In 2010, the global petfood market grew 9% over 2009 sales,
reaching a total of US$61.9 billion, according to Euromonitor International.
That proves the strength of the market even while some countries, regions and
other industries are still struggling economically.
This continued growth arises from the innovation in the
petfood industry and the expertise of its professionals. You can tap into that
by attending Petfood Forum Europe on May 4 at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany. It is happening in
conjunction with Victam International, where you can visit with key suppliers
of petfood ingredients, equipment and other materials (www.victam.com). Plus,
Petfood Forum Europe offers plenty of opportunities to network with familiar
colleagues as well as make connections with new industry peers.
Following
is the schedule and list of topics and speakers as of press time.
9:00-10:00 Registration and check-in with coffee and light
breakfast
10:00-11:00 Consumers and Web 2.0: impact on the global petfood market—Lee
Linthicum, head of global food research for Euromonitor International, UK, discusses
the relatively recession-proof status of the global pet care industry, thanks
largely to the ongoing trend of pet humanization. With the global economy
slowly recovering, he provides analysis of the major trends and developments
driving pet care sales, including the role of the internet in shaping consumer
preferences and spending habits.
That proves the strength of the market even while some countries, regions and other industries are still struggling economically.11:00-11:40 Open innovation: what is in it for you?—Edwin Grim, general manager for Ralco Nutrition,
Netherlands, describes how using the world as your dynamic R&D
source accesses virtually unlimited talent and input. The new challenges are in
managing that input, filtering and scaling it to your needs. Expanding your
network both within and outside your business offers a playing field with rich
rewards—and painful pitfalls.
11:40-12:20 Applying
polymer science to petfood production—Brian Plattner, processing
engineering manager for Wenger Manufacturing, USA (in a paper co-authored by Galen Rokey of Wenger), describes how polymer
science, the study of the glass and melt transitions of polymers, has in recent
years been applied to many areas of petfood processing—including extrusion and
drying troubleshooting and product storage—to better understand and predict
processing effects. It can even be applied to ingredient selection, which is
often a unique challenge during product development.
12:20-13:45 Lunch buffet
13:45-14:25 Advances in
palatability for dogs—Marie Jane Fallourd, dog platform manager for SPF France,
discusses palatability for dogs, which is mainly driven by the petfood’s smell,
taste and texture. For dogs, the nature of the palatant used as well as the way
to add it to the kibble are important to maximize palatability. All drivers can
be looked at when it comes to increasing performance, including the
segmentation requirements of the dog food market.
14:25-15:05 Assessing
risks when buying raw materials for petfood—Ivo Reekmans, general manager of Radar Automation NV, Belgium, explains how risk management is part
of the job for a raw material buyer. Traditionally, the focus in risk
management was on quality. In the past few years, changes in commodity trading
markets and highly volatile prices have meant an urgent focus on financial
risks and availability. General management needs effective, adequate
information to assess raw material coverage and position risks.
15:05-15:45 Coffee break
It is happening in conjunction with Victam International, where you can visit with key suppliers of petfood ingredients, equipment and other materials.15:45-16:25 New frontiers
in nutrition for pet health: the role of nutrigenomics—Peter Spring, PhD, professor
of monogastrics and head of the Animal Science Department at the Swiss College
of Agriculture, provides an overview of nutrigenomics, the study of the effects
of nutrition on gene expression, which helps us understand nutrition at a more
profound level. Such complete knowledge enhances the potential to transfer
gained information from one species to another. This is of particular interest
in pet nutrition, where research approaches are often limited by ethical reasons
and high animal welfare standards. Dr. Spring focuses on novel information on nutrition,
antioxidant protection and digestive system health.
16:25-17:05 Energy
recovery and odor reduction in petfood production—Tjitze Smit, petfood
division manager for Graintec A/S, Denmark, presents the average energy
consumption for extruded petfood manufacturing, as well as ways to save energy.
One solution is through condensation and recirculation of the air. Several
models are suitable for different types of plants. In addition, because of new
EU directives, odor impact has taken on a heightened focus. It is important to
analyze and quantify the odor problem, then implement suitable solutions.