2019, before the pandemic
That was the last time I was at a fair in my native city, Buenos Aires.
It was the 45th International Book Fair. Like every year, I was thrilled to be able to attend and be close to authors so admired and, in some cases, even controversial.
Just like when you taste a home-made dish and get transported to happy times or places, the Iberzoo + Propet 2022 took me back to that place.
And, with the blink of an eye, I was no longer in Buenos Aires, but in Madrid.
The Rural exposition venue in Argentina vanished and the big number 9 pavilion of IFEMA in Spain appeared.
There were no books, let alone teachers huddling at the stands trying to discover the different proposals and offers for what they do best: teach.
However, there was something in the air that was still intact.
And the feeling was great.
All the exhibitors had the same energy and motivation to show their products.
And they were all pursuing a sole goal: pet welfare.
I was delighted to meet professionals with a strong vocation and passion for pets.
And I was like a dog with two tails!
So, this time without a book under my arm and with my mind set to improving my dog’s life quality, I set out explore the 6th edition of Iberzoo+Propet.
I was lucky enough to be able to talk to several persons who are behind each brand or project.
And, thanking them for their time, I would like to share with you their answers to the following question:
What were the benefits of Iberzoo+Propet 2022 for your business?
Artennua
By Francesc Guillamon
“Iberzoo+Propet 2022 was very important for Artennua.
This is the first time that we exhibit in this fair and the overall result has been very positive.
On the one hand, we could convey the product information to many professionals of this sector who visited our stand.
Many people asked to buy the product on site, which shows the interest that our product has generated.
Artennua’s team 
Artennua, optimized version of Artemisia annua.
Customers or consumers of Artennua who have already tried it with their patients or pets also shared their experiences with us.
Several people were thankful and offered to provide us with all the information we needed.
Finally, we were able to do some networking, which had been very restricted since the beginning of the pandemic.
We talked to our distributors, to other companies interested in using our product, to potential suppliers and other related service providers.”
Web: www.artennua.com
YowUp – DairyPet
By Pablo Gómez González
“Participating in the Iberzoo+Propet fair for the first time has been very important for our brand.
This very professional fair, with highly-qualified visitors, is the best scenario to improve networking and strengthen mutual knowledge of the industry in general.
Innovation plays a prominent role that goes beyond a specific banner or awarding a prize.
It is emphasized in every talk and it is always present in stand themes.
The pet food sector has been growing very fast over the last three years and so has innovation in the industry.
We are a startup and the fair has coincided with the launch of our product YOWUP, the first natural yogurt for dogs and cats.
The fair is an excellent window to draw attention to the brand and explain in detail the properties and benefits of the product.
Pablo Gómez González
CEO and Founder of DairyPet
DairyPet’s team
The logistic for YowUp is carried out without cooling. Our yogurt lasts for 16 months and it is 100% made in Spain.
This yogurt is especially formulated and bottled for our dogs and it also contributes very important prebiotics.
Either the public is either anxious to know the product or the product does not meet their expectations.
But we have managed to meet our customers’ expectations.
I think the fair has provided us with key leverage and tools to achieve it and convey our product’s message to the industry professionals.
For us, it has been a big success and a great joy to be awarded the prize to the most innovative product 2022.”
Web: www.yowup.com
Mooiza
By Imke Marks
“Participating in the Iberzoo+Propet 2022 fair has been a big success for MOOIZA.
Since it is a new brand, born in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic, we’ve been looking forward to meeting our customers and collaborators in an in-person event for a while.
We wanted to share experiences and offer our nutraceutics to a wider public: vets, dog trainers, pet shops and pet care professionals in general.
We are very happy for all the interest we received during the three days of the fair and the good reception of our nutritional supplements in Spain.
As a result, our products are available for dogs and owners in more and more stores, always provided together with the professional advice and treatment we want for our customers.
Even though there was less international public than in previous editions, we had some visitors from Germany, Portugal and Italy.
We are very grateful for the interest in other countries and the will to innovate that we could sense in our conversations.
Besides, we had the chance to talk about ideas for new ingredients and formulas with great professionals of the industry.
We take advantage of this occasions to launch new projects and improve our existing products, always aiming at supporting dogs’ health naturally and effectively.”
Web: www.mooiza-pet.com
Gloria Pets
By Marina Otazu
“After two long years of pandemic and, therefore, without the Iberzoo fair, the year 2022 has been key and very beneficial for us as an exhibitor company.
Learning that this year the event would finally take place in-person was a shot of positive energy.
We put up two different stands this time, in order to show our company structure and explain who we are.
