For its anniversary edition, Kids India proved the place to be once again for the Indian toy sector. From 12 to 14 September, 5024 trade visitors from 31 countries flooded into the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. The 127 exhibitors who attended included businesses from Austria, Japan, South Korea and Sri Lanka. The number of countries taking part was twice as high as last year. Kids India was organised by Spielwarenmesse India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Spielwarenmesse eG, and the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce. Leading industry associations – the Sports Goods Export Promotion Council (SGEPC) and The All India Toy Manufacturers’ Association (TAITMA) – supported the event.
Exhibitors hail its international character
Exhibitors were keen to emphasise in particular the growth in the number of international retailers and buyers. The organisers recorded a total of 126 international visitors. “Kids India is one of the best platforms for exhibiting toys from reputable brands. The fair attracts the biggest and most respected players from various markets,” commented Shyam Makhija, Director of Pegasus Toykraft Pvt. Ltd. Minali Argwali, co-founder of PepPlay, was likewise pleased to have been at the fair: “Participating in Kids India was an incredibly rewarding experience. It allowed us to tap into new international markets.”
Focus on networking and promising startups
Individual discussions and the opportunities for networking have become very important. “Kids India is a great platform at which to meet up with our industry colleagues,” concludes Prachi Agarwal, co-founder and Director of Chalk and Chuckles Products Pvt. Ltd. “No other fair in India provides a platform like this.” Alongside established giants of the industry, creative startups were also represented in Mumbai. They were able to benefit from the new Startup Pavilion. Five fledgling companies took advantage for the first time of the full-service package on offer.
Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson of the Executive Board at Spielwarenmesse eG, was pleased to conclude: “The repeated positive response and the wide range of products on display shows what immense potential there is in the Indian market. Kids India has affirmed once more its role as the most valuable international toy fair in South Asia and has opened the door to the largest toy network in the world for those who attended.”
