07/04/2026

Smart Pet Food Production: Industry Experts Gather in Nuremberg to Address Innovation, Scale-Up and Cost Efficiency

The event will take place at the Sheraton Carlton Nuremberg and will offer a comprehensive program covering the entire production value chain—from early-stage product development to full-scale industrial operations and cost optimization. 

With over 1,000 years of combined expertise across its member companies, the Pet Food Competence Network aims to provide actionable insights into innovation, process engineering and operational efficiency.
A comprehensive agenda addressing critical industry topics
The conference will open with a welcome session led by Gael Seguin (Clevertech) and Torsten Trampe (JRS), setting the stage to present how the network can support the pet food market from end to end on all emerging trends.

A first session will address prototyping and scale-up, highlighting how manufacturers can efficiently transition from R&D to industrial production while maintaining product quality and consistency. This topic will be explored by experts from Miavit and JRS, who will share technical approaches and real-world applications.

The program will then focus on innovative technologies in snack production, with insights into advanced processing solutions and engineering techniques designed to enhance product functionality, efficiency and flexibility. Contributions from Karl Schnell and REICH Thermoprozesstechnik will showcase cutting-edge developments in this rapidly growing segment.

Following the break, discussions will move to engineering and plant control in wet and dry pet food production, addressing the integration of automation, process control and plant design to optimize performance and ensure product safety and consistency. Experts from ANDRITZ and Clevertech will present solutions tailored to modern production environments.

A key highlight of the event will be the session dedicated to the total cost of ownership (TCO), an increasingly critical factor for pet food producers. Speakers from ANDRITZ and JBT Marel will examine how companies can evaluate and reduce long-term operational costs through smarter investment decisions, improved efficiency and optimized plant management.

The event will conclude with a wrap-up and Q&A session, followed by a networking aperitif, offering participants the opportunity to engage directly with speakers and industry peers.
Limited seats for a high-value industry event
Participation in the event is free of charge, but attendance is limited to 300 participants, ensuring a focused and high-quality exchange among professionals. 

The Pet Food Competence Network will also be present at Interzoo (Hall 7A – Stand 515), further extending opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing within the global pet food community. 

For more information and registration, please visit: https://h7.cl/1jw3- Source: Smart Pet Food Production

01/04/2026

The Pet Food Consumer in Argentina: New Signals from the Market 

To understand this shift, we must look at the market's growth, consumption patterns, the most prevalent pets in households, and the evolution of owner behavior. 
  The study Pet Food Shoppers in Argentina 2025 by All Pet Food Market Insights offers a unique perspective on this transformation, analyzing the phenomenon not only from the product side but also from the relationship between owners and their pets. One of the most relevant questions for the industry emerges from this analysis: how is the balance between dogs and cats being reshaped within pet food consumption?    Argentina: Historically a Dog Country, but Showing Signs of Change      Argentina has traditionally been a dog-oriented country. The presence of dogs in households remains dominant and is deeply embedded in the cultural identity of pet ownership. 
  According to the study, 6 out of 10 pet-owning households have one dog, confirming the structural weight of the canine segment in the market. At the same time, new signals are emerging: around one in seven households already have two or more dogs, which reflects an evolving relationship between families and their pets. 
  Rather than a direct substitution between dogs and cats, what is emerging is an expansion of the consumption landscape, where each species begins to occupy a different strategic role within the market.    The DNA of the Argentine Dog: Diversity and Bonding      One of the most interesting findings is that the Argentine dog market reflects specific characteristics. The predominance of mixed-breed dogs is not just a statistical variable: it indicates a cultural bond based on adoption, emotional closeness, and everyday coexistence. 
  In the ranking of declared breeds, the group categorized as 'other breeds' and mixed-breed dogs accounts for the largest share, followed by well-known breeds, such as labrador, chihuahua, and golden retriever. This suggests that the Argentine market combines genetic diversity with strong cultural symbols that still influence owner perception. 
  At the same time, the investigation shows how urban lifestyles are shaping pet ownership patterns. The growth of small- and medium-sized dogs reflects changes in household size and the increasing prevalence of apartment living.    The Feline Universe: The Bond Over the Breed   
While dogs remain dominant, the cat segment shows a different dynamic. More than 60% of domestic cats in Argentina are mixed-breed, reflecting a cultural pattern where adoption drives the owner-pet relationship. This is especially relevant for the industry, since it reveals that the symbolic value of cats is tied to emotional connection more than pedigree. 
  Certain breeds, such as siamese and Persian, maintain a presence in the market—especially in specific urban segments—but their share remains significantly smaller compared to mixed-breed cats. 
  This trend also has strategic implications: the growth of cats in urban environments and smaller households opens new opportunities in product categories, formats, and brand positioning.    Dogs and Cats: Two Coexisting Consumption Logics    Rather than competing, dogs and cats represent distinct consumption logics within the pet food market. Dogs remain strongly linked to the traditional Argentine household and long-standing family bonds. On the other hand, cats are increasingly associated with new urban dynamics, smaller living spaces, and different lifestyles. 
  For the industry, understanding these differences is key, as they not only influence product categories but also define communication strategies, brand positioning, and portfolio choices. 
  In other words, the way dogs and cats coexist in the market is no longer just a demographic exercise, but a strategic tool to anticipate business opportunities.    A Study to Understand the New Argentine Consumer    Pet Food Shoppers in Argentina 2025 offers an in-depth view of today's consumer by analyzing which pets are present in households and how the relationship between owners, pets, and consumption is evolving. 
  Among other aspects, the research explores: 
  Pet ownership and demographic evolution  Preferences by species, size, and breed  Differences across income levels  The relationship between lifestyle and pet choice  Strategic implications for the pet food market 
  As consumption decisions become increasingly complex, understanding the Argentine pet owner evolves into a competitive advantage for companies in the sector.    Access the study Pet Food Shoppers in Argentina 2025    Source: All Pet Food Market Insights, the market intelligence platform by All Pet Food

