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A starting shot for more courage, resilience and confidence
With 4,636 exhibitors and participants from 170 countries, Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld confirmed their leading role in a rapidly changing sector. The high visitor appreciation and strong international presence send a powerful signal. The momentum in Frankfurt created new business opportunities and once again served as the global marketplace for inspiration and orientation, orders and personal encounters from 6 to 10 February.
Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld are driving forces for the global consumer goods industry. The trio of trade fairs kicked off 2026 with the Compass Talks and the presentation of the new IFH industry index on the trade fair floor. As the first international sentiment barometer, it shows where the global consumer goods industry currently stands and which core issues are relevant. The tone of the subsequent panel discussions in the afternoon was clear: waiting is not an option – further development of business models, more resilient value chains and better preparation for uncertainties, such as customs duties and import regulations, are necessary.
Against this backdrop, international participation in consumer goods fairs is growing. Particularly in this dynamic trade environment, personal encounters, market transparency, and robust networks are becoming increasingly important. Detlef Braun, Managing Director of Messe Frankfurt, states: “Geopolitics, cost pressure, and the need for transformation are no longer exceptions, but the new reality. That is precisely why it is important to seize the right momentum in the market with confidence and decisiveness. And this moment is here and now in Frankfurt.”
Around 140,000 visitors from all over the world took advantage of this opportunity. Futurist Ben Hammersley expressed it on behalf of many on Thursday, saying: “The decisive factor for the future is not planning certainty, but the ability to deal with uncertainty – with the right mindset, curiosity, and adaptability.” Robert Edler, Senior Sales Manager at Wagner (Interior Looks), adds: “One of our key objectives is to find new partners in the international project business market. Ambiente provides us with the momentum to meet these people in person.”
Christian Haeser, managing director of the German association for home and office furnishings, confirms the importance for the specialist trade: “Ambiente has once again proven itself as an indispensable platform. The diversity and quality of the innovations show how vibrant and creative our sector is. For specialist retailers, this trade fair is the ideal place to recognise trends early and strategically refine their product ranges – especially in combination with Christmasworld and Creativeworld.”
The synergies between the three trade fairs reached a record level in 2026: between just under 60 and more than 80 percent of visitors to one fair also visited the other two. This underscores the added value of the trade fair trio as an international one-stop shop.
Brands like Zwilling used Ambiente as a platform for strategic development and global positioning. Senay Tansu, Chief Commercial Officer at Zwilling, explains: “Our return to Ambiente 2026 was a complete success. Our stand became a statement for our new brand world – modern, design-oriented, high-quality, and confident. For us, Frankfurt was the ideal starting point to communicate this further development and our commitment to premium quality and design worldwide.”
The visitor survey results underline the strong response to the entire trade fair trio: again very high satisfaction scores of 96 per cent, an internationality rate of 71 per cent and the presence of all relevant trade and buyers“ groups confirm Frankfurt's role as a central platform for the global consumer goods industry. The strongest visitor countries included Italy, China, the Netherlands, the US and France. The exhibition trio once again attracted numerous top buyers - from international retail groups to leading chains, including ALDI, Carrefour International, Coop, Crate & Barrel, dm Dryers Market, Dirk Rossmann, EDEKA, El Corte Inglés, Fenwick, Fleurop, Globus, IKEA, Jaeyoung Trading, Lidl, OBI, OTTO, REWE, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Zalando and Zara. In addition, the importance of hospitality and contract business continued to grow. International decision-makers from the hotel, catering, real estate and property development sectors, such as Marriott Hotel Holding and specialist providers such as Caddie Hotel, were present in Frankfurt. Minor Hotels Europe & Americas, with brands such as NH Hotels, Anantara, Avani and Tivoli, was also represented. Clémentine Murgier, chief growth officer of the JJA Group, also confirmed the high degree of internationality and quality of buyers: ”JJA's growth is consistently internationally focused. Ambiente's open and international atmosphere makes it a fixture in our exhibition calendar and a central lever in our sales strategy.“ The atmosphere at Christmasworld and Creativeworld was also distinctly positive. Elina Holm Knudsen, international key account manager at Creative Company, summarises, ”The response at Creativeworld exceeded our expectations - with an overwhelming number of international leads from a total of 50 countries. Our stand was very busy all four days of the fair."
