Key Takeaways
- ▸Interzoo 2026 closed with ~39,000 trade visitors from over 130 countries
- ▸More than 70% of visitors were international
- ▸The sustainability award went to an algae-based omega-3 ingredient
- ▸The next Interzoo runs 23-26 May 2028 in Nuremberg
CURIOSITY FRIDAY · FAIR EDITION
Interzoo 2026 closed its doors with ~39,000 trade visitors from over 130 countries — more than 70% of them international. The record books are rewritten; the direction of travel is unmistakable.
▮ The four themes that owned the fair
The sustainability award went to an algae-based omega-3 ingredient — a fish-oil alternative with a smaller footprint story. Read it as a signal, not a threat: novel ingredients win awards, while animal protein keeps winning tonnage. The market is additive, not substitutive.
Preventive health was the quiet giant: supplements, functional treats, diagnostic-linked diets. Every one of those products needs high-quality, documented raw materials underneath the claim.
Fairs crown novelties. Purchasing departments crown consistency. Both verdicts matter.
Mark the calendar
The next Interzoo runs 23-26 May 2028 in Nuremberg. Between now and then, every trend above becomes either a spec sheet or a footnote.
The 4DW Angle
We left the week with a fuller notebook and a simple conclusion: demand for documented animal protein into Europe is broadening, not narrowing. The premium tier is where our plant and partners already operate.
▮ Frequently asked questions
How many people attended Interzoo 2026?
Interzoo 2026 in Nuremberg drew roughly 39,000 trade visitors from over 130 countries, more than 70% of them international — a record edition. The turnout confirmed pet food as a single global supply chain and pointed to broadening, not narrowing, demand for documented animal protein into Europe.
What trends won Interzoo 2026?
Four themes dominated the fair: preventive health, sustainability, AI pet care and premium. The sustainability award went to an algae-based omega-3 ingredient, a fish-oil alternative. The signal is additive rather than substitutive — novel ingredients win awards while animal protein keeps winning the tonnage underneath the claims.
When is the next Interzoo?
The next Interzoo runs 23-26 May 2028 in Nuremberg, Germany. Held every two years, it is the world's leading pet industry trade fair. Between editions, the trends showcased — preventive health, sustainability, AI pet care and premium — become either concrete purchasing specs or forgotten footnotes.
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SOURCES