More than 80 delegates from around the world gathered in Ottawa from June 21-24 for the Global Alliance of Pet Food Associations (GAPFA) Technical Congress and associated meetings, reinforcing the event's position as a leading international forum for scientific, technical and regulatory collaboration in the global pet food sector.
Hosted by the Pet Food Association of Canada (PFAC), this year's congress brought together representatives from pet food associations, industry, government, academia and international organizations under the theme "The Future of Pet Food: Mastering Disruption and Defining Global Success."
Over three days of discussions, delegates examined opportunities and challenges shaping the future of the pet food sector, including international trade, companion animal health, nutrition, sustainability, innovation and evolving regulatory frameworks. The congress featured speakers from organizations including the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Health for Animals, universities and the global pet food industry.
Beyond the technical sessions, GAPFA's Board of Directors, General Assembly and technical workstreams met throughout the week to review progress, agree on priorities and strengthen collaboration across the alliance's global membership.
Key outcomes of the week included:
- Election of GAPFA's new Board of Directors and officers, including incoming President Florian Wastl, to guide the alliance's work over the coming years.
- Confirmation of workstream co-chairs for the Food Safety & Trade Facilitation, Nutrition and Communications workstreams, ensuring continued leadership of GAPFA's technical priorities.
- Agreement on priorities for continued engagement with international partners, including advancing science-based approaches to pet food safety, nutrition and international trade.
- Recognition of the importance of global collaboration in addressing emerging challenges and opportunities facing the pet food sector.
- Presentation of the inaugural GAPFA Distinguished Service Award to Fausto Fiorini in recognition of his leadership and longstanding contributions to advancing GAPFA's global food safety and trade facilitation work.
- Announcement that the 2027 GAPFA Technical Congress will be hosted in Liverpool, United Kingdom, from June 13-16, 2027.
"This year's Congress demonstrated the strength of the global pet food community and the value of bringing together experts from across industry, government and international organizations," said Loretta Hunter, outgoing GAPFA president. "The quality of the discussions, the willingness to collaborate and the breadth of expertise shared throughout the week were truly exceptional. I would like to thank our host, PFAC, our outstanding speakers, sponsors and every delegate who contributed to making the Congress such a success."
Chris Nash, executive director of the Pet Food Association of Canada and incoming GAPFA vice president for member associations, thanked delegates for making the event a success.
"It was a pleasure to welcome colleagues from around the world to Ottawa for the 2026 GAPFA Technical Congress," said Nash. "Our goal was to create an event that was informative, engaging and memorable, bringing together world-class speakers and fostering meaningful discussion on the issues shaping our industry. On behalf of PFAC, I would like to thank GAPFA for the opportunity to host the Congress, as well as all of our speakers, sponsors and delegates for helping make the event such a success."
New board, officers and workstream co-chairs
GAPFA also announced the election of its new Board of Directors for the 2026-2028 term and its officers for 2026-2027 at the 12th GAPFA General Assembly in Ottawa on June 24. GAPFA represents more than 90% of global prepared pet food production through its member associations.
The newly elected board reflects GAPFA's global membership, bringing together representatives from leading pet food companies and national pet food associations across North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa and Oceania.
The General Assembly elected the following board of directors, officers and workstream co-chairs to lead GAPFA's work over the coming years:
Board of Directors (2026-2028)
- Betsy Flores, Pet Food Institute (PFI), U.S.
- Caio Villela França, ABINPET, Brazil
- Carlos Gonzalez, Hill's Pet Nutrition, U.S.
- Michelle Lang, Pet Food Industry Association of Australia (PFIAA), Australia
- Chris Nash, Pet Food Association of Canada (PFAC), Canada
- Dominique Kuhlmann, Pet Food Industry Association (PFI SA), South Africa
- Florian Wastl, Mars Petcare, Belgium
- Loretta Hunter, Nestlé Purina PetCare, U.S.