Within Ambiente, the offering segments surrounding Ambiente Projects were of particular interest. The HoReCa, Hospitality Interiors, and Contract Business zones were highly visited attractions for international buyers and professionals from retail, hospitality, and contract furnishing.
New formats such as the Interior Design & Architecture Hub and the expanded curated brand area Interior Looks further strengthen the trade fair's position as a platform for interior design, hospitality, and international project business.
Thomas Hinrichsen, managing director of Conde House Europe, states: “Our expectations have been surpassed: we were able to reactivate contacts we thought were lost and make new ones. Our focus is on greater visibility with architects and business partners in contract and hospitality projects – and we have achieved that.”
The programme was supplemented with thematic formats such as Spot on Back of House and the Hospitality Academy, which provided targeted impetus for efficient processes and new business perspectives in the hospitality sector. From the world of design, Mandy Heinrichson, managing director of the German Association of Interior Architects (bdia), emphasises: “Formats such as the Interior Design & Architecture Hub and the Compass Talks open an important professional debate on new business models, hospitality interiors and the role of AI in planning and decision-making processes.”
Hamid Yazdtchi, managing director of the Gilde Group, emphasises the importance of Ambiente from a retail perspective: “For us, the trade fair in Frankfurt is much more than just a date in the diary – it’s the heart of our global business activities. No other platform brings together decision-makers, buyers, and brands from the global consumer goods industry with this quality, scope, and relevance.”
Felix Bechtold, CEO of Waldmann, particularly appreciates the personal contacts: “We are very satisfied. The international trade audience is fantastic – buyers are coming from Asia, America, and even Mauritius. There is great appreciation for quality and craftsmanship, which pleases us particularly. For us, Ambiente is both a pleasant reunion with old acquaintances and an ideal platform to meet new people and forge contacts.”
Christmasworld confirmed its role as the leading international trade fair for seasonal and festive decoration and once again proved to be an effective source of inspiration for retailers, cities, large-scale decoration projects, and the green sector. The trade fair offered orientation and inspiration across the entire value chain – from product and presentation to the point of sale.
Martina Mensing-Meckelburg, Chairwoman of the German Garden Centre Association, emphasises: “For me, Christmasworld is much more than a
productshow – it sets the agenda. For independent garden centres, it offers orientation, inspiration and a clear view of upcoming trends. Together with Ambiente and Creativeworld, it is a leading platform for our sector.”
Frederic Günther, managing director of the Association of Ore Mountains Craftsmen and Toy Manufacturers, also emphasises the international impact: “Christmasworld once again offered our members a strong international platform to create new market dynamics, in line with the motto ‘Make the market moment yours’.”
Creativeworld provided important orientation for a sector in transition. The trends presented showed how materials and products are merging into new art forms and expressive possibilities – particularly in the growing segments of textile design and ceramics.
The exhibition thus confirmed its importance as an international business platform with an impact that extends far beyond the exhibition days themselves. “Creativeworld has given our brand a clear boost and opened up new scope and business opportunities in the international B2B market,” said Fokke Ros, Head of Sales & Marketing at De Bondt.
With the Creative Academy, launched in 2026 as a certified training platform, the trade fair sharpened its profile as a central knowledge and qualification hub for the retail sector. Volker Jungeblut, managing director of the brand industry association for stationery and office supplies, emphasizes the importance of this: “Further training and certification are ongoing topics and indispensable for the specialist trade.”
Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld will once again take place in Messe Frankfurt at the end of January 2027. The Compass Talks will once again open the event on the preceding day, 28 January 2027.
• Ambiente/Christmasworld: 29 January to 2 February 2027
• Creativeworld: 29 January to 1 February 2027