31/03/2026

The New Power of the Shopper Analysis in Pet Food: Understanding the Shopper is Understanding the Future

By Iván Franco

Shopper analysis is no longer a secondary element. Now, it is the competitive compass in a market that is increasingly segmented, emotional, and sensitive to perceived value. 
More than Pet Owners, Archetypes Motivate Differently
One of the major contributions of the contemporary shopper analysis is breaking down the 'dog and cat owners' idea. There is no single pet food shopper; rather, there is a variety of archetypes—each one with emotional, rational, and economic motivations.

Our recent research shows profiles that completely transform the strategy's design:
  The expert is deeply informed: compares labels, looks for functional benefits, cares about ingredients, and is willing to pay more for visible outcomes.
  The economic protector cares for its budget without compromising basic well-being. It responds to promotions and reliable brands, not necessarily premium ones.
  The aspirational wants 'the best' even if it is not always affordable—the silent driver of premiumization.
  The routine pragmatist buys the usual; its change requires clear, simple, and practical arguments.
  The solution searcher is driven by specific needs: digestion, skin, coat, allergies, and weight control, etc. Knowing these models not only allows better segmentation but also messages that really connect, designing products aligned with real expectations, and understanding which evidence, claims, and formats are meaningful to them.
Companies that master these archetypes turn insights into actions—from portfolio to valuable narrative redesign.
Precise Segmentation: The Core of More Profitable Decisions
Accurate segmentation is no longer based on separating the market into economic, standard, and premium. Today, it demands crossing dimensions: Type of food Income level Purchase goal Frequency Price sensitivity Preferred channel Animal's emotional role at home
When a business segments with precision, it obtains immediate benefits:
  Better strategic focus: Money invested has better repayment as each action is directed to the correct segment. Portfolio optimization: SKUs that significantly contribute to growth are promoted by reducing those that do not. Channel competition: Each channel has a different shopper. The development of differentiated strategies for self-service, animal hospitals, traditional, specialized, or online is facilitated by segmentation.
Well-conducted segmentation avoids vague efforts, unnecessary SKU multiplication, and promotions with no impact. 
Understanding the Shopper Journey: Decisions, Obstacles, and Incentives
The pet food shopper not only makes decisions on shelves. The path involves vet recommendations, digital content, experiences, online reviews, promotions, and availability, as well as the pressure of being a 'good tutor.'

The shopper analysis reveals critical steps in the journey:
  What activates the decision: health problems, a rise in the economy, lifestyle changes. What slows down conversion: claims misunderstanding, shelf saturation, and distrust in new brands. What drives the trade-up: clear benefits, professional packaging, scientific support, vet influencers. What promotes recurrence: product consistency, accessibility on different channels, and a feeling of safety.
By managing these moments, brands sell more. Besides, they build psychological trust, which is deeper than simple purchasing repetition. 
Price, Elasticity, and Perceived Value: The Triangle that Redefines Profitability
Research on shoppers allows us to understand why the price is not just a number but a perception.

Through a series of pet age, breed size, purchase goal, and emotional motivations, it's observed that:
  Homes with young dogs widely drive premiumization. Medium and small breeds pay more per kilogram because the monthly cost is still manageable. Homes with multiple pets respond better to promotions per volume. Shoppers of veterinarian channels are less sensitive to prices but demand functionality.
With this information, brands can optimize their prices, segment promotions, and create presentations that maximize profitability per sector.

The shopper analysis identifies the precise point at which the brand can maintain competitiveness without increasing prices. It is not possible to gather the connection between real behavior and subjective perception without data.
Channels with Different Behavior: Understanding Competition from the Shopper View 
The channel is more than a sales point; it is a universe with its own rules.

