SuperZoo & GPE – What’s the difference?

GPE had over 1000 exhibitors and SuperZoo just over 900 so GPE is about 10% larger in sheer numbers. About 600 exhibitors have booths at both shows. This means that each show has 300-400 exhibitors that you won’t see at the other show – at least for 2014.

Both shows have designated floor sections which pull together exhibitors with a common theme. Other than this segregation, neither show segregates the other booths in any way.

The chart below and the ones that follow show the exhibitor count, % of total booths and compares Superzoo’s numbers to the GPE’s which occurred 4 months earlier. Let’s see how they differ.

In Numbers SuperZoo has 7 sections, while GPE has only 5.

They have 4 sections in common:
1. Natural – The growth of this industry is readily apparent as both shows fill however space they designate. SuperZoo actually had 81% more than GPE
2. Boutique/Rodeo Drive – Fashion is another growing area. It is especially apparent at Superzoo which has a focus on independent retailers and is perfectly timed for the independents to start their purchases for the Fall lift.
3. Aquatic – Traditionally stronger for GPE. The show is located in Florida with proximity to a number of wholesale fish suppliers.
4. New Vendors – Strong section for both shows.

Differing sections:
1. International (GPE Only) – SuperZoo has international exhibitors but it doesn’t generate quite the “Global” focus of GPE.
2. Critter Alley & Equine (Superzoo Only) – SuperZoo segregates a “live” animal section and a small section for Equine.
3. Groomers – SuperZoo has a special emphasis for groomers

Now we come to classifications that I have made. The next section is:

Exhibitor Type – By function: By Animal type

1. At both shows, Cats are Royalty (2 of every 5 booths have Cat products) …but Dogs Rule! (4 out of 5 booths have products for dogs.
2. GPE is a little stronger In Fish, small animals and birds.
3. SuperZoo has over 3 times the number of Pet Distributors as GPE. This reflects the emphasis on independent retailers as does the larger number of exhibitors offering retailer business services.
4. The increased number of Exhibitors offering “gifts” reflects this difference as well as the timing of the show – the beginning of the “gift” buying season.

Dogs and Cats are the unquestioned royalty of Pet. I have divided products designed for them into 32 subcategories. The top 8 are the same for both shows…although not in the exact same order.

There are only a couple of notable differences.
1. OTC Treatments and Supplements are growing rapidly. This is a reflection of a strong industry trend.
2. Clothes and costumes – With a 50% increase, this reflects the growing fashion segment and the timing of SuperZoo at the start of the Fall buying season for independents.

Both SuperZoo and GPE have significant numbers of attendees across all Channels of the Pet Market. Regardless of your focus, it’s possible to “gitter done” at either show. The difference seems to be that SuperZoo has more of a “local” flair while GPE has a broader international appeal. The timing of the 2 shows is slightly different as GPE lends itself to more long range planning while SuperZoo’s feel is an “act now” for it’s retailer attendees.

The complete list of dog and cat subcategories follows below. Take a look to see what is important for your business!

[box]Coming in my next post, we’ll start a conversation on everyone’s favorite subject – price increases 🙂[/box]