Kansas City, Missouri – May 21, 2019 – Representatives from Petfood Industry have announced that Petfood Forum 2019 attracted a record attendance with more than 3,000 pet food professionals from 37 countries. The 2019 edition featured an expanded exhibit hall floor where attendees engaged with over 350 of the pet food industry’s top supplier companies, an increase of 32% over 2018. Petfood Forum was held on April 29- May 1, in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
Industry professionals in attendance included representatives from Blue Buffalo, Cargill, Champion Pet Foods, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Mars Petcare, Merrick Pet Care, Nestlé Purina, Nippon Pet Foods, Tyson Foods, The J.M. Smucker Co., Perfect Companion Group, Royal Canin and many others.
Attendees were provided with numerous opportunities to network and conduct business during nightly receptions, time on the sold-out exhibit hall floor and through the connect feature on the Petfood Forum app. Attending and exhibiting companies made connections with the next generation of professionals through the Student Career Center. The Student Career Center featured academic pet food research conducted by undergraduate and graduate students from 11 universities including Iowa State University, University of Arkansas, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, and others.
Petfood Forum 2019 also featured a lineup of over 40 globally recognized presenters to share new research and insights on a variety of topics. Sessions covered how science and marketing can co-exist, insect based protein, omnichanneling, premiumization and much more. Keynote speaker, Katy Nelson, veterinarian and host and executive producer of “The Pet Show with Dr. Katy, provided the opening presentation.
Select media representatives including NPR (National Public Radio) were present to provide additional news coverage of the event. Listen here for NPR’s Petfood Forum feature on Marketplace, a national radio segment on the growing pet food industry.
“This year’s conference content provided important information on data, growth and trends focusing on the categories of nutrition, ingredients, marketing, food safety and processing,” said Debbie Phillips-Donaldson, editor-in-chief of Petfood Industry.
Prior to the conference and exhibition, an interactive educational format was available through Petfood Innovation Workshop: Clean Label Technology on April 29. Attendees participated in five stations led by top pet food industry researchers and suppliers focused on trends for transparency and improved communications through labels.
Event organizers have announced that Petfood Forum 2020 will once again be held in Kansas City, Missouri at the Kansas City Convention Center on April 27-29, 2020. For details on the 2019 conference and exhibition, as well as other Petfood Forum events, go to www.PetfoodForumEvents.com.
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About Petfood Forum & Petfood Industry
Petfood Forum is organized and hosted by Petfood Industry (www.petfoodindustry.com). Both are owned by WATT Global Media, a content company founded in 1917 that provides exceptional business content and solutions to the agribusiness industry. As an industry innovator, WATT Global Media has connected buyers and sellers in the poultry, pig, animal feed and pet food industries through its media channels for over 100 years (www.WATTGlobalMedia.com).
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Contact:
Lynzee Branstetter, Forum Marketing Coordinator
t. +1.815.966.5521 | e. lbranstetter@wattglobal.com