SHERIDAN, WYOMING – June 12, 2025 – As the green industry gathers for the landmark 10th edition of the BHB GardenSummit on June 26, the event promises to once again set the standard for strategic dialogue, market analysis, and actionable insights within the gardening and DIY retail sectors.
This year’s summit aligns perfectly with spoga+gafa in Cologne, providing industry leaders with a unique opportunity to conclude their fair visit with a compact, high-value program of executive-level learnings, trend forecasting, and premium networking.
Leadership Strategies from International Retailers
The agenda opens with a keynote by Jochen Ludwig, Chief Commercial Officer at OBI and BHB Board Member, setting the strategic tone for the event. The summit then welcomes two prominent executives from major international garden retail brands.
Peter-Paul Kleinbussink, Managing Director of Intratuin, will share how the company is repositioning itself and leveraging internal cooperation to achieve sustainable success. His insights are expected to highlight both structural innovation and strategic agility within retail organizations.
Susanne Eidenberger, Managing Director of Austrian garden retail leader bellaflora, will emphasize the human factor. She asserts, “Unternehmenskultur als einen der wesentlichen Erfolgsfaktoren,” signaling that corporate culture is no longer an abstract value, but a key driver of competitive advantage.
Market Intelligence and Sector Outlook
Timely data and sector analysis will play a central role in this year’s summit. Sascha Kehrstephan, Director Retail at GfK/NIQ, will offer a granular view of current and emerging trends. He identifies new growth potential in the DIY and garden segments, stating that while revenue development remained subdued until March, “aktuell aber richtig durchstartet,” indicating a recent surge in consumer demand and sales momentum.
This session will be critical for executives and planners navigating a market in flux, providing quantitative guidance for both short-term decisions and long-term strategy.
Emotion-Driven Marketing and the Role of AI
Emotional connection remains a key pillar of garden retail marketing. Sinja Schütte, Editor-in-Chief of the highly successful consumer magazine Landlust, will explain how storytelling and editorial direction tap directly into consumer sentiment, helping brands win both hearts and minds.
Technology-driven marketing transformation will also be on full display. AI expert Thorsten Moortz will demonstrate how garden centers and suppliers can utilize AI for targeted marketing—“vom Textgenerator bis zum blitzschnellen Bild-Tool.” His approach bypasses traditional advertising agency models, offering speed, cost-efficiency, and precision without lengthy planning cycles.
Navigating Market Saturation in the Barbecue Segment
While the barbecue category has long been a revenue engine, the current stagnation reflects shifting consumer behavior and saturation in premium grill ownership. A high-level discussion moderated by BHB Managing Director Peter Wüst will address these challenges head-on.
Panelists include:
- Daniel Schellhoss (Santos Grills)
- Dirk Weber (Head of Garden, OBI)
- Norbert Jedrau (Grill Manufacturer Association BIAG)
Their perspectives will provide actionable insights into adapting product strategy and consumer engagement in a market facing cautious spending and competitive pressure.
Culinary Networking and Industry Camaraderie
Closing the day on a high note, participants can enjoy a gourmet barbecue sponsored by Otto-Gourmet. This final highlight blends culinary excellence with premium networking opportunities, underscoring the summit’s unique ability to merge business insight with personal connection.
Learn more and secure last-minute tickets at www.gardensummit.de/start.