A Trade Fair Stand That Endures: dennree at BIOFACH for 25 Years

For 25 years, the dennree trade fair stand has been a permanent fixture at BIOFACH in Nuremberg. It represents continuity, conscious booth construction, and long term use across many trade fair cycles. Its story illustrates how sustainable thinking can be implemented in a practical and consistent way within trade fair participation.

Written by Stefan Jablonka

A bird's-eye view of the dennree booth, featuring a wooden structure, seating areas, and conversations.

Anyone walking through BIOFACH knows it: the dennree stand in Hall 7. For many visitors, it is more than just an exhibitor area — it serves as a point of orientation and a familiar meeting place. When the stand was once arranged differently in a particular year, it quickly became apparent how deeply habits had formed: suddenly, many found it difficult to navigate the hall.

That a trade fair stand can have such an impact is unusual. Even more unusual, however, is the fact that the same stand has been assembled, further developed, and reused for around 25 years.

Continuity instead of rebuilding

In an industry where trade fair stands are often designed for only a few days and then discarded, dennree pursues a different approach. The organic wholesaler and operator of denn’s Biomärkte relies on a durable, modular trade fair stand — deliberately choosing continuity.

“Sustainability plays an important role in our trade fair appearances, but not as a trend — rather as a natural part of our entrepreneurial actions,” explains Lukas Nossol, Head of Corporate Communications at dennree. The concept emerged less from strategic considerations than from a clear self image: “It was important to us to have a trade fair stand that could be used long term and built from high quality, durable materials.”

Growing together

Dennree has been exhibiting in Nuremberg since the first BIOFACH in 1999. Since then, not only has the event developed into the world’s leading trade fair for the organic sector — the company’s trade fair presence has grown as well. While acquiring new customers was previously the main focus, today the emphasis is on maintaining existing relationships.

“BIOFACH is one of the most important events of the year for us. It offers the opportunity to engage in dialogue with many different stakeholder groups in a very short time,” says Nossol.

A stand as a system

Today, the stand covers between 216 and 280 square meters, depending on the year. Its foundation is a robust, modular wooden construction that allows the structure to be flexibly adapted, expanded, or modified without calling the basic concept into question.

What is special is not only the material, but also the execution: dennree organizes setup, dismantling, transport, and storage largely in house. “Over the years, the organization of our trade fair stand has become a well rehearsed process, led primarily by our building services team along with colleagues from logistics and fleet management. They know every move and are often finished significantly earlier than other teams,” says Nossol. After the trade fair, the stand is stored in a company owned warehouse — ready for its next use.

Coffee counter with espresso machine, staff and conversations at the dennree stand. — For many years, the dennree stand has served as a place for exchange and relationship building.

Further development instead of replacement

Over the years, the stand has undergone various changes. In its early days, it was even temporarily two stories high and served, among other things, as the backdrop for a fashion show. Later, individual elements were adjusted: lighting was modernized, and the coffee counter reorganized to better manage growing visitor numbers.

At the same time, key components have remained in use: furniture, structures, and core elements have been used for many years. The stand is continuously reviewed and further developed — not reinvented.

Sustainability made visible

According to the company, it is not possible to reliably quantify how many resources have been saved through this concept. However, the comparison is obvious: “Other exhibitors have built and discarded 25 trade fair stands during the same period,” reports Lukas Nossol.

Sustainability therefore becomes apparent not only through reuse, but also in the details: modular carpets that can be replaced individually, durable materials, and reduced shipping distances thanks to our own logistics.

A long lasting trade fair stand provides orientation and represents continuity at BIOFACH.

Design without short lived trends

That the stand still appears contemporary is no coincidence. Instead of following short lived trends, dennree deliberately opts for timeless design. Wood as a renewable resource characterizes the overall appearance — a material that today is more sought after again than it was years ago.

Open structures, natural room dividers such as plants, and the conscious avoidance of fleeting design elements create an atmosphere that many visitors perceive as inviting and pleasant. The stand is often described as a “place of well being” — a place where conversation comes naturally. “For us, the trade fair stand is a place of encounter where we offer our partners a sense of belonging,” says Nossol.

A counter model with signal effect

Looking at the dennree stand also raises a fundamental question: how sustainable can trade fair construction be? Many stands are still conceived as temporary structures that disappear after just a few days. Dennree shows that there is another way — through modular systems, durable materials, and the deliberate avoidance of short lived trends.
The company sees its approach confirmed and draws a positive conclusion: “Our continuity is appreciated without being perceived as outdated,” says Lukas Nossol with satisfaction. And that — after a quarter of a century.

Author

Stefan Jablonka

Freelance journalist