A record-breaking 9,465 buyers representing 3,414 companies attended SuperZoo 2009, held Sept. 15-17 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. The buyer count was up 15 percent from 8,200 last year, and the company count was up 6 percent from 3,211 last year.

The three-day event, produced by the World Pet Association (formerly the World Wide Pet Industry Association of Arcadia, Calif.), featured 608 exhibitors in 968 booths. The exhibitor count was down 3 percent from last year’s count of 625 companies, and the booth count was down 8 percent from 1,056 booths last year.

“Despite economic conditions, SuperZoo 2009 attracted more attendees than last year’s show and the number of exhibitors and first-time exhibitors remained strong,” said Doug Poindexter, president of WPA. “We have received positive feedback from exhibitors and are pleased to continue to provide them with a unique trade show experience that helps their businesses flourish.”

SuperZoo University included courses ranging from ways to thrive during a retail slowdown to utilizing social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to increase business.

Award-winning products, determined through ballots cast by buyers visiting the New Product Showcase on the first day of the show, included:

• Overall Best in Show: Neater Feeder for cats and dogs by Tower Star Pets L.L.C. (Malvern, Pa.), first; Fluval Edge Aquarium by Rolf C. Hagen (USA) Corp. (Mansfield, Mass.), second; and Critter Trail Treat Zone Habitat by Super Pet, a division of Central Avian and Small Animal (Elk Grove Village, Ill.). 
• Aquatic Products: Fluval Edge Aquarium by Rolf C. Hagen (USA) Corp.
• Bird Products: Ecotrition Bird Snak Shaks by United Pet Group (Cincinnati).
• Cat Products: Neater Feeder by Tower Star Pets L.L.C.
• Dog Products: Neater Feeder by Tower Star Pets L.L.C.
• Reptile Products: ReptiBreeze by Zoo Med Laboratories Inc. (San Luis Obispo, Calif.).
• Small-Animal Products: Critter Trail Treat Zone Habitat by Super Pet.
• Miscellaneous Products: ShooTag! By Energetic Solutions Ltd. (Austin, Texas).

Reporters from numerous news outlets—including the local ABC, FOX and NBC affiliates—visited the show to report on the growing pet industry. Media representatives from Animal Planet also were on hand.

SuperGroom, a grooming contest held in conjunction with the show, attracted top grooming professionals from the United States and Canada.

The next SuperZoo will be held Sept. 14-16, 2010, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. For details, contact WPA at 800-999-7295 or visit www.superzoo.org. [December 2009 PET AGE]