Jungle camp in Essen
Little sleep, barely time to eat, and constantly on the verge of dehydration – these days, many people are probably thinking about the jungle camp, which is once again omnipresent in the media. But we had our own personal experience at the International Green Industry Fair ( IPM ) in Essen.
Back to the beginning: A few weeks ago, we learned about the trade fair by chance, and especially about the possibility of booth funding from AUMA . After a surprisingly straightforward application, our request was actually approved, and we were given a small booth under the motto "Innovation made in Germany." The next few weeks were hectic, and there was a lot to do to prepare the booth and ourselves for the spectacle. Finally, last Monday, it all began. While we conveniently managed to fit our booth, including the giveaway, into a few banana crates, entire trucks drove into the 12 halls on our left and right, which quickly transformed into a dense, flowery jungle.
Day 1: On Tuesday, the IPM opened its doors, and everyone who was anyone in the international floristry industry stormed the halls. A surprising number actually found their way to Hall 9, where we lured people to our booth with a friendly "May we give you a flower meadow?" and tried to convince them of our products with charm and chutzpah. The highlight of the day was when Björn Kroner approached us and asked if he could feature us in a ZDF report about the trade fair's new products – he was more than happy to !
Day 2: Still a little overwhelmed from the previous day, we went straight into round 2. The rush was still overwhelming, so we chatted and texted all day, repeatedly assuring each other that pallet deliveries were of course no problem for us and that we would, of course, be happy to deliver to Japan!
Day 3: The most extraordinary experience of the day was probably a businessman from Dubai (codename "Sheikh") who asked if we had a variety that grows in his country. "You know, we have little rain." ... uuhmmm... erhmmm... does anything even grow in your country?! We're looking into it. So, a call to all: If you have a good idea about a plant that reliably grows from seed in Dubai, please contact us directly. We won't fail to mention your services to the Sheikh :)
Day 4: Our experienced neighbors unanimously assured us that Friday would be a quiet day, one on which even exhibitors could take the time to explore the trade fair. So we were somewhat looking forward to less traffic and to seeing for ourselves what the flora and fauna of the remaining halls had to offer. Shortly after setting up the stand, the daily trade fair newspaper arrived at our stand, and we realized: We're on page 1 as a "must-see." Cool! While that quiet day didn't happen, even the last visitors decided to take a look at DieStadtgärtner today. We were only too happy to patiently explain to them, sometimes with gestures, what a seed bomb actually is and that, as a modern florist, one absolutely must have one in their assortment! At around 5:30 p.m., the trade fair slowly came to an end, and we packed our stand, which had already been heavily plundered, back into the banana crates. Goodbye IPM, it was a pleasure!
Finally, we'd like to thank AUMA once again for the support and the opportunity to present ourselves. We'd also like to thank Björn for the TV mention; our booth neighbors, especially the very friendly "colleagues" from PRINberaT ; the trade fair organizers, especially Ms. Zoppa; and all visitors and exhibitors for the pleasant conversations.
This was an extraordinary experience for us, thank you very much!
Derk, Torge & Jan
The City Gardeners
Impressions:
Overview from above: Hall 6
Competition?! Ah, bloembollen means flower bulb. Phew!
Derk's press photo :)
Innovation Made in Germany. That's us!
Another very nice picture can be found in the salad workshop
