The 20th edition of the international pet food and pet care fair saw 27,950 visitors, 62% of whom were from abroad. The event was on from May 15th-17th in BolognaFiere, where it attracted 1,060 exhibitors from 57 countries. All in all, a resounding success for the 20th Zoomark, starting from its record numbers.
In the words of Antonio Bruzzone, general manager of BolognaFiere, "Zoomark 2023 saw an incredible 27,950 visitors from all over the world. While the bad weather hampered domestic travel, the percentage of visitors from abroad doubled since the last pre-Covid edition, reaching 62% of the total". Exhibitor numbers were similarly impressive. All the big names in the pet industry joined the line-up, which counted 1,060 companies, 75% of whom were from abroad (representing 57 countries), occupying a surface area of 68,000 square meters across seven halls.
"The pet industry is in a period of strong growth", Bruzzone continued, "as shown by the findings of the XVI Assalco-Zoomark Report, presented at the show’s inaugural conference. Likewise, the fact that all the top brands chose Zoomark as their official platform is testament to its leading role in the global pet business."
The international standing of the show was also 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-honored focus on innovation. The Pet Vision area, in particular, 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 customization 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 fifty 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 events, more than eighty, 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 23rd and 24th November. As Bruzzone emphasized, "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 Bologna have already been announced: May 5th-7th, 2025.