On the one hand, Gloriapets, a company that distributes the best brands in the market, on the other, Gloria, our own brand, developed by pet lovers and continuously innovating.
This time we were able to show news of different brands, such as Hunter, Nylabone or KONG, and present other new brands we have added to our catalog.
It is worth highlighting Company of Animals and its Halti products and Pet Head toiletries, with an updated and innovative design.
One of the hits was YowUp, an innovative and unique yogurt for dogs and cats, very well accepted by our visitors, which was awarded the Innoval for Pets Award.
Besides, we launched our smell training stuffed toys with the brand Gloria.
It is a collection of stuffed toys to implement training techniques at home to live happily together and show the importance of working towards our pets’ health.
There was high attendance, these three days were very profitable and we could confirm that we are in a sector on the rise.
This sector is promoted by people who are highly involved, highly motivated and willing to innovate.
Iberzoo 2022 was a great opportunity to be in touch with the sector and show all our news to our customers.
Our goal was to invite as many people and companies as possible to learn more about us and discover how we understand and value brands.
And, above all, give them a chance to see and touch our products in our big exhibition area.
It was a positive experience in general that makes us want to continue growing to make this world a better place for us and our best friends.”
Candid Tails
By Eugenio Gulminelli Barrau
“For CandidTails, Iberzoo-Propet was a very good opportunity that allowed us to meet interesting people in order to expand our network of customers, business partners, etc.
As a newly-created company, it is essential for us to be in touch with people in the industry who aim at helping dog and cat (and other pet) owners.
CandidTails is a company that provides hemp-derived products for animals with the purpose of reducing the stress, anxiety and suffering they may experience throughout their lives.
We want to help our customers to take care of their best friends.
CandidTails donates 10% of its profits to animal shelters.”
Web: www.candidtails.com
Wild Balance
By Almudena Armelles
“We are totally satisfied with our participation in the last edition of Iberzoo Propet 2022, held on March 10, 11 and 12.
The annual event was a success and so was Wild Balance.
A lot of visitors came to our stand in order to improve their dogs and cats nutrition and meet those behind the brand and its goal: dogs and cats’ health and welfare.
We could also meet most of our partners, who take the best food for our pets to every corner of Spain.
Our products are human-grade.
They are inspired in raw food that undergoes strict quality controls.
They are elaborated with natural and organic ingredients from local farms in Valencia.
At Wild Balance we are aware that dogs and cats are part of the family and they need to have a raw and healthy diet, free from ultra-processed products and adapted to their biological characteristics and nutritional needs.
Food to live, not just to survive.
Our presence at Iberzoo Propet and the great welcome of our stand have helped us to reinforce our current customers and collaborators’ loyalty and have a closer relationship with them.
We were also able to make our new products known to more families and specialized stores.
In this way, we can reach more homes every day so that their dogs and cats have a healthy and natural nutrition, improving their life quality and life expectancy.
It has been a very enriching experience for our company, since we were able to make contacts and boost our startup as well as prove that after the pandemic the industry is more alive than ever.”
Web: www.wildbalance.es
Tippy Taps
By Ricardo Sousa
Iberzoo was a gamble that completely paid off.
We are a new company with a completely out of the box idea: to provide the world’s first dog treat that is meant to be shared between dogs and humans. At Iberzoo, we were able to confirm that our idea is a success.
We met thousands of people interested in knowing us and our products and the feedback was amazing. We got tons of positive reactions, which resulted in a boost of confidence in our work and our products.
Since our products are made 100% from natural and delicious fruits, they appeal to the taste of both dogs and humans, and the lines forming in front of our stand were the proof that taste was not missing at all.
We loved Iberzoo, the space, the people and the open mindedness we witnessed, and we will for sure be back next year.
We have excellent deals and soon they will be available in every pet shop across Spain, so that all our customers, the four legged and the two legged ones, can enjoy our delicious treats.
Conclusions:
For two years, events have been nothing but faces on a screen, the catering was just some coffee made at home and our main concern was that the streaming worked.
“Being close is very good.”
That was the slogan of a popular Argentine TV channel for many years.
And there’s no better way to prove it than shaking hands, looking at each other in the eye and talking about the things we love that connect us with others.
Being close always makes us better human beings.
Learning from our colleagues, our partners, our competitors and mainly our four-legged friends makes us evolve, innovate, grow.
To sum up, the essential has become visible to the eye at the International Fair for Petcare Professionals Iberzoo+Propet 2022, even if the Little Prince doesn’t agree with me this time.
Go to the Spanish version of the article
By Verónica Andrea Fernández
