TRADING TOMORROW
From digital delivery logistics in the Netherlands and the IT ecosystems of a major European wholesaler to the premiere of a leading global trade fair in the Persian Gulf: players in the region are showing that trade encompasses much more than the mere transfer of goods. It is an integrative system of innovation and cooperation, and Düsseldorf is at the heart of it.
The brave, new, colourful world of trade: experience it at EuroShop in Düsseldorf, celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2026.
From the Netherlands to Germany: Picnic delivers groceries directly to your door and is increasingly automating the process.
NEIGHBOURHOODS AS INNOVATION HOTSPOTS
This story begins almost casually between the Rhine and the Netherlands, with a milk bucket full of data. Founded in the Netherlands in 2015, the food delivery service Picnic has digitalised the model of the modern milkman so precisely that it has become a comprehensive logistics platform. The company's first steps into Germany took it via Kaarst, Neuss and Meerbusch to the Düsseldorf metropolitan area. The basic idea remained unchanged: a full range of products at supermarket prices, fixed delivery routes and a 20-minute time window, as well as a purely electric fleet whose routes are based on algorithms. North Rhine-Westphalia was the logical starting point due to its proximity to the Netherlands, its dense urban structure and consumers' willingness to accept deliveries. 'North Rhine-Westphalia is our largest market and the heart of our expansion,' says Frédéric Knaudt, a member of the founding team of Picnic Germany. ‘The core – large selection, supermarket prices, free delivery with fixed routes and 100% electric vehicles – also works very well here.’ However, adjustments have also had to be made in terms of product ranges and price sensitivity because, as he emphasises, ‘German customers are particularly price-sensitive’. Boundaries are also shifting in logistics: 'The greatest potential for innovation lies in further automating our processes.' The most visible expression of this development came from Picnic in 2025 with its robotised fulfilment centre in Oberhausen. 1,500 high-performance robots, three climate zones and a proprietary software platform create capacity for over 150,000 households per week. It demonstrates the innovative potential of the Dutch-German partnership when technology and market understanding are integrated seamlessly.
Technologies such as the Target Operating Model support METRO AG's core business and internationalisation.
METRO CONNECTS MARKETS AND PEOPLE
Another chapter in retail is unfolding at METRO AG in the heart of Düsseldorf. The international wholesaler is undergoing a technological realignment in the heart of Europe, adopting an approach that organises the interaction of markets and data more effectively. The new Target Operating Model (TOM) marks a significant turning point for METRO, streamlining decision-making processes, simplifying platforms, and clarifying product responsibilities. CIO Dr Khaled Bagban describes this change precisely: 'In wholesale today, the main thing is to reliably manage complex processes across countries. We are a food wholesaler that primarily serves customers in the hotel and hospitality industry, and eating habits vary greatly from culture to culture, as can be seen from our presence in countries ranging from Portugal to Pakistan.' Wholesale is a complex business, particularly since METRO largely deals in fresh products that cannot be stored indefinitely. To optimally manage these processes, the company is increasingly relying on artificial intelligence, for example to predict demand more accurately and make supply chains more efficient. Combined with flexible IT platforms, this allows METRO to respond more quickly and provide customers with the products they need, consistently delivering them to the highest quality standards. 'Technology supports our core business, creating clarity, speed and reliability in international trade,' says Bagban. In this way, the company demonstrates how digital systems function not as an add-on, but as the backbone of international wholesale, and how Düsseldorf is becoming the control centre of this transformation.
„Im Grosshandel geht es heute vor allem darum, komplexe Prozesse über Länder hinweg verlässlich zu steuern“
Trade connects: at EuroShop in Düsseldorf, global retail trends and innovations can be experienced first-hand.
EUROSHOP – THE PERFECT STAGE FOR GLOBAL RETAIL
Meanwhile, for decades, Messe Düsseldorf has been opening its doors to the global retail world with a central platform. In 2026, EuroShop will celebrate its 60th anniversary and continue its course of internationalisation. Every three years, the most important players in retail meet here, including brands, retailers and around 1,900 exhibitors from over 60 countries. ‘Artificial intelligence is certainly the strongest driver of innovation in retail, changing all areas from process automation to customer communication. But, alongside technology, humanity is also an important factor. Stores are increasingly becoming experience spaces where communities can meet, and where locality and personalisation can flourish,' says Elke Möbes, Director of EuroShop and Global Head of Retail, describing current developments. The new EuroShop Middle East, organised by the new Messe Düsseldorf Gulf Office, will take place for the first time in Dubai in October 2026 and will be an additional driving force in the region. ‘We are combining the proven EuroShop concept with local expertise – an ideal foundation for sustainable success,’ Elke Moebius emphasises. Dubai is considered a global hub for trade and innovation, boasting first-class infrastructure, a robust retail sector, and favourable conditions for international business. For Düsseldorf, this means expanding its trade radius, and for companies it means gaining access to a region that is one of the most dynamic economic areas, with mega-projects, GreenTech investments, and rapid population growth. Messe Düsseldorf now has eleven of its twenty world-leading trade fairs represented in the Middle East. 'We have brought more than half of our portfolio to the Gulf region, and more trade fairs will follow,' says Wolfram N. Diener, Chairman of the Management Board at Messe Düsseldorf.
RETAIL KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES
A glance at the air traffic routes also shows that such connections work. Düsseldorf is closely linked to Asia and the Middle East by daily long-haul flights with Emirates to Dubai and with Qatar Airways to Doha. Since December 2025, Eurowings is supplementing these routes with additional direct flights to Dubai. Düsseldorf thus offers a mobility advantage and a broader concept of trade – thanks to networked ecosystems. A coherent space is growing between the neighbourhood, European IT expertise and new markets in the Middle East, in which innovations flourish. Trade has always been a connecting factor, and today it is linking more and more technologies. Düsseldorf demonstrates how this is shaping the future. •
Words: Karolina Landowski
Pictures: EuroShop by www.mateusztondel.com, Picnic, Metro, EuroShop by www.mateusztondel.com