- Milica Jevtic, FEDIAF, Belgium
- Pablo Pascual, AMASCOTA, Mexico
- Richard Brake, New Zealand Pet Food Manufacturers Association (NZPFMA), New Zealand
Continuing their terms on the board are:
- Jerry May, Freshpet, U.S.
- Sean McNear, Blue Buffalo, U.S.
Officers (2026-2027)
- President: Florian Wastl, Mars Petcare
- Vice President – Member Companies: Loretta Hunter, Nestlé Purina PetCare
- Vice President – Member Associations: Chris Nash, Pet Food Association of Canada (PFAC)
GAPFA Workstream Co-Chairs (2026-2028)
Food Safety & Trade Facilitation
- Ursula Huber, Mars Petcare
- Hilke Seyffarth, Nestlé Purina PetCare
Nutrition
- Lisa Conboy-Schmidt, Nestlé Purina PetCare
- Pailin Petison, Mars Petcare
Communications
- Daniel Cosio, Mars Petcare
- Morgan Beach, Nestlé Purina PetCare
"It has been a privilege to serve as GAPFA President during a period of continued growth and collaboration," said Hunter. "Together, we have strengthened GAPFA's global voice, expanded our engagement with international partners and advanced important work on pet food safety, nutrition and science-based trade. I am grateful to our Members, Board and Secretariat for their commitment and look forward to continuing to support GAPFA as Vice President Member Companies."
Incoming President Florian Wastl thanked Hunter for her leadership and outlined priorities for the year ahead.
"I would like to sincerely thank Loretta for her outstanding leadership and dedication to GAPFA over the past year," said Wastl. "I am honored to serve as GAPFA President and look forward to working with our Board, members and partners to build on this strong foundation. Together, we will continue strengthening GAPFA's role as the global voice of the pet food industry, promoting science-based policies and international collaboration that support safe, nutritious and sustainable pet food around the world."
Sebastian Csaki, GAPFA secretary general, welcomed the newly elected leadership. "The strength of GAPFA lies in the expertise, collaboration and commitment of its global membership," said Csaki. "With an experienced Board, dedicated Workstream Chairs and highly engaged members across every region, GAPFA is well positioned to continue advancing science-based solutions and further strengthening the global voice of the pet food industry."
Fiorini receives inaugural service award
GAPFA also named Fausto Fiorini the inaugural recipient of the GAPFA Distinguished Service Award, presented during the technical congress and General Assembly.
The award recognizes individuals who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to advancing GAPFA's mission and the global pet food sector through outstanding leadership, service and commitment.
Fiorini was selected in recognition of his leadership as co-chair of the GAPFA Food Safety & Trade Facilitation Workstream from 2018 to 2026. During that time, he played a role in advancing GAPFA's global food safety agenda and reinforcing its position as the global voice of the pet food industry. Fiorini is the regulatory and scientific affairs lead for Latin America for Nestlé Purina PetCare and has held leadership roles in the Brazilian Pet Food Association.
Throughout his eight years of leadership, Fiorini was involved in advancing GAPFA's engagement with WOAH and championing science-based approaches to animal health, pet food safety and international trade. Among his contributions, he led development of the GAPFA Safe Commodity Status Gap Analysis, an initiative that has provided a foundation for evidence-based dialogue with WOAH and other international stakeholders on science-based approaches to facilitating the safe international trade of pet food.
"Fausto's leadership, expertise and unwavering commitment have made an extraordinary contribution to GAPFA and to the global pet food sector," said Hunter. "Through his collaborative approach and dedication to science-based solutions, he has helped shape GAPFA's engagement with international organizations and strengthened our voice on the global stage. It is a privilege to recognize his remarkable service and lasting legacy as the inaugural recipient of the GAPFA Distinguished Service Award."
About GAPFA
The Global Alliance of Pet Food Associations (GAPFA) is a non-profit organization established in Belgium in 2014, representing pet food manufacturers globally.
