The 20th Global Pet Expo, held in Orlando, Florida, on March 20-22, was the biggest edition yet of the pet industry’s premier event, with nearly 20,000 attendees from over 85 countries and over 1,100 companies booking 343,500 net sq ft of exhibition space, the organizers said in a press release.
The event is hosted annually by the American Pet Products Association and the Pet Industry Distributors Association at the Orange County Convention Center. Global Pet Expo 2024 delivered over $45 million in local economic impact, the release said.
The event also gives back to the local pet community through a longstanding partnership with the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando to collect product donations after each event. This year, over 70 booths were donated to help serve the alliance’s mission.
“It was exhilarating to see the pet industry come together at Global Pet Expo with record-breaking attendance,” APPA President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Scott said. “We spent an incredible week discovering new products hitting the market this year and celebrating the latest innovations our industry has to offer. The community we have built surrounding this event is incredible, and the energy on the show floor this year was electric.”
APPA is the leading trade association serving the interests of the pet products industry since 1958. Its membership includes over 1,000 pet product manufacturers, their representatives, importers and livestock suppliers representing both large corporations and growing business enterprises. The association’s mission is to promote, develop, and advance pet ownership and the pet products industry and provide the services necessary to help its members prosper.
The event showcased thousands of pet products and innovations across trending consumer categories, from smart technology to at-home wellness solutions and sustainable products. The New Products Showcase displayed over 1,000 products across 13 categories, with the winners of the 14th Annual Awards announced during Global Pet Expo’s “Best in Show” Awards.
VetChip, a biotechnology company dedicated to improving animal health and welfare through pioneering technology that monitors, analyses, and detects pet health issues, won the 2024 Purina Pet Care Innovation Grand Prize, the release said. The company was one of five pet start-ups from across the USA, Canada, and Australia that pitched their businesses to a panel of judges during Global Pet Expo, including APPA’s Scott.
The exhibition unveiled new activations to elevate the attendee experience. Entrances to the show floor were redesigned to create an immersive sensory experience. The Innovation in Motion Experience revealed a modernized New Products Showcase display, Spotlight Stage, and Think Tank. The show floor was expanded to feature new specialty areas, including The Modern Pet, the Supplier Pavilion, and the Sustainability section, in partnership with the Pet Sustainability Coalition.
APPA announced the latest pet ownership and spending data during a media-exclusive conference. According to APPA’s new ‘State of the Industry’ report, U.S. pet industry spending reached $147 billion in 2023 and an overall economic contribution of $303 billion, a 16% increase from 2022. The expenditures were shared in conjunction with the first release of the association’s new quarterly reports launching this year.
The Global Learning Series delivered over 50 hours of education across four days of sessions featuring topics shaping business decisions in 2024. “Participation in the Global Learning Series sessions neared 2,000 attendees this year,” said PIDA President Celeste Powers. “The excitement during the sessions and throughout the show floor was palpable, and the entire Global Pet Expo team was inspired seeing months of planning transform into a fantastic event for the pet industry.”
PIDA is the premier trade association representing the interests of pet product distributors since 1968. Its mission is to enhance the well-being of the wholesaler-distributor, to promote partnerships with their suppliers and customers, and to work cooperatively with other organizations in fostering the human-animal bond.
Global Pet Expo will be honoured by Trade Show Executive as one of the fastest-growing shows in the USA for 2023 at the Trade Show Executive Fastest 50 Awards & Summit on May 8-10. The show has been ranked in the Fastest 50 By Exhibiting Companies and Next 50 By Total Attendance and By Net Square Feet.
Global Pet Expo 2025 is scheduled to take place on March 26-28 at the Orange County Convention Center.
Source: PR Newswire
