In the third week of May, following a four-year break caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the German city of Nuremberg once again hosted the biannual Interzoo trade fair, the leading B2B platform in the pet food industry. And VAFO Group was there with a wide range of innovative goodies for our four-legged companions. At the centre of attention were the relaunched Brit Care line and the entirely new Planet Pet Society line. We were joined at the long-awaited event, the largest of its kind in the world, by the domestic German pet food producer Allco, which is part of VAFO Group and this year is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its popular Christopherus brand.
Interzoo 2022 featured exhibitors from more than 60 countries, and we were there as the European market leader. Our stand covering a record 288 square metres was definitely one of the largest. In addition to representatives of all the VAFO family companies, i.e. VAFO PRAHA, Carry Pet Food, Prima Pet Premium, VAFO Sverige, Pooch & Mutt, and Allco, we were visited by more than 100 new and existing partners from all over the world who were very enthusiastic about our products. Our stand also attracted a large number of general attendees, and despite being twice as big as in earlier years, it was completely full during peak hours.
The most important new product of 2022 is the Planet Pet Society line, which represents the most sustainable food in our portfolio and is based on the innovative use of ingredients that would otherwise go to waste. The Planet Pet Society line give them a second chance. Moreover, production of the new food is CO2 neutral and uses locally sourced ingredients, and the products are packaged in fully recyclable materials. All this combines to put Planet Pet Society firmly at the top of the sustainable pet food chain. In a recent interview, VAFO Group owner Pavel Bouška speaks about the new brand, which will go on sale in the summer of 2022.
Another important new development is the relaunch of our most popular product line – Brit Care. Here too sustainability takes centre stage. The formulas are made with a much higher proportion of ingredients from local sources and also use insect protein. Moreover, the products will come in fully recyclable packaging.
Also at the forefront was Carnilove True Fresh, a popular product line that has been expanded to offer formulas for cats and puppies, and the cool British brand Pooch & Mutt with its new dental snacks.
Sustainability in the pet food industry was evident not only in our products but throughout the trade fair. On the very first day, the Pet Sustainability Coalition gave a presentation at our stand that was attended by more than 40 industry partners. VAFO was chosen by the organization not only because it is a founding member but also because of our firm commitment to sustainability, which serves as a shining example for others to follow. And this commitment could even be seen in our stand, which in large part was recycled from previous years and had not even a single disposable cup anywhere in sight. Representing our well established commitment to reducing the amount of CO2 generated in the transportation of ingredients, our snacks were displayed across two six-metre walls and proudly announced their “Made in EU” origins, i.e. not imported from Asia.
On the second-to-last day of the trade fair, we held our legendary and highly popular VAFO party, during which we hosted more than 340 of our friends from the industry and brought our successful Interzoo 2022 campaign to a close.