Each channel involves different archetypes:
  Self-service: Rational, comparative, sensitive to price and presentation shoppers. Animal hospitals: Look for authority, support, and functionality. Less elasticity, more loyalty. Specialized: Coexist aspirational and premium consumers, and those who are looking for consultancy. Traditional: Search for convenience, rooted habits, and economic brands. Online: High level of research, immediate comparison, and sensitivity to variety.
  With this analysis, you know what to sell, to whom, and how to position the product in each channel. Without this data, companies follow generic strategies that do not reflect the true competitive dynamic.
Investing in Shopper Analysis: What Companies Gain
Finally, a usual question in the industry is 'What do I obtain?' The answer is conclusive. Strategic precision: Decisions are no longer based on intuition or sell-out data. They are now backed by a deep understanding of the consumer.
  Relevant products: Insights show unattended needs and leave space to functional, natural, therapeutic, or premium innovations.
  Clear positioning: Brands achieve the communication of advantages with technical and emotional resonance.
  Efficient portfolios: SKUs with no value are removed, and those that boost sales, rotation, and margin are strengthened.
  Commercial execution: Strategies per channel become coherent according to the kind of shopper that views them. 
  Profitability increase: Better SKU combination, optimum prices, directed promotions, and trade-up backed with evidence.
  Understanding the shopper is no luxury in a continuously growing and evolving industry. Literally, it is the most strategic competitive advantage of the sector.
Conclusion: The Shopper is the Connective Narrative
The pet food shopper analysis goes beyond brands, presentations, and categories. It allows us to understand pet owners' lives, their feelings, worries, personal aspirations, and their pet's emotional role—whoever dominates that story, dominates the market. Companies that integrate shopper analysis as a main axis achieve what few brands have: simultaneous emotional and competitive relevance.

The struggle for pet food growth is not on shelves; it is achieved in consumers' minds and hearts. By Iván Franco
Source: All Pet Food Magazine

30/03/2026

Pet Fair Asia Returns in 2026 More International and B2B-Focused than Ever

Through strategic initiatives and new thematic additions, it is evolving beyond a traditional annual gathering into a fully integrated, forward-looking platform - one designed to meet the industry's changing needs while supporting the sustainable growth of the global pet community.
  'We are delighted to present a continually refreshed platform to our audience each year, enriched with new programs and innovative initiatives that showcase the very best of Asia's pet industry,' said Edwin Tan, CEO at Globus Events - show's organizer. 'As both a manufacturing and innovation powerhouse, China remains a key and rapidly expanding pet market, offering significant opportunities for pet businesses worldwide. Pet Fair Asia has already established itself as an unmissable global meeting hub in Asia, providing a unique vantage point to understand where the future of the pet industry is headed.' Tan concluded.    UNMATCHED SCALE AND PRODUCT DIVERSITY
An all-time record of 320,000 sqm of exhibition space will host more than 2,600 exhibitors, presenting a comprehensive 360-degree showcase of pet industry products. While core segments such as food, supplies, and healthcare remain robust, Pet Fair Asia distinguishes itself by spotlighting emerging growth drivers such as functional nutrition, fresh pet diets, smart technologies, fashion, travel solutions, and human–pet co-living. These trends not only highlight the sector's diversity but also its increasing convergence with adjacent industries, unlocking new business opportunities and shaping evolving consumer lifestyles. 
  Carefully curated thematic areas that showcase the future of the pet industry include: Discovery (a spotlight on innovations), Genius Hub (showcasing smart technologies), Pet Fashion Week (setting style benchmarks for furry companions), and Start-Up (nurturing fresh inspiration from a new generation of industry players).
  In particular, PET FAIR SUPPLY, the co-located event dedicated to the pet industry supply chain, continues its strong expansion, with two additional halls introduced in 2026. This brings the total to 10 outdoor halls, hosting over 900 exhibitors across 70,000 sqm of dedicated space. The area will cover five core sectors: equipment, packaging, smart factory, OEM/OBM/ODM, and third-party services.   EXPANDING INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
Pet Fair Asia is attracting unprecedented global attention, with a growing number of international companies and brands choosing the show as their gateway to the Asian market - particularly through the expansion of national pavilions. Building on the strong presence of six pavilions in 2025 - New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan (China), the United States, and Poland - the 2026 edition is set to welcome an even broader international lineup, with new pavilions from Australia, Canada, and Thailand. This continued expansion further reinforces Pet Fair Asia's pivotal role as a global business hub, driving cross-border collaboration and advancing the development of the pet industry worldwide.
  On the visitation side, international attendance at Pet Fair Asia has become a standout feature. In 2025, the event was attended by 130,000 professional visitors from China and a record of 90 other countries, with international visitation growing by more than 20%, reflecting China's rising influence in the global pet economy.     ELEVATED B2B EXPERIENCE
This year, Pet Fair Asia is launching the VIP B2B DAY - a strategic initiative to strengthen the show's business focus. The first day of the event will be an invitation-only opening, creating a targeted and efficient environment where exhibitors and key stakeholders can connect in a quieter, more productive setting with minimal distractions. Carefully curated, this day will bring together selected local importers, wholesalers, distributors, VIP buyers, and leading media partners, fostering high-quality interactions and meaningful business exchange. International visitors, meanwhile, will continue to benefit from full access throughout all show days, with the flexibility to engage from day one. The VIP B2B Day sharpens the focus on core networking with the Chinese domestic buyers, while global participants can explore the exhibition comprehensively and at their own pace.
  For more information about the show visit: www.petfairasia.com  Source: Pet Fair Asia

