definitely a future-oriented area of display that takes into consideration sustainable solutions. It inspires and is of practical value for real estate developers and everybody in the interior design industry. I see an integration of many innovative new approaches, production techniques and materials into an even growing array of companies worldwide. And with Ambiente, we are not only a part of this development, but a strong business partner that creates and shapes these developments that are coming up at the horizon.

Can you share any success stories or examples of businesses or individuals who have benefited from their participation in Ambiente events in the past?

In the more than 30 years of the Ambiente history, we have seen many, many design talents turn into design stars. Take Sebastian Herkner, for example. He presented himself at the Talents stage in 2008 and attracted a lot of attention with the design of his “Nan16” luminaire. Today, he is recognised as one of the best contemporary designers. On a side note, he has been a loyal visitor since then. Another one who has undoubtedly made it to the top since his appearance at Ambiente 2006 is Mark Braun. With his studio in Berlin, he now designs products for clients such as Conmoto, E15, KPM Berlin, Mono, Nomos Glashütte, Raumgestalt and Thonet. His list of design awards is also impressive. 16 years ago, he presented the “Join” porcelain series at Talents, which was subsequently realised by ASA Selection. He recognizes Talents as one of the most relevant product design platforms for young designers in Germany and beyond as a career launching pad or important step towards independence with valuable contacts. He, too, is a regular at Ambiente, who shared his expertise and takes guests on design-themed guided tours across the fairgrounds to make other benefit from his knowledge and contacts. Companies that are exhibitors have access to exports opportunities on a global scale, especially in the segment of small to mid- sized businesses, that have built up export rates of up to 80 percent. The chances and opportunities that Ambiente holds for anyone participating are immense. We make markets, launch careers and share inspiration – something that becomes more the more you share it.

In the context of the current global economic and health challenges, how has Ambiente adapted to continue serving its audience effectively?

For the latest trade fair trio in January 2023, we faced major, completely new challenges and really pushed the site, the infrastructure and our personnel capacities to their limits. Looking back, we can say that it was absolutely worth it. Ambiente and Christmasworld in particular enrich each other – there are strong synergy effects and visitor flows between the individual trade fairs, especially among visitors who had previously only visited one of the two fairs. For many of our exhibitors, this naturally resulted in high quotas of new customers from other segments. That shows: The new concept has worked. This is why for the next edition in 2024, too, we are going to have Ambiente alongside Christmasworld and Creativeworld at the Frankfurt venue.

Moreover, we have massively invested and developed our digital services and platforms to spearhead digitization in the global trade fair business. This means, we are evolving into a year-round business-enabler. With the Digital Academy for insightful seminars and engaging discussions, with the service-oriented platform Conzoom Solutions for retailers who can gain hands-on advice for the POS and with nmedia.hub as a powerful platform for order management, we offer smart customized tools and services for a successful business.

What advice or insights would you offer to businesses and entrepreneurs looking to participate in or benefit from Ambiente in the future?

My advice: Make sure you bring enough time to leverage all the benefits Ambiente holds for your business. Make use of the digital tools to be best prepared even before coming to Frankfurt. If you can spare some time, make use of the fringe programme and the many, many networking platforms. Mix and mingle and have yourself inspired – this is what a vibrant and bustling trade show like Ambiente is all about, besides business transactions.

Are there any exciting developments or initiatives that you would like to highlight for our readers regarding Ambiente’s future plans or expansions?

As said before, lifestyles are getting increasingly hybrid, the spheres of working and living are merging, and architecture and design have to provide answers to this. This mobile lifestyle entails new customer needs, and functional spaces like hotel lobbies or restaurants need to cater to these demands. Ambiente gives a platform to exhibitors who provide solutions and to experts and creative minds that have a novel approach – not only to what is current, but also to what is coming. A shining example in this context is Elena Salmistraro who we are proud to designate the first-ever Ambiente Designer in 2024. With The Lounge, she curates a special presentation of exhibitors’ products that creates a thematic interface between interior design, HoReCa and contract business – a première that you should definitely not miss.

For 2024, both exhibitors and visitors may expect an enhanced trade fair experience with added value: valuable content, enriching immersive experiences and inspiration that converses into business – just priceless.

Julia Uherek’s insights into Ambiente reveal a dynamic and forward-thinking approach to the world of consumer goods. The fair’s expansion into new sectors and emphasis on sustainability through the Ethical Style program demonstrate a commitment to addressing contemporary challenges and trends. Ambiente continues to be a pivotal platform for global businesses, fostering innovation, sustainability, and international collaboration.

As the fair gears up for its 2024 event, it stands as a beacon for the future of consumer goods, reflecting the evolving demands and expectations of the global market, particularly in the HORECA sector. Ambiente’s continued adaptation and expansion signal a bright and impactful future, positioning it as an essential event for businesses and entrepreneurs worldwide.