Gimborn in the name of sustainability
Rita Giglioli, senior marketing manager – Gimborn Italia, says: Many operators, including international ones, take part in the Bologna fair and meeting in person is perhaps even more important today than in the past, when this was taken for granted. After the pandemic, having a physical place again in which the sector presents itself, discusses, and interacts is essential to keep stimuli and motivation high, and it has reconfirmed the importance of a way of doing promotion and business that can certainly be accompanied, but not replaced by others.
There are always many new proposals offered by Gimborn and this year, too, there are some in the dog, cat, and rodent snack sector, as well as accessories and cat food and litter. ‘For the latter, in consideration of the attention that the company increasingly seeks to pay to the theme of sustainability – for example by using natural ingredients or recycled materials in some references -, I am pleased to specifically mention two new Biokat products: at Zoomark International, in fact, we present two new clumping litters, based on sustainable soy pods and vegetable, biodegradable and compostable fibres’. The two new versions maintain these key features of the Eco Light line, but now with a greater variety of choices, combining the neutral base litter with activated carbon with two fresh, very delicate floral fragrances for cats, pleasant for humans: Biokat’s Eco Light fresh Cherry Blossom and Biokat’s Eco Light fresh Spring Blossom.
Monge is ready to address all channels
Luciano Fassa, general manager of Monge, says: What does Monge expect from Zoomark International? It is one of the most important events for pet food on the world scene and this year it promises to be a record edition in terms of the number of exhibiting companies. ‘We expect a large flow of visitors and insiders, not only from the specialized world, but also from other channels, where pet food is becoming increasingly relevant. A large flow of Italian and foreign retailers at the fair is likely, after the Covid period, which had slowed down this type of activity. Monge stand has always been a meeting point for many operators in the sector and this year, too, we want to meet, alongside with our Sales Force and Monge Family, the many customers who have made us grow over the years and who are often true friends’.
For Monge Zoomark International, the Fair has always been an opportunity to present new products and new business opportunities to the market. ‘This year again, it will be like this: we will present our new Gemon 4.0 range, with new products and a new pack, but also new projects concerning our top brands for both Specialist channel and large-scale distribution, Monge and Excellence respectively: the goal is to create new growth opportunities for us and our customers as well as greater choice for pet lovers’. The market continues to grow, but some suffering is starting to emerge. ‘The number of dogs and cats has increased significantly in the last three years and this should make us optimistic about the near future’.
Focus Royal Canin on gastrointestinal disorders
Alessia Prescendi, Pet Specialty Retail Director, Royal Canin, says: ‘At Zoomark International we are pleased to present the relaunch of our Feline Care Nutrition range, dry and wet foods in response to the seven most common sensitivities in adult cats: from September, we will be on the shelves with a new look, a new design, and an in-depth focus on the benefits of the products, with a view to increasingly involving and engaging pet-owners’. Royal Canin is confirmed as usual at the forefront, at the side of every dog and cat, to support their well-being and their health.
‘From a Research and Innovation point of view, this year we focused on the Gastrointestinal range, developed for the nutritional management of gastrointestinal disorders, presenting three new references for Italian pets: Gastrointestinal Low Fat Small Dog, specific dry food for small dogs suffering from hyperlipidemia, and two products specifically designed to compensate for bad digestion, Gastroinstestinal High Fiber, soft pâté for dogs, and Gastroinstestinal Fiber Response, morsels in gravy for cats’.
The Dermatology range, the great ally for the health of the skin and coat of pets, is also enriched, with the recent launches of Anallergenic Small Dogs, to support the diagnosis and management of adverse reactions to food in small breed dogs, and Hypoallergenic Puppy, the nutritional response for puppies showing skin problems during their growth.
Sales rhythms of aquariology
Giovanni Zanon, Managing Director of Prodac International, says: What does Prodac expect from Zoomark? Zoomark International is one of the most important trade fairs in the international arena. ‘We export to over 50 Countries and this means receiving people from many Countries as well as from Italy, in order to be able to develop already active contacts or activate new ones. Such fairs as this one are important showcases for us, moreover, in this edition we will have a stand dedicated to the Ottavi line, which we have recently acquired and we will officially present it at an international level at this edition of Zoomark’ . More than 50 new products have been brought onto the market in the last two years. ‘During this edition we are presenting a new line of pond pumps, two feeds, an automatic feeder, and a complete kit for dispensing CO2 in the aquarium’. What remains the same over the years is the difference that retailers who have fish and plants can make compared to others. ‘Aquariology necessarily passes through the sale of fish and plants and it is here that the specialist retailer must make the difference, paying close attention to following the trends, because as in all markets, even in our sector there are fashions, influencers, websites dedicated to specific fish or plants, etc. To this it must be added that for years the sale of feed, bio-conditioners, fertilizers, tests, accessories has been neglected, but is essential to keep retailers’ businesses in financial health’.
Elaborated recipes and entry into the snack sector
Giorgio Montefusco, Marketing Manager Whitebridge Pet Brands, says: For Whitebridge Pet Brands, the appointment with Zoomark International will represent an important starting point, and one can say a turning point. In fact, the new wet range for cats by Schesir will be presented to customers on the Italian and international market in Bologna, boosted by exclusive innovations that will open a new path within the category. The next launches, and also the entire brand philosophy, will be strongly focused on the nutritional aspect and both product offer and new image of Schesir will be characterized by interesting elements of differentiation with respect to the current range of the brand as well as to the whole segment. ‘’New Schesir’ will therefore be characterized by a high rate of product innovation and renewal in general, so in this edition of Zoomark we expect particular attention and a lot of excitement around the brand’.
One last thing, no less important: from September, Schesir will expand its offer for dogs, whose owners will have the opportunity to count on new wet products inspired by some of the most famous dishes of international cuisines and on incredible snacks, a segment never covered until now by Schesir.
The brand wants to create even more solid – and innovative – foundations to contribute to the growth of the entire wet food market for cats. In recent years this market has seen an increase in the number of brands in the complementary segment; these brands, however, in many cases have limited themselves to introducing products that have in fact re-proposed copies of what is already on the shelf, without launching real innovations.
Zodiaco at the fair to celebrate the thirtieth year of activity
Mauro Vitali, President of Zoodiaco, says: ‘This year we will be at Zoomark to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the birth of our company with those who have contributed over the years to the success of our products (our customers) and to meet old and new suppliers and stakeholders with whom to lay the foundations for challenges of the future’.
On this occasion, Zoodiaco presents to the market its brand new line of dietetic products for dogs and cats, Prolife Diet, born from the collaboration with the best Italian veterinary clinics and its internal research and development team. ‘It is a flagship that well represents the growth path that our company has undertaken in recent years, becoming the absolute protagonist of the Petfood sector in the specialized segment, which confirms itself as the most innovative and produces the greatest value in our market’. Today it is strongly conditioned by the inflationary phenomenon that affects and worries all players without distinction: those who produce, because they are not sure about the stability of raw material, production, and transport costs; those who sell, because they have to find the right way to approach the consumer. ‘At Zoodiaco, however, we are looking with optimism to the evolution of the market, because consumers, especially the younger ones, show every day that they want to continue choosing companies that never stop investing in quality, transparency, and innovation’.
