SuperZoo, North America’s leading pet retail trade show, welcomed 11,145 pet industry professionals for a one-of-a-kind opportunity to reconnect, learn and do business in person. Produced by World Pet Association (WPA), SuperZoo was held August 16–19 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas and offered pet retailers and groomers the most comprehensive collection of upcoming trends, newest products and unmatched educational offerings that will help them stand out from the competition.
“It was a pleasure to celebrate the pet industry and its professionals at SuperZoo 2021 for four days of product discovery, learning and networking,” said Vic Mason, president of WPA. “For more than 70 years, SuperZoo has earned a reputation as the industry’s most productive and vibrant show, and we were honored to have the opportunity to safely bring our industry back together again at North America’s only in-person industry gathering this year. With two years’ worth of new products on display, friends and colleagues to reconnect with and unmatched educational programming, it is apparent that our industry is resilient as we continue to see unprecedented demand and growth for pet products and services.”
SuperZoo 2021 highlights included:
Reuniting the Industry: More than 7,160 pet retailers including Amazon, Chewy, Costco, Kroger, Petco and Pet Supplies Plus, as well as groomers and manufacturers gathered in person for SuperZoo 2021. The 200,000 sq. ft. show floor featured 735 exhibitors that showcased innovative products and emerging trends, including 700 debut items that launched in SuperZoo’s New Product Showcase and Innovation Incubator.
Expert-Led Education: SuperZoo’s education program delivered advice and trend insights from thought leaders that help both new and seasoned pet professionals satisfy their customers and boost profits. Attendees enjoyed more than 70 educational sessions throughout the show covering the full spectrum of relevant topics and best and next practices, including core business tips, grooming techniques and animal wellness trends. New this year, SuperZoo offered a diversity course, panel discussions covering CBD-related research and pet nutrition and an advanced course on the hair and skin recipe for success. Popular sessions included: Boyd Howell’s sessions, “Hiring is Not an Interruption to Your Day” and “Creating a Culture of Motivation in Your Store;” and Crystal Vilkaitis and Lynn Switanowski’s session, “Instagram Strategy and Tactics; Telling Stories, Tagging Products and Social Selling.”
Keynote and Q&A Sessions: Crowds raved about Wednesday’s keynote session with Bar Rescue’s Jon Taffer and Tuesday’s Q&A with Jim Dougherty, founder of PetSmart and Petsense. Taffer broke down how (and why) businesses should operate and communicate differently in the post-pandemic world and provided insights into the opportunities that can set pet retail businesses apart from the competition.
New Product Awards: SuperZoo’s New Product Showcase featured more than 700 hot new pet retail products and the latest trends in pet retail. A panel of five industry experts selected the winners of the New Product Showcase on Tuesday, August 17th and the top products brought home highly effective promotion packages—along with pride and glory. This year featured 33 New Product Showcase Award winners and eight Best Overall Product Award winners, including:
- Luxury Lifestyle: Bonne et Filou, Handmade All-Natural Dog Macarons
- Retail Shelf Appeal: Treat Planet, Snicky Snaks Poppers Dog Treats
- Point of Purchase: Hagen Group, Catit Pixi
- Humanized Pet Product: Himalayan Dog Chew, LLC, Advent Calendar 2021
- Health and Wellness: Stashios, Wrap-Ups® Bacon Flavor Pliable Pill Wrapper
- Sustainable Pet Product: Shameless Pets, Dental Sticks and Calming Treats
- New-to-Market Pet Food & Treats: Jiminy’s, Cricket Crave and Good Grub Dog Food
- Judges award for best new to market pet products for 2020: Nestle Purina Pet Care, Pro Plan LiveClear Kitten Food
- For a full list of New Product Showcase award winners, visit WPA365.org.
World-Class Grooming Competitions: With more than $35,000 in winnings at stake, SuperZoo’s grooming contests allowed grooming professionals to showcase their creativity on the industry’s grandest stage. Contests featured multiple divisions for each regular breed class, plus the following awards:
- Best First-Time Competitor in Show: Kathlena Austin
- Best International Pet Stylist in Show: Jose Tucupita
- Best Pet Stylist in Show: Kristie Reisenweaver
- Best All Around Pet Stylist in Show: Christie Henriksen
- Mixed Salon/Freestyle Open: Cat Opson
- The Wahl Clipper Classic: Cat Opson
- Creative Dog & Cat Styling Open: Milena Kon
- All Breed Model Dog Challenge: Erin Martin
- For a full list of grooming contest award winners, visit WPA365.org.
Pet professionals who are looking for additional ways to continue their SuperZoo experience can accessWPA365 to discover a vibrant on-demand community, marketplace and learning center. Exclusively for industry professionals, they’ll have the opportunity to find more products from top exhibitors, access exclusive education sessions and connect with passionate pros, reps, suppliers and other industry leaders.
SuperZoo 2022 will take place August 23-25, 2022, with education from August 22-25. For more information, visit www.SuperZoo.org.