Seeking a European profile

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"We would like to raise the awareness of licensed pet products in the German market, especially with 'Sponge Bob', 'Dora the explorer' and the Warner Bros brands," says company spokesperson Jennifer Laclie, giving the reason why Penn Plax will have a stand at DeZooFa for the first time. The company's primary aim is to target the leading German speciality chains with the licensed products, as well as drawing the attention of fair-goers to its extensive range of accessory products. Penn Plax, which is based in the USA, counts France, Germany and Great Britain among its main sales markets. The company distributes to the German market via a distributor and chain stores who buy directly from the big warehouse in Saintes/France.One of the non-German companies that exhibited at DeZooFa two years ago is the Dutch firm Farm Food. It is based in Nijverdal, close to the German-Dutch border, and so has naturally had extensive contacts with its German neighbours from the start. In "Farm Food HE" the company offers a dog food manufactured from natural ingredients that caters for all dog breeds in all life stages and sizes from "Mini" to "Maxi" simply by adjustment of the amount fed. Other products in the range include "Farm Food Nr. 1", a complete milk food based on goat's milk for newborn puppies, and rawhide chew products.The company exhibited at the last show in Wiesbaden two years ago. "DeZooFa is a good show. Our stand was visited by many interested pet product dealers, who didn't know us at all and came to find out about our products," says Laura Minneboo of Farm Food. This year the firm aims to expand its contacts at the show.The Swiss company Bogar is hoping to gain further contacts with German firms from its participation in the show in Wiesbaden. "We aim to use DeZooFa to present our products to the German pet supplies trade and acquire new customers. We'll be promoting the 'bogahair C' line and the new 'bogacare Margosa Spot-On' range for eliminating ticks, fleas and mites," says Michel Pascal Ferrari, head of sales and marketing.With around ten weeks to go to the start of the fair, some companies, like Finnish accessories manufacturer Jokke, for example, are still unsure as to whether to exhibit at DeZooFa. For some firms, this uncertainty is related to a lack of distribution partners in Germany, without which there is little point in engaging in marketing activities at a trade show. The organisers of DeZooFa…