What Global Pet Expo does

Global Pet Expo is the pet industry's premier annual trade show, operated by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), a U.S. non-profit trade association, in partnership with the Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA). Founded in 1958 and now in its 16th annual cycle as currently structured, the event is held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, and targets qualified pet industry buyers (independent retailers, distributors, mass-market buyers) along with exhibitor brands and supplier/manufacturer partners. The 2026 show attracted 22,000+ registered attendees, 1,100+ exhibiting companies, and 3,500+ booths, including 300 first-time exhibitors and a New Products Showcase featuring 1,000+ new products across 13 categories.

The product surface consists of three layers: (1) the core three-day trade show floor with specialty sections (Natural Pet, Modern Pet, The Vivarium, International Pavilion, Supplier Pavilion, Tech Innovation, Start-Ups, Aquatics & Exotics); (2) the Global Learning Series, a free 50+ session education program integrated into registration; and (3) The Pet Summit, a premium paid add-on conference with six curated tracks covering marketing, tech, sustainability, investment, data, and retail. The underlying technology stack is a conventional event-management platform: Map Your Show powers the exhibitor portal and floor plan, Convention Data Services (CDS) provides badge scanning and lead retrieval, Smart City provides internet services, and an official mobile app supports attendee navigation. The 16th annual Best In Show awards program recognizes top new products across 13 categories including Pet Tech Innovation, Sustainability, and Human-Animal Bond Breakthrough.

Global Pet Expo generates revenue through three primary streams: exhibitor booth fees (sold-out annual inventory across 3,400+ booths), sponsorship packages (branded activations and upgrade listings), and paid Pet Summit All-Access passes. Qualified buyer admission is free contingent on pre-qualification, while exhibitors and sponsors transact on multi-year contracts. The event is supported by an integrated vendor ecosystem including GES Exposition Services (general contractor), onPeak (official hotel booking), Production Transport Inc. (shuttle), KiddieCorp (childcare), Visit Orlando (tourism), LMG (AV), and United Security. APPA headquarters are in Stamford, Connecticut, and the executive team includes President & CEO Peter Scott, PIDA President Celeste Powers, and APPA C-suite leaders across operations, growth, marketing, and brand experience.

Name

Global Pet Expo

Legal name

American Pet Products Association

Website

https://globalpetexpo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Global Pet Expo is the pet industry's premier annual B2B trade show, operated by the American Pet Products Association, featuring 1,100+ exhibitors and 22,000+ attendees at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. It monetizes through exhibitor booth fees, sponsorships, and the paid Pet Summit education conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Industry Trade Show / Event Management

akta.pro primary industry

Pet & Animal Expos (MPAGAFAI)

Keywords

• Pet industry trade show
• B2B pet expo
• Pet product exhibition
• Pet industry networking event
• Pet product sourcing show

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Exhibitor Booth Fees: Exhibitors pay for booth space at the trade show. The exhibit hall is sold out with over 1,100 companies across 3,400+ booths.
2. Sponsorship Packages: Companies can sponsor Global Pet Expo through various opportunities including upgrade listings and branded activations throughout the show.
3. Education Conference Fees: The Pet Summit offers premium educational conference with all-access passes available as an add-on to Global registration. Free Global Learning Series with 50+ sessions included with registration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Global Pet Expo is the pet industry's premier annual B2B trade show held in Orlando, FL, featuring 1,100+ exhibiting brands across 3,500+ booths and attracting nearly 20,000 pet industry professionals. It is presented by APPA and PIDA and offers free admission to qualified buyers, with exhibitors paying for booth space and sponsorships. Supporting offerings include the Global Learning Series (50+ free sessions), The Pet Summit (premium paid education conference), the New Products Showcase, and the Best in Show Awards program recognizing top new products across 13 categories.

Product overview

Global Pet Expo operates as a unified platform centered on its flagship annual trade show event, supplemented by education offerings. The core product is the Global Pet Expo trade show — a three-day in-person event featuring 1,100+ exhibitors across 3,400+ booths. This is supported by two education tiers: The Pet Summit (a premium add-on conference with six curated tracks) and the Global Learning Series (free sessions within the expo). The New Products Showcase and Best in Show Awards program provide product discovery and recognition features within the event ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Global Learning Series: Free educational sessions held throughout the exhibit hall on Spotlight and Catalyst Stages, the PSC Sustainability Pavilion Theater, offering thought leadership content for pet industry professionals.
• Best In Show Awards

