The pet industry is often referred to as an industry built on passion. That passion drives innovation through not only exciting new product launches, but also through the introduction of new pet businesses and existing businesses to the pet scene. As small pet business coaches, we here at BlogPaws are constantly on the look out for the latest trends and developments within the pet industry. We keep our eyes and ears open throughout the year for new pet business-related news online (and have started sharing this news in our Press Release section), but we always look forward to attending large industry events.
In person industry events, such as trade shows, allow us a unique opportunity to network with other pet industry professionals while also being able to see and touch the latest and most innovative products first hand.
From March 20-22, 2024, myself (Jessica) and Britt from Team BlogPaws attended Global Pet Expo 2024 in Orlando, Florida.
Global Pet Expo, which is presented by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) and the Pet Industry Distribution Association (PIDA), takes place across three days in the Orange County Convention Center. The show brings together brands of all sizes, independent retailers, distributors, mass-market buyers, members of the media, and other qualified pet professionals from all over the world. This year’s show featured 1,000+ new product launches and 3,400+ booths from 1,100 exhibiting companies, of which 300 were exhibiting for the first time.
Products highlighted on the show floor are designed for pets of all types including dogs, cats, birds, horses, fish, reptiles, small animals, farm animals, and more.
For three days, we walked miles across the trade show floor. Our purpose? To find the best of the best in our industry. We searched for impressive booth displays, captivating packaging, standout industry trends, and of course, innovative pet products. After endless steps, hundreds of photos, hours of conversation, and a few good nights sleep, we selected our BlogPaws Best Awards for Global Pet Expo 2024.
In the end, we awarded 29 categorical BlogPaws Best Awards and 4 team member Best in Show Awards to brands and products that are making their mark on the pet industry by going above and beyond.
Introducing the BlogPaws Best Award Winners from Global Pet Expo 2024
Best Tech Product: RealScooper
Auto Self-Refill Automatic Cat Litter Box by Shenzhen Lalahome Smartech Co., Ltd.
One of the biggest and most successful subsets of pet tech has been the self cleaning cat litter box. They now come in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges and to some degree, they all clean the litter box on their own.
But the one thing that they don’t all do is refill the litter once it has run out. That’s what stood out to us about the RealScooper from LaLaHome. It can store up to 13 lbs of litter. When litter levels are low, it automatically releases and replenishes the box with fresh litter and then mixes it with the existing litter.
The RealScooper works for cats ranging from 2.2 to 22 lbs. It has a built in deodorization system and utilizes UVC sterilization to remove harmful bacteria. The litter box is built for easy disassembly to make cleaning easier and has a built-in litter trap to prevent litter tracking. And of course, you can control and track everything through a WiFi enabled cell phone app.