Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft Zoologischer Fachbetriebe GmbH (WZF)

What Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft Zoologischer Fachbetriebe GmbH (WZF) does

Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft Zoologischer Fachbetriebe GmbH (WZF) is a German private limited company (GmbH) and 100% subsidiary of ZZF (Zentralverband der Heimtierbranche e.V.), the leading professional and trade association for the German pet industry. Headquartered in Wiesbaden with a 22-person multi-professional team, WZF operates a portfolio of interconnected services for the German and international pet industry: trade fairs and events (most notably Interzoo, the world-leading biennial pet supplies trade fair in Nuremberg with approximately 2,400 exhibitors and 39,000 trade visitors from 130 countries, operated in partnership with NürnbergMesse GmbH since 1988), B2B and B2C publishing (zza magazine founded in 1905, zza-online.de, wirfuerstier.de, my-fish.org), e-learning platforms (Heimtier Akademie for German retail training, Interzoo Academy for global English-language continuing education), policy and scientific conferences (ZZF-Forum, ZZF-Symposium, Wir fürs Tier), market data services, and the Ringstelle — the German Federal Environment Ministry-recognized official marking office for species protection.

WZF monetizes through multiple B2B revenue streams: exhibitor fees, sponsorship, and event-related services from trade shows; advertising and subscription revenue from zza magazine and newsletters; course fees from e-learning platforms; transaction fees from Ringstelle species protection markings sold to breeders, zoos, and animal parks; and licensing revenue from market data publications. The wholly-owned subsidiary International Pet Business (IPB) GmbH extends the trade fair business internationally. The go-to-market is association-driven and event-led: acquisition flows through ZZF membership networks, industry credibility, and the reach of WZF's publications and events. WZF's strategic positioning at the center of the pet industry ecosystem — combining content, events, education, and regulatory certification — is structurally tied to ZZF's ethical animal welfare standards, which function as a differentiator for the Interzoo brand.

Name

Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft Zoologischer Fachbetriebe GmbH (WZF)

Legal name

Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft Zoologischer Fachbetriebe GmbH

Website

https://wzf-online.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Industry Trade Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGAFAI

Pet & Animal Expos

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Exhibitions, Fairs & Expos (Consumer/Public)

Keywords

• Pet industry trade fairs
• B2B pet publications
• Species protection certification
• Pet retail education
• Pet market data

Headquarters

HQ city

Wiesbaden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Trade Show and Event Management: WZF organizes and operates major trade shows and events, primarily Interzoo (world's leading pet industry trade fair, held every two years in Nuremberg with ~2,400 exhibitors and ~39,000 trade visitors). It also runs ZZF-Symposium, ZZF-Forum, and Wir fürs Tier conferences. Revenue is generated through exhibitor fees, sponsorship, and event-related services.
2. Publishing and Media: WZF publishes the zza magazine (zoologischer zentral anzeiger, established 1905), the weekly zza.dieWoche newsletter, zza-online.de, and operates online portals wirfuerstier.de and my-fish.org. Revenue is generated through advertising, subscriptions, and content licensing.
3. Education and Training: WZF operates the Heimtier Akademie (e-learning platform for pet retail apprentices and sales staff) and Interzoo Academy (international digital education). Revenue comes from course fees and training programs.
4. Ringstelle - Species Protection Certification: WZF manages the Ringstelle, the official German body for issuing species protection markings (foot rings and transponders) for ~1,000 protected animal species. Revenue is generated through the sale and registration of these official markers to breeders, zoos, and animal parks.
5. Market Data and Publications: WZF commissions and publishes data on German pet ownership and pet market sales, offering market studies and industry reports for purchase.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WZF organizes and operates trade fairs (notably Interzoo, the world's leading pet industry trade fair), publishes B2B media (zza magazine, newsletters, online portals), runs digital education platforms (Heimtier Akademie, Interzoo Academy), and manages the Ringstelle, the official German marking office for protected animal species. It also provides market data and industry reports for the German and international pet industry.

Product overview

WZF is a services company operating in the German pet industry, functioning as a 100% subsidiary of ZZF (Zentralverband der Heimtierbranche e.V.). Rather than a unified product platform, WZF offers a portfolio of interconnected services: trade fairs and events (Interzoo, ZZF-Symposium, ZZF-Forum, Wir fürs Tier), educational platforms (Heimtier Akademie, Interzoo Academy), publishing (zza magazine, Interzoo Daily), B2C/B2B online portals (wirfuerstier.de, my-fish.org), official species protection certification (Ringstelle), and market data services. The subsidiary International Pet Business IPB GmbH manages international trade fair expansion abroad.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Interzoo: World's leading trade fair for pet supplies, held in Nuremberg, Germany every two years with approximately 2,400 exhibitors and 39,000 trade visitors from 130 countries.
• ZZF-Symposium
• ZZF-Forum
• Wir fürs Tier
• Heimtier Akademie
• Interzoo Academy
• zza – zoologischer zentral anzeiger
• my-fish
• Ringstelle
• International Pet Business IPB GmbH