Products and services

• Global Pet Expo Trade Show The pet industry's premier annual B2B trade show event for pet product manufacturers, retailers, distributors, suppliers, and media. Features 1,100+ exhibiting pet brands across 3,500+ booths, specialty sections (Natural Pet, Modern Pet, The Vivarium, International Pavilion, Supplier Pavilion), 1,000+ new products in the New Products Showcase, and free admission for qualified buyers who pre-qualify.
• The Pet Summit APPA's premium educational conference featuring six expert-led tracks covering marketing, tech, sustainability, investment, data, and the future of retail. Available as an add-on All-Access Pass to Global Pet Expo registration, including networking events and high-value sessions for pet industry professionals.
• Global Learning Series Free educational program with 50+ sessions held on Spotlight and Catalyst Stages plus the PSC Sustainability Pavilion Theater within the expo. Offers expert panels, interactive demonstrations, and engaging keynotes for pet industry professionals. Included with Global Pet Expo registration for retailers, distributors, and manufacturers.
• New Products Showcase Exhibition area on the show floor showcasing 1,000+ new pet products across 13 categories where buyers can browse products from exhibiting brands and connect for exclusive show deals.
• Best In Show Awards Annual awards program recognizing top new pet products across 13 categories including Natural, Pet Tech Innovation, Sustainability, Dog Food & Treats, Dog Products, Aquatic, Cat, Farm & Feed, Modern Pet, Reptiles, Small Animal, Bird, and Human-Animal Bond Breakthrough. Awards a Best In Show winner plus 2nd and 3rd place for each category; 39 new products were recognized in the 2026 program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,000+ registered attendees
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Pet Products Association (APPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPPA is the presenting organization of Global Pet Expo. As a non-profit trade association dedicated to promoting responsible pet care and advancing the pet products industry, APPA organizes and manages the show along with PIDA. The organization provides membership services, industry research, and industry leadership.
• Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPIDA is a co-sponsor of Global Pet Expo along with APPA. The association represents pet product distributors and works with APPA to deliver education through the Global Learning Series and The Pet Summit.
• GES Exposition ServicescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOfficial general services contractor for Global Pet Expo. Provides electrical, rigging, food and beverage, audio & video, and floral services. Handles exhibitor move-in/move-out logistics.
• onPeakcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial hotel booking company for Global Pet Expo. Secured discounted hotel rates for attendees at area Orlando hotels. Provides complimentary hotel shuttle service coordination.
• Convention Data Services (CDS)coreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial lead retrieval service provider for Global Pet Expo. Provides badge scanning and lead capture technology for exhibitors.
• Map Your ShowcoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial event management platform provider. Powers the exhibitor portal, floor plan, and show planning tools.
• KiddieCorpminorOthersOfficial childcare services provider for Global Pet Expo. Provides on-site children's program during show days. In its 36th year of providing children's programs at conventions and trade shows.
• Production Transport Inc.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial shuttle bus service provider for Global Pet Expo, transporting attendees from hotels to the Orange County Convention Center.
• United Security ServicesminorOthersOfficial security services provider for Global Pet Expo.
• Visit OrlandominorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial tourism partner providing deals for Global Pet Expo attendees at local restaurants, attractions, shops, and entertainment venues.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Messe Frankfurt: Messe Frankfurt is a major global exhibition organizer hosting consumer goods and lifestyle trade fairs. Its portfolio breadth and operational scale make it a broad incumbent comparable to the trade-show organizing function Global Pet Expo performs for the pet industry.
• NürnbergMesse: NürnbergMesse is the organizer of Interzoo and runs a portfolio of consumer-goods and specialty trade fairs. It is comparable to Global Pet Expo's parent function as a specialty trade show operator with deep industry partnerships.
• Emerald Expositions: Emerald Expositions (now part of Informa) is a U.S. trade show operator running major consumer and B2B events. Its broad trade-show operating model and event portfolio strategy are comparable to Global Pet Expo's function at scale.
• Clarion Events: Clarion Events is a global events organizer operating major B2B trade shows across multiple verticals. Its diversified event portfolio and for-profit operating model contrast with Global Pet Expo's non-profit, single-event structure.
• Informa Markets: Informa is the world's largest B2B events and exhibitions operator, organizing hundreds of industry trade shows globally. While not a single-event direct competitor, Informa's pet, retail, and consumer goods event portfolio makes it a broad incumbent in the trade-show category Global Pet Expo operates in.

Direct peers

• Interzoo: Interzoo is the world's leading international trade fair for pet supplies, held biennially in Nuremberg, Germany, and serves the same pet product manufacturer and buyer audience as Global Pet Expo on a global stage.
• Pet Fair Asia: Pet Fair Asia is one of the largest pet industry trade shows in Asia, held in Shanghai, attracting many of the same multinational pet product brands and competing with Global Pet Expo for international exhibitor attention.
• Zoomark: Zoomark is a major biennial pet industry trade show held in Bologna, Italy, targeting the same pet product exhibitor and buyer base as Global Pet Expo and competing for European exhibitor mindshare.
• SuperZoo (World Pet Association): SuperZoo is the other major annual pet industry trade show in North America, organized by the World Pet Association, and directly competes with Global Pet Expo for the same exhibitor budgets and qualified pet-product buyers.

Others

• Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC): PIJAC is a pet industry trade association that runs smaller, regional pet industry events and advocacy programming. It is adjacent rather than directly competitive, but shares Global Pet Expo's association-led trade-show model and pet-industry member base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Globalpetexpo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@GlobalPetExpo
• Facebookfacebook.com/GlobalPetExpo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/appa-global-pet-expo
• Instagraminstagram.com/globalpetexpo
• TikToktiktok.com/@globalpetexpo

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Global Pet Expo