The 20th edition of international pet food and pet care fair, Zoomark, attracted a record number of visitors – with 62 per cent of them from abroad.
Zoomark 2023 was held from 15-17 May at BolognaFiere in Bologna, Italy, and attracted 27,950 visitors as well as 1,060 exhibitors from 57 countries, with organisers saying that it was a resounding success.
Antonio Bruzzone, General Manager of BolognaFiere, said it was incredible to see such large numbers of international attendees.
“While the bad weather hampered domestic travel, the percentage of visitors from abroad doubled since the last pre-Covid edition, reaching 62 per cent of the total,” he said.
All the big names in the pet industry joined the line-up of exhibitors, which counted 1,060 companies, 75 per cent of whom were from abroad, occupying a surface area of 68,000sqm across seven halls.
Bruzzone highlighted the findings of the XVI Assalco-Zoomark Report, which was presented at the show’s inaugural conference, and showed strong growth in the pet industry.
The international standing of the show was backed up by the nine foreign delegations that took part, from the United States, China, Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Greece, the Czech Republic, India and Thailand.
This year’s event consolidated Zoomark’s time-honoured focus on innovation. The Pet Vision area showcased a selection of more than 500 new products launched by exhibitors, grouped around the five mega trends destined to dominate the pet market in the coming years.
A source of key insights and inspiration for pet shops, buyers and purchasing managers, these mega trends – Green transition, Healthy & functional, Value for money, Tailor-made and Spoil me more – highlighted the growing demand for sustainable products and services, and consumer attention to health and wellness, an attractive price-performance ratio, increased customisation and extra pampering.
Zoomark 2023 also celebrated innovation by launching the first ever Pet Vision Awards – inviting an international jury of trade journalists to select the winners in each category.
Another innovation-focused first in this edition was NEXT, a space dedicated to more than 50 new pet business start-ups.
As in previous editions, the Aqua Project area proved a big draw, with its state-of-the-art, designer tanks and cases, and exclusive, attention-grabbing aquariums by high-profile Italian and international brands.
Zoomark also saw a packed program of more than 80 events, from meetings for distributors, to focus sessions on the European market, scientific insights on animal nutrition and health, and seminars on sales-boosting techniques.
Big news at Zoomark 2023 was the announcement of the launch of its Chinese edition, Zoomark China, which will be held at PWTC Expo in Guangzhou on 23-24 November.
Bruzzone concluded: “The success of Zoomark and its ability to generate business has prompted us to look to the non-European market, opening new projects and turning the event into format available to the pet industry globally. Thanks to the BolognaFiere Group’s presence in Shanghai and the partnership with Informa Markets, Zoomark is building a bridge between Europe and China for the pet industry.”
The dates for the next Zoomark in BolognaFiere have been announced as 5-7 May 2025.
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