SuperZoo 2022 Welcomed 16,000 Pet Industry Professionals 

This year’s SuperZoo, produced by World Pet Association and held at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Convention Center, welcomed more that 16,000 pet professionals representing more than 25 countries and all 50 states to engage in new product introductions, expert-led education sessions and peer-to-peer networking events. The 331,500-square foot show floor featured more than 1,000 exhibitors from every pet product category and more than 900 products made their debut in SuperZoo’s sold-out New Product Showcase. 

“As evidenced by this year’s attendance, SuperZoo continues to be the industry’s go-to trade show for the pet retail community – spanning one-door independent retailers to the biggest household names in retail,” said Vic Mason, president of WPA. “SuperZoo 2022 attracted high-quality decision makers and delivered a show floor filled with emerging products and grooming trends, a highly popular and successful live animal area, an education program packed with thought leaders and rich content offerings and a fun-filled atmosphere for pet professionals to connect and network with their community. We are counting down the days until we can do it again in 2023.” 

The SuperZoo show floor drew nearly 10,000 pet industry retailers, buyers and decision-makers—including Target, Mud Bay, Chewy.com and more, as they scoped out the latest products, newest tech and emerging trends. This year’s event featured more than 1,000 exhibitors across the curated show floor areas Natural and Health, Specialty and Lifestyle, Farm and Feed, Aquatics, Reptiles and Small Animals, Groomers Marketplace, Emerging Brands and the New Product Showcase, including an impressive 262 first-time exhibitors and 72 emerging brands. 

SuperZoo’s international attendance was strong, representing 25 countries and more than 13 percent of SuperZoo’s 2022 total attendance. Canada, the United Kingdom, Columbia and Brazil were highly represented and surpassed 2019 attendance figures, while Asian market attendance continues to increase steadily post-pandemic. 

Nine hundred debut products were on display at SuperZoo’s sold-out New Product Showcase. On Tuesday, August 23, a panel of five industry experts selected first-place winners and runners-up in 10 different product categories, as well as one award for the Best New-to-Market Pet Product for 2022. This year’s first place winners were: 

• 2022 Judges Choice – Best New-to-Market Pet Product: UNO Wearable Harness (Dinbeat)
• Dog: Licki Mat Keeper (Innovative Pet Products/Licki Mat) 
• Cat: Catit Senses Mushroom Interactive Cat Toy (Hagen Group) 
• Bird: Busy Balls & Songbird Balls (BioZyme Incorporated) 
• Aquatic: Aqueon Stick Ems – Feeding Frenzy (Central Garden & Pet) 
• Herptile: Zilla Rapid Sense Décor (Central Garden & Pet) 
• Grooming: Trach Saver (All for Groomers) 
• Farm and Feed: RECOVER (FlockLeader) 
• Small Animal: Enriched Life 2022 (OxBow) 
• Accessory and Gift: Trio Goods For a Cause (TRIO Eco Friendly Pet Products) 
• Point of Purchase Displays: All Natural Rotating Treat Bar (Paws Gourmet Bakery)

“This was our first time at SuperZoo. It was great to be featured in the New Product Showcase, as it brought a lot of attention to our product and company. It boosted the number of buyers—both big and small—that we’ve been able to connect with, including those from Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, France and Korea. We’re excited that people are excited about our product!” said Simon Chun, co-founder of Jiby Dog Crew, runner-up for the best new dog product in the New Product Showcase. 

SuperZoo’s customizable education lineup delivered more than 70 seminars and trainings—led by nearly 30 industry thought leaders—to help pet professionals refine their retail strategies, master the latest grooming techniques and stay ahead of animal wellness trends. Following input from attendees, show organizers streamlined the 2022 education program, with sessions taking place Monday and Tuesday to allow for more time on the show floor to discover the newest pet products and innovations. This year’s education featured two specialty tracks—grooming and retail—and highly-attended 30- minute Free Show Floor Talks that covered consumer trends, technology, social media and influencer marketing, sales tactics and more. 

World Pet Association announced that they have expanded their education partnership with Fetchfind to include IndiePet Retailers and manufacturer product trainings and is also working on the development of a free industry-wide product database that is backed by WPA and powered by NextPAW to help foster the ease of product information sharing. 

With more than $35,000 in winnings at stake, SuperZoo’s grooming contests celebrated the creativity and talent of grooming professionals on the industry’s grandest stage. Awards were given in multiple divisions for each regular breed class, as well as nine special contests: 

• Best Pet Stylist in Show: Lindsey Dicken, Fetching Canine 
• Best All Around Pet Stylist in Show: Christie Henriksen, Uptown Pets 
• Best First-Time Competitor in Show: Belen Chocolatl, Benos Pet Grooming 
• Best International Pet Stylist in Show: Azareth Cantu, Hollywood Dogs 
• Mixed Salon/Freestyle: Jackie Boulton, Mucky Pups 
• The Wahl Clipper Classic: Deanna Bradley, Estrella Pet Grooming 
• Creative Dog & Cat Styling: Alyssa Kasiba, Simply Diffurent 
• All Breed Model Dog Challenge: Lindsey Pinson, A Cut Above Grooming Salon 
• Super Jackpot: Nadia Bongelli, Doggieland 

WPA also recognized several pet retailers and industry leaders during the WPA Chairman’s Reception, which was held at the Skyfall Lounge in the Delano on Tuesday, August 23. Each year, WPA honors pet retailers and industry leaders for their achievements and contributions in helping make a difference in the industry and in pets’ lives. The awards included: 

• WPA Pet Retailer Lifetime Achievement Award: Gary Hoeflich, owner and operator of Pet Supply Orange County 
• WPA Pet Retailer Lifetime Multi Store Achievement Award: Ed Kunzelman, founder and chairman of Petland 
• WPA Legislative Pawsitive Impact Award: Phil Gross, president of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK) 
• WPA Hall of Fame Award: Doug Poindexter, past president of WPA 
• WPA Lifetime Achievement Award: Elwyn Segrest, founder of Segrest Farms 
• WPA Pawsitive Impact Award: Andy Schmidt, president of San Francisco Bay Brand (posthumously)

“On behalf of World Pet Association, we would like to thank all those who helped to make SuperZoo 2022 a complete success, including our 76 featured sponsors,” said Mason. The SuperZoo sponsorship program provides companies with recognition and promotional opportunities to the entire SuperZoo audience. World Pet Association recognizes the following sponsors: Doggyrade, Elanco Animal Health, ellePet by ElleVet Sciences, Hagen, HealthExtension, HPZ Pet Rover, Instinct, Purina, Ryan’s Pet Supplies, OL USA, Skout’s Honor. Vets Plus, Inc and ZippyPaws. 

Pet professionals who are looking for additional ways to continue their SuperZoo experience can access WPA365 to discover a vibrant on-demand community, marketplace and learning center. Exclusively for industry professionals, they’ll have the opportunity to find more products from top exhibitors, access exclusive education sessions and connect with passionate pros, reps, suppliers and other industry leaders. 

SuperZoo 2023 will be shifting to new Wednesday through Friday dates, taking place August 16-18, 2023, with education August 15-16. For more information, visit www.SuperZoo.org.