20/03/2026

Already Looking Ahead: Zoomark Gears up for 2027

As the global pet industry continues to evolve, Zoomark is already preparing its next major edition. The trade show, which has become one of the leading meeting points for the international pet food and pet care market, will return to BolognaFiere from Tuesday 11 to Thursday 13 May 2027, once again bringing together the global pet industry and distribution sector, from manufacturers to distributors, buyers and professionals from the whole supply chain.

The journey toward the 22nd edition will be stopping next May at Interzoo 2026, where Zoomark will exhibit at Stand 124 –Hall 1 and the organisers will unveil the very first details of the upcoming show.
A new edition building on success
Following the strong results of the previous edition, Zoomark 2027 will retain all formats and initiatives that proved particularly successful, while also introducing new themes and features designed to further strengthen the event's role as a global business platform for the pet industry, with a continued focus on pet wellbeing at every stage of their lives.

'Over the years, Zoomark has evolved far beyond the traditional concept of a trade fair, becoming a hub where innovation, market insights and international networking converge' explains Pascale Sonvico, Show Office and Sales Manager of Zoomark. 'The upcoming edition aims to continue this trajectory, combining continuity with fresh ideas and initiatives designed to create new opportunities for both exhibitors and visitors.

Our strategy is strongly driven by the analysis of the key trends shaping the pet market, with the aim of anticipating industry developments and opening new avenues for growth for professionals across the sector.
Zoomark Days: keeping the industry connected
While the 22nd exhibition is still more than a year away, Zoomark is ensuring that the industry conversation continues also throughout 2026 thanks to a new initiative: Zoomark Days.

This programme of meetings and professional events has been designed to maintain an active dialogue with the sector during the year leading up to the show. Through a structured calendar of conferences, workshops and networking opportunities, Zoomark Days will provide professionals with insights into the most relevant trends shaping the pet market.

The programme will feature two complementary tracks: Industry Insights, full-day conferences dedicated to manufacturers, brands and industry professionals, and Retail Labs, full-day seminars focusing on specialised retailers and operators working directly in the marketplace.

The first Industry Insights event will take place in Milan on 15 April 2026, in collaboration with Ecommerce School, and will explore one of the most critical topics for the sector's future: e-commerce and omnichannel strategies in the pet market. As consumer behaviour evolves and the integration between physical and digital retail becomes increasingly important, companies are being challenged to rethink their distribution models and customer engagement strategies.

Alongside these industry-focused events, Retail Labs will bring Zoomark directly to professionals across Italy through a roadshow dedicated to pet shops, groomers, garden centres and retail operators. The first stops are planned in Milan in July and Rome in September 2026, followed by additional events in Southern Italy later in the year.
Expanding the international reach
Another key pillar of Zoomark's growth strategy is its increasingly global outlook. Over the past years, the event has expanded its international presence through partnerships and collaborations with major organisations and trade fairs worldwide.

One of the most significant developments in this international expansion is the recent launch of PetBridge powered by Zoomark, a new B2B exhibition created to connect India's rapidly growing pet care market with the global industry.

The first edition will take place in Mumbai on 25–26 November 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Center, bringing together international expertise and local market insight in a single professional platform. Developed in collaboration with Inspira Bridge Events, the event reflects Zoomark's ambition to support companies exploring new opportunities in one of the world's fastest-growing pet markets.

India's pet economy, valued at around USD 3.6 billion in 2024 and expected to exceed USD 7 billion by 2030, is undergoing a transformation driven by premiumisation, innovation and a rapidly expanding community of pet owners. In this context, PetBridge aims to act as a gateway between the country's dynamic domestic ecosystem and the international pet industry.
Looking toward the future
With preparations for Zoomark 2027 already underway, the event continues to position itself as a key platform where companies can connect, discover innovation, and anticipate future market trends.

Through year-round initiatives, expanding international partnerships and new global projects such as PetBridge, Zoomark is reinforcing its ambition to create a true international ecosystem for the pet industry.

www.zoomark.it - https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sqhQF0  Source: Zoomark