A sold-out show in Orlando

Hosted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA), the 20th edition of the annual event showcased a sold-out show floor with over 1 100 exhibiting companies spanning 343 500 net ft2 (ca. 32 000 m2) of exhibition space.

The show, staged at the Orange County Convention Center as usual, brings in millions of dollars to the Orlando metropolitan area each year. Global Pet Expo 2024 delivered over 45 mio dollars in local economic impact, according to the fair organisers. Through a longstanding partnership with the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, this year over 70 booths were donated to help serve the Pet Alliance’s mission.

“It was exhilarating to see the pet industry come together at Global Pet Expo with record-breaking attendance. We spent an incredible week discovering new pet products hitting the market this year and celebrating the latest innovations our industry has to offer,” said APPA president and CEO Peter Scott. “The community we have built surrounding this event is incredible, and the energy on the show floor this year was electric.”

The many new pet product innovations were a highlight of the show. The event showcased thousands of the latest pet products and innovations across trending consumer categories, from smart technology to at-home wellness solutions and sustainable products. The New Products Showcase displayed over 1 000 products across 13 categories, with the winners of the 14th annual awards announced during Global Pet Expo’s Best in Show Awards. Vet Chip, a biotechnology company dedicated to improving animal health and welfare through pioneering technology that monitors, analyses and detects pet health issues, was selected as the winner of the 2024 Purina Pet Care Innovation Grand Prize. The company was one of five pet startups from across the US, Canada and Australia that pitched their businesses to a panel of judges during Global Pet Expo, including APPA’s Peter Scott.  

Global Pet Expo 2024 also unveiled new features at the event to elevate the attendee experience. Entrances to the show floor were redesigned to create an immersive sensory experience upon arriving at the event. The new Innovation in Motion Experience revealed a modernised New Products Showcase display, Spotlight Stage and Think Tank. The show floor was also expanded to add new speciality areas, including The Modern Pet, the Supplier Pavilion and the Sustainability section, in partnership with the Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC). 

APPA announced the latest pet ownership and spending data during a media-exclusive press conference. According to APPA’s New State of the Industry report, total US pet industry expenditure reached 147 bn dollars in 2023 and an overall economic contribution of 303 bn dollars, a 16 per cent increase from 2022. The expenditure was shared in conjunction with the first release of the association’s new quarterly reports launched this year.

The Global Learning Series delivered over 50 hours of education across four days of sessions and featured topics shaping business decisions in 2024. “Participation in the Global Learning Series sessions neared 2 000 attendees this year,” said PIDA president Celeste Powers. “The excitement during the sessions and throughout the show floor was palpable, and the entire Global Pet Expo team was inspired seeing months of planning transform into a fantastic event for the pet industry.”

Media and influencer engagement with Global Pet Expo 2024 was record-breaking, with nearly 300 members of the media and influencers attending the show. This year, Global Pet Expo will be honoured by Trade Show Executive as one of the top fastest-growing shows in the US for 2023 at the Trade Show Executive Fastest 50 Awards & Summit. The show was ranked in the Fastest 50 by Exhibiting Companies and Next 50 by Total Attendance and by Net Square Feet.

Global Pet Expo 2025 will take place on 26-28 March 2025, again at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.