If you’re planning to attend Petfood Forum 2017 in Kansas City, it’s almost time to pack your bags and go! We’ve been attending Petfood Forum as guests for almost a decade, and are excited to share some of our top tips for getting the most out of one of the pet food industry’s most exciting annual events.

Tip #1: Max Out Your Session Time

It can be tempting to skip a session or two to catch up on sleep or see the sights, but there is plenty of time to take in your surroundings or grab a nap on Monday morning and afternoon or after Wednesday’s closing reception. Fit in as many informational sessions, seminars, and workshops as you can! It’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. Some sessions we’re especially excited to catch this year include:

• What’s next for pet food specialty? Staying a step ahead of tomorrow’s trends with Maria Lange (Tuesday April 4, 9:30-10:30am, Grand Ballroom A)
• Activating the new psychology of pet food marketing: Millennials leading the pack in pet parent shopping behaviors with Bob Wheatley (Tuesday April 4, 1:00-1:40pm, Room 2104)
• Responding to trends shaping the pet food market with Chris Mondzelewski (8:30-9:25am, Grand Ballroom A)

Click here to see the full lineup of sessions and keynotes!

Tip #2: Don’t Miss Out On Networking Time

One of the great things about Petfood Forum is the many built-in opportunities to network with other pet food industry pros. The opening reception in Grand Ballroom B on Monday at 5:30pm kicks things off, and you can keep building connections all day on Tuesday with:

• Breakfast at 7:30am (Grand Ballroom D)
• Coffee breaks at 10:15am and 3:15pm (Exhibit Halls A-C)
• Lunch at 11:45 (Exhibit Halls A-C)
• Boulevard beer tasting & reception from 4:45pm-6:30pm (Exhibit Halls A-C)

That’s not all! Make sure to bring lots of extra business cards on Wednesday to meet more attendees at:

• Breakfast at 7:30am (Grand Ballroom D)
• Coffee breaks at 9:45am and 2:30pm (Exhibit Halls A-C)
• Lunch and roundtable discussions at 12:00pm (Exhibit Halls A-C)
• Closing reception: Kansas City BBQ Bash from 4:15pm-7:00pm (Grand Ballroom D)

Tip #3: Pat A Puppy Or Two

One of our favorite parts of Petfood Forum: some exhibitors have had cute puppies in their booth at prior shows (a nice lure to get a dog-lover into the booth for a conversation).

Even better, PFF has a great history of partnering with rescue organizations such as the SPCA, kennel clubs, and service animal organizations to bring in some furry experts during scheduled breaks. This gives PFF attendees an opportunity to hear their stories and even donate a few dollars to a great pet-related cause.

Tip #4: Meet The Pet Food Pros Of The Future

Petfood Forum’s undergrad and post-grad student attendees are expected to turn out in record numbers this year thanks to a new scholarship program, which will cover the costs of attendance for the top students at leading universities around the world. Don’t miss the “Future of Pet Food Pavilion” on the Exhibit Hall floor, which is a great place to meet the best and brightest young minds in pet food as well as get an idea of the trends and technologies that will shape our industry in the near future. Even if you’re not in a hiring cycle right now, these early connections could pay big dividends for students and forward-thinking pet food organizations alike.

Connect With Us At Petfood Forum

We hope you’re as excited as we are to see what PFF 2017 has in store for our industry! If you’d like to connect during this year’s Petfood Forum, click here to let us know—we’ll set up a time to chat during one of the networking breaks noted in Tip #2.