The journey to establish the German Pavilion at Fieldays was years in the making.

Fieldays, New Zealand’s largest agricultural exhibition, has long been the heart of innovation and networking for the farming sector, both locally and globally. In recent years, Fieldays has attracted growing international interest, not only as a window into New Zealand’s agri-tech market but also as a stage for overseas exhibitors to showcase themselves to the diverse Fieldays audience. Among these, the German Pavilion stood out as a carefully orchestrated initiative designed to serve as a launchpad for German small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) into the Oceania market.

The journey to establish the German Pavilion at Fieldays was years in the making.

Fieldays was chosen as the event of focus following a careful analysis of global trade fairs and their market potential. Erin Daly of the German-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce Inc. (GNZCC) who looks after international business development and contracts to some of the leading trade fair organisations globally, identified Fieldays as an “untapped opportunity.” She visits a range of shows each year, looking at market gaps, visitor profiles, and overall potential for a funded pavilion.

In collaboration with the Fieldays team, Daly was able to build a strong business case that ultimately secured funding from the German government to support the Pavilion’s presence at Fieldays.

The addition of a German exhibition space was a natural fit for our event,” said Steve Chappell, Programme Manager at Fieldays. “Each year, we’ve had German exhibitors such as Stihl, Würth, GEA and Claas here individually, but we’re thrilled to now have even more German representation on the Fieldays map as well. The recent EU/NZ Free Trade Agreement really solidifies Fieldays as a key opportunity for European countries in Australasian markets.”

The German government’s commitment to supporting SME exports is robust and measurable. Each year, 44 million Euros is allocated to fund SME participation in major global trade fairs. The return on this investment is substantial—each Euro spent generates an estimated 216 Euros of added value for the German economy. This model of direct financial support has proven to be a powerful catalyst for opening new markets and boosting economic growth.

GNZCC, which represents all German Industry & Trade in New Zealand and the Pacific, acted as the bridge between German and Oceania trade. Fieldays offered the perfect platform to fulfil this role.

The goals for the German Pavilion were clear for their debut at Fieldays:

• To de-risk market entry for small to medium-sized German companies.
• To showcase cutting-edge German technology and sustainable solutions tailored for modern farming challenges.
• To provide their exhibitors with a high-impact, professionally managed space that encouraged visitor engagement, technical dialogue, and business development.
• To leverage the strong reputation and international appeal of Fieldays to connect German companies directly with local decision-makers, innovators, and distributors.
• To strengthen bilateral trade ties and enhance visibility of the German agri-tech ecosystem in this key growth region.

Daly said by all accounts, these goals were achieved. The Pavilion was considered a huge success, with plans already underway for a larger presence in 2026.

As part of a government-funded programme, the German Pavilion follows a globally standardised design—you’ll always spot it, no matter the country. But an eye-catching site is just the starting point. They worked closely with the German Embassy, the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

On the ground, they coordinated with IFW Expo in Germany, the Fieldays team, and the Europe Business Council to activate the site—hosting two innovation tours, two networking events, multiple interviews and a packed agenda for their exhibitors. This approach created a steady stream of high-value visitors, productive conversations, and genuine business opportunities. They considered not only the site design but how to build momentum, and that’s what they attribute a successful strategy to at a trade show.

Fieldays’ innovative atmosphere, large visitor numbers, and steady flow of new technologies made it an ideal launch platform for showcasing “Made in Germany” quality and expertise.

The response from both exhibitors and visitors was overwhelmingly positive. All exhibiting companies requested to reserve their sites for Fieldays 2026, and many new prospects expressed interest in joining the Pavilion next year. Visitor engagement exceeded expectations, with many New Zealanders revealing connections to Germany—whether through high school language lessons, river cruises on the Rhein, Oktoberfest memories, or hosting German exchange students. On the business side, B2B engagement was both high in quality and volume.

The experience of working with the Fieldays team played a major role in the Pavilion’s success. Years of engagement, countless emails and phone calls, and a consistently supportive and responsive team contributed to a smooth and effective presence on-site.

The success of the German Pavilion in 2025 confirmed Fieldays as a priority event for GNZCC and its partners moving forward. Plans for a larger Pavilion in 2026 are already underway, reinforcing Fieldays’ role as a critical connector between German and New Zealand agri-tech.

“Fieldays certainly hasn’t seen the last of the German Pavilion nor our team – it is one of the best opportunities to connect the trade dots and introduce made in Germany quality to Kiwis who want to engage in the latest in German engineering and innovation,” said Daly.

The German Pavilion’s debut at Fieldays is a great example of international collaboration, smart market entry strategy, and the power of government-supported trade initiatives. With a proven funding model, strong partnerships, and a world-class event, the German’s attendance bridged continents and sowed the seeds for long-term growth and cooperation in New Zealand’s agricultural sector.

For more information about exhibiting at Fieldays, please contact sales@fieldays.co.nz.