“Interzoo 2000 has again consolidated its top position as leading international exhibition. We registered a clear increase in the number of international visitors and international exhibitors,” says Klaus Oechsner, President of the Zentralverband Zoologischer Fachbetriebe e.V. (ZZF), favorably summing up Interzoo 2000, which took place in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 4 – 7 May.
 Photo courtesy of Interzoo. |
Asia reports back at Interzoo
On the four days of the event, a total of 21,224 trade visitors* (1998: 23,249) gathered information about the global range of pet products and pet foods from 1,015 exhibitors* (1998: 985) from 44 countries. Whereas the 12,131 German visitors represented a drop of 16 %, the degree of internationality at Interzoo improved strongly: 9,093 trade visitors came from 107 countries, which corresponds to plus 4 % over the previous event. This means the internationality of Interzoo is now 43 % (1998: 38 %). “The growth of international visitors is exclusively from overseas,” according to Hans-Jochen Büngener, Chairman of the Interzoo Exhibition Committee.
Whereas the already high level of 1998 could be maintained in Europe at 7,278 trade visitors, 18 % more trade visitors came from overseas. Especially the number of Asian visitors registered disproportionately high growth rates: Hong Kong plus 33 %, Taiwan plus 11 %, Japan plus 89 % and the rest of Asia plus 24 %! South America (+ 31 %) and Australia/Oceania (+ 33 %) also increased appreciably. “This means Interzoo has expanded its position as leading exhibition of a dynamic branch with a world-wide turnover of approx. 80 billion DM,” declared a satisfied Büngener.
German pet supply trade undergoing radical change
Germany, with a turnover of 5.4 billion DM, Great Britain and France are the three most important markets for pet foods and pet supplies in Europe. According to information from Klaus Oechsner, the German pet supply trade is undergoing radical change: “The traditional pet supply trade now only achieves a market share of approx. 20 % in the high-turnover range of preprocessed foods.” The situation is reversed in the advice-intensive accessories segment. Here the pet supply trade has a share of over 80 % of turnover. Overall, the complete supply trade thus has a market share of almost 40 %. Due to the strong structural changes in the pet supplies branch, only 23 % are now attributed to the pet supply trade with its traditional medium-sized structure, which corresponds to a decline of 15 % in the last five years. Against this background, it is not surprising that the national visitors with their concentration on the retail trade were characterized by a certain reluctance. This was not, however, reflected in the business results of the exhibitors.
“On the contrary, the exhibitors report professional discussions and extremely lively order activity – both nationally and internationally. The trade visitors come with concrete ideas and increasingly use Interzoo as an order exhibition,” says Büngener. This statement is confirmed by the neutral survey of visitors: 95 % of the trade visitors are involved in procurement decisions and were fully satisfied with the products offered at Interzoo 2000 (98 %).
The trade visitors were clearly mainly directors, board members and works managers (57 %) and staff from the sectors of purchasing (43 %) and marketing, sales and PR (30 %) (multiple answers possible). In terms of the number of visitors, Interzoo still remains a retail trade domain: 51 % of the trade visitors come from this segment. Another 30 % work in the wholesale trade. 77 % have already firmly planned their visit to Interzoo 2002.
 Photo courtesy of Interzoo. |
Lively order activity ensures satisfaction among the exhibitors
The quality and purchasing authority of the trade visitors ensured good sales for the exhibitors at Interzoo 2000. “Great show, don’t change a thing – other trade shows should follow the lead of Interzoo,” was the comment of an American exhibitor. According to Bernd Kietz from the American Consulate General in Munich, which again offered a pavilion at Interzoo, the 55 participants in the pavilion received direct orders to the value of 3.5 million US $ during Interzoo and expect follow-up business worth another eight to ten million US $.
The satisfaction in the US pavilion is just one example of the business successes of the majority of Interzoo exhibitors. As a result, 92 % of all exhibitors are satisfied with their participation, 63 % even give a mark of good or very good. There are several reasons for the exhibitors’ satisfaction. Virtually all reached their most important target groups, 96 % had visits from countries outside Germany and 96 % also made new business connections. On the basis of contacts and inquiries during the trade fair, 90 % expect lively follow-up business. The logical result of the successful 2000 exhibition: 79 % of the exhibitors have already firmly decided to exhibit again at Interzoo 2002 and another 17 % are seriously thinking about it.
Interzoo 2002 takes place in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from Thursday to Sunday, 9 – 12 May 2002.