Success stories and industry awards

Copenhagen, October: When the international pet industry gathers in the Danish capital, the focus is on the major issues of our time. How do you navigate change? How do you forge sustainable connections in a rapidly evolving market? This is precisely where the International Pet Conference (IPC) comes in, presented by the trade magazine PET worldwide, the international sister publication of pet.

‘Pets, People, Progress – Developing the pet industry together’ is this year’s theme. On 13 and 14 October, the focus will be on inspiration, knowledge-sharing and face-to-face meetings – an event offering fresh market insights and plenty of opportunity for networking, which has long since become a fixed date in the industry’s calendar.

Following a welcome address by Marc Dähne (Dähne Verlag) and an introduction by the moderators Oliver Mengedoht and Sarah Daubert, the session ‘Market momentum: Retail, premiumisation and the changing European pet landscape’ opens the programme. Marco Hierling (Alpha Pet) demonstrates how healthy pet food is conquering the mass market and how what was once a premium niche is becoming the new standard. Pavel Bouška, Chairman of the Board of the Vafo Group, looks beyond pet food in his talk entitled ‘­Beyond Pet Food: The Future of Pet Wellbeing’, before Per Lausen (Eldorado A/S) presents the ­Nordic market, its trends and opportunities in his keynote speech.

Following the networking break, there will be two success stories: Ellinor ­Persdotter ­Nilsson, Chief Commercial Officer of the Musti Group, will talk about the Nordic champion’s rise to become a pan-European player. Afterwards, Oliver Mengedoht will interview Anthony ­Gallagher (Petstop Ireland) about his journey – ‘Resilience, instinct & people’. Things are also set to get exciting at the Best Newcomer Award 2026: five young companies will present themselves to the audience in five-minute elevator pitches.

The afternoon session, entitled ‘Responsibility in focus’, will focus on responsibility. A panel discussion featuring Carmen Borsche and Stephanie Müller-Strauß (both from Nestlé Purina PetCare) will address an often-overlooked topic: the mental health of vets and the role of the industry. Svein A. Fosså, President of the European Pet Organisation (EPO), will give a short keynote speech before joining Secretary-General Nathalie Gamain to discuss the responsible sourcing of animals, whilst ­Liseth Galvis-Corfe (Euromonitor) will provide a data-driven perspective on key European trends. The first day will conclude with a high-profile panel discussion on the future of leading international trade fairs – featuring Dr Rowena Arzt (WZF/Interzoo), Pascale Sonvico (Zoomark International) and Chris Li (CIPS).

The day will draw to a close at 7 pm with an evening event at the conference hotel, supported by Vafo. This will be more than just a networking opportunity: the PET worldwide Best Newcomer Award 2026 will be presented and the PET worldwide Personality of the Year 2026 will be announced.

Anyone arriving the evening before should keep 12 October free. The get-together starts at 6 pm on board at Havnebadet ­Islands Brygge: a 90-minute boat tour through Copenhagen’s harbour and the canals of the old town, accompanied by a drink, will set the mood for the industry gathering before we head to the rooftop restaurant ‘The View’. The number of participants is limited to 100 (first come, first served); admission costs €123.75 (€99 net) and can only be booked in conjunction with a conference ticket.

The second day begins with the session ‘Building beyond borders’. Timo Tervo, CEO of Pet Network International, explains how a 300-store champion is emerging in the fragmented markets of South-Eastern Europe. Gavin Vermeulen (Montego) explains in ‘The Karoo advantage’ how a story of origin can become a competitive advantage in ­Europe, whilst Marco Hutterer (Ammersea Group) highlights why integration, rather than mere distribution, will be key to future growth in South-East Asia.

After the break, the session entitled ‘The rise of AI and protein futures’ will address two future-oriented topics simultaneously. Jan Philip Petershagen (Bewital Holding) will use a practical example to demonstrate how the AI hype can be turned into tangible benefits. In a panel discussion on alternative proteins, ­Stephan Thomeczek (Protix), Hermann Sloot (Calysta Germany) and Marcel Hoffmann and Bert Fuhrmann (both from Marsapet) will discuss responsible sourcing. Jan Luprich (BeneMeat) will round off the programme with a look at the industrialisation of cultured meat for animal feed.

The venue is the Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel at Amager Boulevard 70 in Copenhagen, which serves as both a conference centre and accommodation; rooms can be booked directly via the conference website. The IPC is specifically aimed at decision-makers from marketing, sales, product management, key account management and procurement. It promises once again to be what sets it apart: a meeting place where the pet industry not only discusses change but actively shapes it.