Working Your Trade Show Muscle

Working your Trade Show Muscle Ever tried cross promoting with another exhibitor at a show? Learn how this simple technique and others can increase your sales. Join us April 6th and 8th for two terrific webinars presented byCharmaine Hammond who will also be speaking at the Calgary and Western Shows.    Ten Ways to Ensure Tradeshow Success (register)  In this virtual class you will learn how to create strategic alliances to cross promote one another at the event, and, how to create collaborations that produce win win results! We will also share strategies on how to: build your data base and new media following before, during and after the event and network with influencers. The virtual class is being recorded so even if you can't join live, please register to you can receive the video replay. How To Boost Social Media Results in the Pet Industry (register)  As business owners in the pet industry know, it can be hard to find the time to keep all the balls in the air, and stay on top of social media. Charmaine Hammond shares 10 powerful (and free) strategies to boost your pet services or business social media...and results. In 29 minutes you'll walk away with 10 actions that will make a difference... and the best part? They're free! Remember to also check out our affordable staff training opportunities at the shows!   SCHEDULE OF EVENTS  SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Job Posting: MARKETING MANAGER /Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals Inc. 

MARKETING MANAGER (Permanent, Full-Time)

We require an experienced Marketing Manager at our head office in Scarborough, ON. The Marketing Manager will be responsible for all primary marketing for the company, ensuring that advertising and marketing standards are consistently maintained for quality and effectiveness. We offer a salary commensurate with experience, a health benefit plan and a professional, yet fun environment.  

Click here to for the full job posting

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PIJAC Canada Members can send us a weblink to their available job opportunity and we will upload it into that week's list hosted on our blog and also include it in The Voice and our social media.

Les membres de PIJAC Canada peuvent faire parvenir un lien Web à leur offre d'emploi et nous allons l'inclure dans la liste hébergée sur notre blogue, dans notre bulletin de nouvelles, ainsi que dans nos médias sociaux. 

Topping Off Sales

Thank you to our colleagues at GfK for offering to share this trending article with you. We are working closely with them on a nation wide project to research consumer pet product buying patterns in Canada.  The article was written by Maria Lange, who some of you may be familiar with as she presented the Canadian State of the Industry report in Toronto last fall.  If you are curious to learn more, visit us at the PIJAC Canada booth at the show.

Enjoy!

Originally published in Pet Business Magazine

Can you imagine a hamburger without ketchup? An ice cream sundae without chocolate syrup? Some pet owners are starting to feel the same way about the food they serve their pets. Meal enhancers, an emerging category that includes everything from gravies to raw mixers, bring extra zest to everyday pet food.

According to GfK’s point-of-sale panel data, meal enhancers racked up $21 million in sales in 2015. That may not sound like much, but it represents an incredible 332 percent increase versus the year before. The number of SKUs for the category has doubled since 2013, from 65 to 128, with roughly four out of five being for dogs.

The strong sales growth of this emerging segment in pet retail has been driven by freeze-dried meal mixers and wet, chunky food toppers (think beef or chicken stew). Freeze-dried mixers accounted for 63 percent ($13.1 million) of all enhancer sales in 2015, for a remarkable 625 percent growth rate year over year. Wet food toppers racked up $6.5 million in 2015 (+224 percent YOY) and made up 31 percent of the total meal enhancer category. That leaves $1.3 million for liquid toppers—gravies, purees, and sauces, whose sales were flat compared to 2014.

GfK’s data also show neighborhood pet specialty shops taking a different approach to the meal enhancers category than their superstore cousins. Retailers appear to be focusing on premium options,with 96 percent of all meal enhancer sales coming from freeze-dried meal mixers ($33 per pound), compared to 38 percent in pet superstores.  Meanwhile, 52 percent of all enhancer sales in pet specialty superstores are attributed to wet, chunky food toppers ($7 to $8 per pound). Liquid topper sales growth seems stalled in both channels.

As manufacturers of freeze-dried meal mixers ramp up their distribution to superstores, we expect to see this category grow in importance for the big chains—following in the footsteps of early-adopting neighborhood shops. Their focus on health makes freeze-dried mixer SKUs an appealing offering for an important group of superstore customers: those who seek quality ingredients along with lower prices. 

Wet toppers, meanwhile, represent a shelf-efficient option for neighborhood pet stores to embrace, at prices not too far below premium. A growing distribution for wet toppers in neighborhood retail—from 7 percent in 2014 to 17 percent in 2015—may indicate that independent shops have already caught on to this opportunity.  

