2 185 visitors at Pats Telford

The largest-ever Pats show, staged in three halls for the first time, closed with visitors and exhibitors agreeing it had been a huge success. The event delivered an unrivalled platform for the launch of hundreds of exciting new pet product innovations.

A total of 2 185 retailers and buyers came through the doors of the Telford International Centre, 6 per cent more than the numbers for Pats Telford last year. It beats the previous record attendance of 2 148 recorded in 2017. Organiser Gordon Thomas said that many of the companies exhibiting at Pats Telford were eager to point out the high calibre of people visiting their stands.

Assisi Pet Care was exhibiting at Pats Telford for the first time and was delighted with the outcome. Product manager Suzy Broughton said: “It was a great opportunity to showcase the natural brands that make up our UK portfolio. To talk directly to and listen to the wide variety of businesses that make up our industry under one roof made for a great two days of interaction.”

A team of independent retailers and retail experts decided on the awards for new products. They had to make their selection from a record number of over 340 new products submitted. In making their decisions, they considered a range of criteria including product innovation, design, quality, packaging, value for money and sustainability. The winning products were:

Cat Food Products: Naturea Grain Free Cat Wet Food from BYMiT. The judges said: “Good price point, good choice of flavours and it is nice to see good-quality cat food with a high meat content.” In the Dog Food Products segment, the company Naturaw won with Naturaw Forage. “Attractive packaging, well thought-out ingredients, great price point and compostable packaging,” stated the judges.

Further winning products were the Odourless Braided & Straight Bull Pizzle (Dog Treat Products) from JR Pet Products, as well as Sotnos Earth Aware Natural Rubber Dog Toys (Dog Accessories and Toys), the Adventure Lead With Close Control from Twiggy Tags (Dog Harnesses, Leads and Dog Wear), the Pig ‘n’ Mix Treats Range (Small Animal and Bird Products) from HayPigs, the Doughnut Recovery Collar (Pet Care Products) from Dirty Little Paws, and Tropiclean Enticers Dental Care Products (Grooming Products…