It was held in Oaks, PA.
(Press Release) OAKS, PA – International Conference Development LLC (ICDevents) hosted the inaugural 2017 Pet
Connections Expo Oct. 3-4, 2017 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA.
This inaugural show focused on pet health and nutrition, and brought together more than 700 pet industry buyers and suppliers from the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions as well as the entire country. In addition to the exhibition that featured 120 exhibitors in its first year, the event offered a unique educational program featuring an esteemed group of speakers, led by Susan Thixton, pet food consumer advocate, author of TruthAboutPetFood.com and participant of the documentary “Pet Fooled,” which debuted on Netflix in January 2017. Thixton had standing room only for her opening presentation that was followed by other visionaries including Dr. Richard Patton, global scientist and field researcher, Pam Johnson Bennett, best-selling author and host of the Nat Geo Wild/Animal Planet UK show, Psycho Kitty, Bill Bookout, National Animal Supplement Council, Billy Hoekman, Answers Pet Food and a lively Retailer Roundtable Discussion, Helping Bricks and Mortars Survive, led by Greg Tilford, Animal Essentials. In addition, campfire sessions were conducted on the show floor, focused on topics of high importance to small retailers, including Aging Pets, The “Whole Body Approach” to Keep your Clients Coming Back, How to Find and Retain the Best Employees.
Bill Doherty, ICDevents president, stated, “We strived to make Pet Connections Expo the Fall event in an underserved geographic market and the feedback that we received is that we succeeded in doing so. We look forward to growing and providing a rewarding opportunity for our attendees to build community in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions for years to come.”
Feedback by this year’s attendees include:
“A great new idea for our industry and well worth attending; we are looking forward to the growth of the show and for next year’s event!” Perk Valley Pet Eatery
“For the first year, I found Pet Connections Expo to be a welcomed opportunity. Informative, intimate, and new innovative products.” PetSage
“Excellent topics, great campfire sessions, this is a must-attend event for anyone in the pet industry.” Groomin On The Go
“This has been the best expo I have attended all year, allowing me to connect directly with suppliers, as well as offering informative sessions that were not only relevant, but an actual help. I’ll be back next year!” The French Dog.
Brian Duckett, Show Manager, Pet Connections Expo, added, “We couldn’t have accomplished this without the support of the industry and we would like to thank everyone that participated in this year’s show. We look forward to growing and welcoming you October 2-3, 2018.”
Further details on the 2017 Pet Connections Expo as well as the latest on the 2018 event can be found at www.petconexpo.com.