Sales of cat meal enhancers have risen 264 percent in just the last year, compared to 232 percent for dog items. However, while it seems you cannot go wrong with either of those growth rates, cat SKUs are still underrepresented. Possible reasons seem clear: Wet foods represent 42 percent of all cat food sales in the U.S., making wet food toppers less of a draw for cats. And as raw/freeze-dried options for cats are less developed, meal enhancers may remain an even smaller niche premium category for our feline furry friends. But, given their strong sales growth rate, do not forget the kitties completely when filling your shelves with meal enhancers.

We will keep you posted as meal enhancers continue to claim their share of pet sales dollars; be sure to check out this intriguing new twist on pet pampering as you look to add some zest to your 2016 sales. 

All of the data in this story comes from GfK’s point-of-sale (POS) panel representing over 11,000 U.S. pet retailers. Participating stores get free reports on the marketplace, and clients can use the data to learn about their brands and competitors. Find out more by writing to Maria at maria.lange@gfk.com. Maria Lange is Business Group Director for GfK’s POS Tracking (Pet) team.

Pavillon canadien à Global Pet Expo

PIJAC Canada est heureux d’annoncer la venue de son tout premier pavillon à Global Pet Expo, cette semaine en Floride. Nous sommes fiers de présenter quatre entreprises canadiennes dynamiques, Boreal Pet Food/Lincoln Biotech, Buddy Belts & Multi Collars, Canutrix Innovations Canada Ltd et Hot Dogs All Dressed Inc. Si vous venez à ce salon, passez nous voir pour dire bonjour.

Boreal Pet Food/Lincoln Biotech – Kiosque 4675 Fabricants de nourriture pour animaux de compagnie

Buddy Belts & Multi Collars – Kiosque 4671
Nous sommes des fabricants de produits pour chiens fonctionnels et de conception avant-gardiste. Buddy Belts est facile à utiliser; votre chien y entre et il s’attache facilement avec une boucle.

Canutrix Innovations Canada Ltd – Booth 4679  
Canutrix Innovations représente Valens Pet Nutrition, SuperPET Nutrition Freeze Dried Treats, Canadian Naturals Pet Food et Open Range Pet Treats.

Hot Dogs All Dressed inc. – Booth 4677  
Ces produits faits à la main à Montréal, sont une gamme complète d’accessoires, de colliers, de laisses, de médailles d’identification, de muselières, d’attelage et de cadeaux pour chiens et chats. Depuis 1996.

Canadian Pavilion at Global Pet Expo

PIJAC Canada is proud to announce our first ever Canadian Pavilion at the Global Pet Expo this week in Florida.  We are proud to be hosting four dynamic Canadian companies, Boreal Pet Food/Lincoln Biotech, Buddy Belts & Multi Collars, Canutrix Innovations Canada Ltd and Hot Dogs All Dressed inc. If you are at the show this week, be sure to drop by and say hello.  

Boreal Pet Food/Lincoln Biotech – Booth 4675

Pet food Manufacturers

Buddy Belts & Multi Collars – Booth 4671

We are manufacturers of functional, design-forward dog products.

Buddy Belts is easy to use: your dog steps in and it quickly fastens

with one buckle.

Canutrix Innovations Canada Ltd – Booth 4679    

Canutrix Innovations represents Valens Pet Nutrition, SuperPET Nutrition Freeze Dried Treats, Canadian Naturals Pet Food, Open Range Pet Treats

Hot Dogs All Dressed inc. – Booth 4677     

Handcrafted in Montreal, full line of dog and cat accessories- collars, leashes, ID tags. Muzzles, harnesses, gifts. Since 1996

Cdn Pet Industry Scholarship Deadline Approaching

PIJAC Canada wants to help promising future pet industry professionals further their post-secondary education. Two annual scholarships of $1000 are available to all PIJAC Canada members, their staff and immediate family. 

Contact Jacynthe Lacroix at programs@pijaccanada.com or call 

(800) 667-7452 x 113.

La date limite pour les bourses d'études offertes aux membres de PIJAC Canada approche

Bourses d’études PIJAC Canada veut aider de futurs professionnels de l’industrie des animaux de compagnie à poursuivre leurs études postsecondaires. Deux bourses d’études annuelles de 1 000 $ sont disponibles à tous les membres de PIJAC Canada, leur personnel et leur famille immédiate.

Contactez Jacynthe Laxroix à programs@pijaccanada.com ou signaler 
800-667-7452 x113