A number of the first-time pet product firms returning from the Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida, have expressed interest already in exhibiting at the show again next year.

The innovative products shown by the UK exhibitors participating in the group organised by the PetQuip association attracted a wide audience from worldwide markets. 

Regular exhibitors, such as Hilton Herbs, also returned to the UK with good results, having received interest from a number of Far Eastern countries and from Finland and Puerto Rico. The company received good news too from a Canadian distributor, secured by the firm at last year’s Global Pet Expo, which is now looking to take on a much wider range of Hilton Herbs’ products.

The Oggi range of biscuits and cake mixes attracted potential interest from distributors in the US and New Zealand and from a leading Canadian retail chain. 

Gilbertson and Page was delighted with its first presence at the show and were surprised to have met a number of Far Eastern contacts, while Law Print was very pleased to have met with buyers from US and Canada, Germany and Spain. 

Trilanco reported that it had sales leads from Central and South American markets such as Costa Rica and Chile as well as from North America and other international markets. 

Max & Lucy’s products were on display for the first time in the US and in addition to meeting with potential North American distributors, the company met with buyers from Asia and from Puerto Rico and Hungary.  

Chicken Guard, another first time exhibitor, highlighted large distributors and home and farm retailers among the buyers met at the show.  The company also gained valuable information on the US market for chicken supplies during a retail tour organised as part of the show package. 

The PetQuip industry information stand on the pavilion provided a valuable link between the visiting overseas buyers and the UK pet industry and attracted over 60 visitors from over 20 countries. Most were from the US and Canada, with others attending from across Latin America.  European visitors included distributors and retailers from Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Denmark and Finland.  Also in evidence were major distributors from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, the Middle East and from the burgeoning online community in China.

The PetQuip association team, together with some of the British exhibiting group, also took part in a guided pet retail tour while in Orlando, which gave the British firms an opportunity to network with important buyers from the 10 countries that participated. 

Commenting on the value of the business-creating events organised by PetQuip each year, Charlie Parker of PetQuip said:”Global Pet Expo has once again generated good international sales leads. 

"During the show, one Danish distributor confirmed that it is currently working with around 10 UK companies, largely as a result of attending PetQuip ‘Meet the International Buyers’ days, and it also plans to visit the UK exhibitors at Zoomark in May this year and to attend the PATS Telford show in September. 

"Several other key buyers also stated that they will be attending the Zoomark show, where PetQuip will be organising the British pavilion which will feature a record number of British exhibitors.”

Companies interested in future business-creating initiatives which are planned by PetQuip should contact either Theresa Swann theresa@petquip.com or Emma Lewis emma@petquip.com.    Telephone +44 (0) 1959 565 995.