International meeting point

Nuremberg played host to the world in May when 37 000 trade visitors from 115 countries came to Interzoo. The figure might sound impressive, but visitor numbers were down compared with two years ago, when 38 000 people attended Interzoo over the four days of the show. Although there was plenty of activity on the stands throughout the day on the Thursday and Friday of this year’s fair, the footfall on the Saturday and Sunday was less satisfactory. Strong international appeal The international scope of the fair increased further compared with 2010, with the proportion of foreign trade visitors rising from 62 per cent to around 65 per cent. In its closing report, the Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft Zoologischer Fachbetriebe (WZF), which organises the fair, noted an increase in the number of visitors from France, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Russia in particular. The number of German visitors fell slightly, on the other hand. Norbert Holthenrich, president of the Zentralverband Zoologischer Fachbetriebe (ZZF), explained the decline as follows: “Although Interzoo attracted just as many retail companies as in 2010, due to the change in the structure of the German pet supplies trade, they were represented by their principal buyers and consequently by fewer staff than previously.” The growing international appeal was evident from the spread of exhibitors too. 79 per cent of the 1 539 companies presenting their products and services at Interzoo were from abroad, and 53 countries were represented in total. The number of European companies exhibiting increased by 7 per cent, the number of exhibitors from the USA rose by 3 per cent and those from Asia increased by 1 per cent. Interesting products Not surprisingly, really big innovations were in short supply at Interzoo, but nevertheless there was no lack of interesting products on show. The futuristic jellyfish tank from lighting specialist Econlux, the new product lines for small animals from Rolf C. Hagen and Ferplast and Hunter’s “Glam Rock” line were just a few of the interesting new items exhibited. Some manufacturers, including Royal Canin and JBL, concentrated less on products on their stands than on interesting advertising and merchandising ideas, promotions and other opportunities for cooperation to provide active support for their partners in the speciality trade in competition with other distribution channels. Above all, the approach adop­­ted by Mars Petcare of opening a dialogue with…