(PRESS RELEASE) RIVERSIDE, CA — SuperZoo, the largest and most comprehensive marketplace for the pet industry in the world this year, has opened registration for its 2023 event. Produced by the World Pet Association (WPA), SuperZoo has been regarded as the source for gold-standard education and product discovery opportunities for over 70 years. The new product showcase and education conference will take place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, August 16-18, with education sessions beginning August 15.
Last year, more than 16,000 pet professionals attended the event, including a strong 13.9% international attendance representing 25 countries, citing access to new products, emerging brands and face time with vendors as their top reasons for attending. This year’s show will again feature the New Product Showcase, with more than 900 items yet to hit shelves, along with proven best-sellers and the latest innovations in a variety of categories—all in a notoriously laid-back environment designed to foster relationship building between exhibitors and buyers.
“It’s something I hear all the time and take great pride in — SuperZoo is fun, there’s a true sense of community and camaraderie at this event,” said Vic Mason, president of WPA. “That’s part of why so much business is conducted at SuperZoo. Closing deals and forming partnerships is enjoyable here. We can’t wait to build off the success of our 2022 show and bring our community more to those unique opportunities to connect, discover the latest products and learn together this year.”
SuperZoo 2023 will once again be home to the industry’s most robust professional learning curriculum, featuring more than 65 expert-led sessions covering key topics in pet grooming and retail, as well as free talks and product demonstrations on the show floor. Participants can learn valuable skills and strategies, such as how to motivate today’s employees, generate sales on social media, leverage SEO and Google and more. In addition to the popular Show Floor Talks education, retailers will have an additional featured session programming on the show floor in the Emerging Brands lounge.
Back by popular demand, SuperZoo 2023 will host its epic beach party, where industry professionals can connect with fellow pet professionals representing the full spectrum of pet retail industry. The SuperZoo Beach Party will take place at the Mandalay Bay Beach on Thursday, August 17th with music, a happy hour and hors d’oeuvres.
For pet styling professionals, SuperZoo offers a variety of renowned grooming competitions, where more than $35,000 in winnings will be up for grabs. Contests are open to all experience levels and feature multiple divisions for each regular breed classes, plus awards for the Best First-Time Competitor, Best International Competitor and Best Pet Stylist in Show, plus special contests like the Creative Styling Competition and Abstract Design Challenge.
SuperZoo 2023 will also feature a new Tuesday education and then Wednesday-Friday trade show floor schedule. The shift is a response to feedback from past participants and the trend toward “bleisure” travel—according to the AHLA’s Hotel Booking Index survey, 48% of business travelers have extended a business trip in the last year for leisure purposes.
“We want everyone who takes time away from their businesses and travels to SuperZoo to feel like they’re getting the most value out of their investment,” said Mike Karsting, SVP of WPA. “By ending the show on a Friday, participants have the option to stay the weekend, enjoy the world-class entertainment and dining options that Las Vegas offers and make a vacation out of their trip.”
Pet professionals who are looking for additional ways to continue their SuperZoo experience can access WPA365 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.
For more information and to register, visit superzoo.org. Connect with SuperZoo online on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About SuperZoo
SuperZoo boasts the most buyer participation of any trade show for the pet retail industry in North America. SuperZoo provides pet retail and industry professionals with leading-edge education and access to the most comprehensive array of market-ready products for a hands-on experience for retailers to competitively differentiate themselves. For the ninth consecutive year, SuperZoo has grown in exhibitor space and square footage and has been listed among Trade Show Executive’s “Gold 100” trade events since 2014. Produced by World Pet Association (WPA), the show attracts retailers, product suppliers and service providers at this must-attend annual event. For more information: www.superzoo.org.
About World Pet Association
Founded in 1950, World Pet Association (WPA) is the pet industry’s oldest nonprofit organization. WPA connects and informs pet professionals through industry-defining trade shows SuperZoo and GROOM’D (formerly Atlanta Pet Fair and Conference), as well as WPA365, a robust online community. Through WPA’s Good Works program, proceeds from these events are funneled back into key industry organizations and nonprofits with the goal of making it easier for pet industry professionals to do business. WPA’s mission is to support the business needs of pet retailers and to promote responsible growth and development of the pet industry by providing thought leadership on consumer and legislative issues; lead efforts in the public sector to inform consumers and ensure safe, healthy lifestyles for all animals; and provide business resources, education, content and services to ensure pet product retailers have the support they need to be competitive. For more information about WPA, its industry events, WPA365 or to become a member, visit www.worldpetassociation.org.