Products and services

• Interzoo Trade Fair The world's leading trade fair for pet supplies, held every two years in Nuremberg, Germany, with approximately 2,400 exhibitors and 39,000 trade visitors from 130 countries; serves as the primary B2B platform for innovation and communication in the international pet industry.
• ZZF-Symposium Professional conference for exchange on the latest scientific findings on pet keeping, targeting veterinarians, pet retail, and manufacturers of pet supplies.
• ZZF-Forum Annual congress in Germany for pet industry professionals and external experts, convened on behalf of ZZF.
• Wir fürs Tier Conference Conference for politicians and professionals that stimulates dialogue on current topics of pet keeping and responsible animal welfare.
• Heimtier Akademie E-learning platform supporting trainees and sales staff in pet retail as well as all positions that mediate pets in their professional training and continuing education.
• Interzoo Academy Information and continuing education platform for the international pet industry with events and on-demand courses delivered in English.
• zza – zoologischer zentral anzeiger B2B magazine for the entire pet industry, published ten times per year by the zza publishing house of WZF in Wiesbaden, founded 1905; the most widely circulated B2B trade magazine in the German pet industry.
• my-fish.org Online platform for aquaristics accompanying beginners and experienced aquarists since 2010; includes 570 detailed guide pages, 2,237 species profiles in the Fishothek, 451 podcast episodes, and 119 my-fish TV episodes, reaching 5.4 million website visitors annually.
• wirfuerstier.de Online portal and guide for pet lovers providing information on pet acquisition and species-appropriate keeping; also makes pet professions and training pathways visible.
• Interzoo Daily Trade fair newspaper produced and distributed during the Interzoo exhibition, also available as a digital edition in the Interzoo newsroom.
• Ringstelle Species Protection Marking Official marking authority for protected species, recognized by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (Bundesumweltministerium), issuing official markings (foot rings and transponders) for approximately 1,000 animal species to breeders, animal parks, and zoos to prevent illegal trade.
• Pet Market Data Services Market data services including statistics on pet keeping and pet population, published regularly along with sales data for the German pet industry.
• Petfood Forum Europe 2026 One-day B2B conference co-located with the Interzoo trade fair in Nuremberg, co-organized with WATT Global Media, focusing on market trends, nutrition, ingredient innovation, processing technologies, and supply chain management for pet food professionals.
• International Pet Business (IPB) GmbH Services Wholly-owned international B2B services subsidiary developing and managing cross-border activities and the expansion of WZF's trade fair business abroad; portfolio includes concept development, project management, sales, and after-sales of products and services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5.4 million annual website visitors on my-fish.org alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• WATT Global MediamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2025WZF partners with WATT Global Media (owner of petfoodindustry.com) to co-organize Petfood Forum Europe, a one-day conference co-located with Interzoo trade fair on May 11, 2026 in Nuremberg. Steve Akins of WATT Global Media and Dr Rowena Arzt of WZF highlighted the partnership as providing networking and business opportunities for the pet industry supply chain.
• NürnbergMesse GmbHcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 1988NürnbergMesse GmbH has been commissioned by WZF to organize and execute the Interzoo trade fair since 1988. WZF retains ownership of the trade show. NürnbergMesse handles all on-site logistics, venue management, and event operations in Nuremberg, Germany.
• International Pet Business (IPB) GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPB GmbH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of WZF. As an international B2B services company, IPB develops and manages cross-border activities and the expansion of trade show business abroad. Its portfolio includes concept development, project management, sales, and after-sales of products and services.
• ZZF – Zentralverband der Heimtierbranche e.V.coreOthersWZF is a 100% wholly-owned subsidiary of ZZF, the leading German professional and trade association for the pet industry. ZZF is the founder, ideological and specialist sponsor of Interzoo. WZF provides all commercial services for ZZF, and ZZF's ethical standards on animal welfare are embedded in WZF's operations, notably as a differentiating feature of Interzoo.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA): US pet industry distributors association that co-owns Global Pet Expo with APPA. Direct peer to WZF: trade-association-backed organizer of a flagship pet industry trade fair and B2B services for the pet supply value chain.
• American Pet Products Association (APPA): US national pet industry trade association that co-organizes Global Pet Expo, the largest North American pet industry trade fair. Directly comparable to WZF as a pet-industry trade-association-owned event organizer with B2B research, advocacy, and member services.
• WATT Global Media: US-based B2B media company focused on the pet food and agri-food industries; owns petfoodindustry.com and co-organizes Petfood Forum Europe with WZF. Direct peer in pet industry B2B publishing, events and content, and an active commercial partner.
• BolognaFiere (Zoomark): Italian trade fair organizer behind Zoomark, the largest pet industry trade show in Southern Europe and a direct competitor to Interzoo. Closely comparable on event scale, biennial cadence, and B2B pet industry positioning.

Others

• NürnbergMesse GmbH: One of the world's largest trade fair operators, contracted by WZF since 1988 to execute Interzoo. Not a peer in the strategic sense, but the closest comparable operator in the German trade fair industry and a critical operational dependency.
• Bundesverband für Tiergesundheit (BfT): German industry association representing animal health and veterinary medicine manufacturers. Comparable to ZZF/WZF as a German trade association serving the pet/animal health ecosystem, with overlapping membership and stakeholder base but no consumer-facing events.

Regional players

• PATS - Pet & Aquatics Trade Show: UK pet industry trade fair organized by headline events, a major UK pet trade show comparable in format to Interzoo but serving UK and Ireland buyers rather than competing globally.
• Pet South America (GiroFeiras): Latin America's leading pet industry trade fair held in São Paulo. Comparable to Interzoo on format and B2B positioning but focused on the South American market rather than direct European competition.
• Pet Fair Asia: Asia's largest pet industry trade fair, held annually in Shanghai. Comparable to Interzoo on format and exhibitor base but primarily serves the Asian market rather than competing head-on in Europe.

Broad incumbents

• FEDIAF - European Pet Food Industry Federation: European-level pet food industry trade association publishing annual market data and representing the industry to EU institutions. Broader incumbent to WZF on the trade-association side, with overlapping industry research and policy advocacy but no event ownership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC377Ic33v0hAgGr1dBPaKxw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zentralverband-der-heimtierbranche

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft Zoologischer Fachbetriebe GmbH (WZF)