On 13-14 November 2025, the CIPS International Pet Industry Convention (CIPIC) made its debut in Guangzhou alongside CIPS 2025. It brought together leading manufacturers, brands, retailers, industry associations, sustainability pioneers and experts from Europe, North America, Central and Eastern Europe, China and beyond.

Under the overarching theme of “INFINITY”, the two-day program unfolded around two core themes:

Day 1 - “Unlimited Connection”: how to reshape the value chain from manufacturing to branding to retail, and move from value distribution to value co-creation. 

Day 2 - “Unlimited Development”: how to turn sustainability from a concept into an operating model, building greener industry chains and more responsible brands. 

Together, they outlined a clear time axis for the global pet industry: stronger collaboration today, more sustainable growth tomorrow.

Day 1 - Unlimited Connection

From Structural Change to Value Co-Creation Across the Value Chain 

Day 1 focused on global market dynamics, China’s manufacturing upgrade, brand globalization and retail transformation, offering a rare full value-chain perspective from data, manufacturing, branding and retail.

Rethinking Growth Logic in a Changing Market

Yiguang Zeng

SMB Lead, NielsenIQ China

“Global Pet Industry Growth Trends and Opportunities in China”

Drawing on NielsenIQ’s end-to-end data, Yiguang Zeng opened the day by asking a fundamental question:

Why are mature markets such as Europe seeing renewed acceleration, and what is really driving this growth?

He pointed out that the traditional growth driver of “more pets, more volume” is fading. Instead, growth is increasingly shaped by structural changes:

• Demand restructuring: Younger, single and urban consumers are reshaping pet ownership patterns and expectations, with more refined functional needs.

• Category-driven expansion: New categories - from functional treats and special-formula diets to health monitoring and smart accessories - are enlarging the total addressable market rather than merely competing within existing segments.

• New windows for Chinese brands: As markets fragment and upgrade, emerging sub-segments become strategic entry points for Chinese manufacturers and brands that can move faster, more precisely and more professionally.

His conclusion was clear: growth is being reallocated. Those who understand structural shifts and consumer micro-segments - rather than rely on headline volume - will define the next cycle of global pet industry expansion.

From OEM to Co-Creation: China’s Second Growth Curve

Juhong Cheng

Co-Founder, PETIDEAL

“PETIDEAL: Where Brands Take Off!”

Speaking from the perspective of a leading Chinese manufacturer, Juhong Cheng explored how Chinese factories are moving beyond OEM into global brand co-creation.

She described a clear evolution path:

• From capacity output to “smart manufacturing”: 

Customers increasingly look not only for low-cost capacity, but for partners who can integrate R&D, design, innovation and flexible manufacturing.

• From price competition to innovation efficiency:

• Baked kibbles, gently cooked products, freeze-dried formats and health-oriented treats are becoming high-growth categories.

• The real competition is not who is cheapest, but who can deliver differentiated innovation efficiently - balancing cost, quality and speed.

• From opaque supply to transparent collaboration:

• Full-chain traceability, third-party testing and alignment with multiple global and local standards are now the baseline for trust.

• Manufacturers who can provide consistent quality, transparent processes and long-term commitment become strategic partners, not interchangeable suppliers.

Her message: Chinese manufacturing is evolving from “made for others” to “innovating with others”, becoming a key engine for global category innovation and brand growth.

From Product-Driven to Purpose-Driven Brand Growth

Lina Franco

Founder, Adrenalina Communications

“Beyond Products, Beyond Borders: The Power of Purpose in the Global Pet World”

Global brand strategist Lina Franco argued that the next stage of brand growth will not be decided by the number of SKUs, but by the clarity of purpose.

She highlighted several global shifts:

• Consumers are increasingly buying solutions, not just products:

health monitoring, emotional companionship, pet travel safety, chronic-care management and more.

• Emotional value has become a major source of pricing power:

younger generations, single households and aging owners are reshaping the human-pet relationship, and expect brands to answer “why we exist”, not only “what we sell”.

• For brands going global, cultural insight is as important as distribution:

understanding local pet-keeping culture, lifestyle and values often determines whether a brand can truly land in a new market.

Her conclusion: successful pet brands of the future will shift from selling products to solving emotional and relationship needs, grounded in a clear mission and cultural relevance.

CEE Retail: Omnichannel, Private Labels and the Power of Data

František Polda

Chief Commercial Officer, Plaček Group

“From Local with Love: Pet Business Trends, Brands & Global Moves”

As a leading retailer across the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Latvia, František Polda provided a Central and Eastern European (CEE) perspective on retail transformation.

He summarized three major trends:

• Omnichannel retail has entered the “experience competition” stage:

Click & Collect, 1 - 2 hour delivery, and 24/7 unmanned stores have moved from innovation to standard expectation.

• Private labels (PLs) are evolving from “cheap alternatives” to “value leaders”:

The share of PL in Plaček’s business continues to rise, becoming both a profit engine and a customer experience differentiator.

• Digitalization is the backbone connecting supply, stores and consumers:

Data is used not only for assortment decisions, but also for education, CRM, content and community building.

In his view, retail competition is shifting from “selling more” to “serving better”, with retailers increasingly acting as curators of experience rather than pure distributors.

How Europe’s Largest Pet Retailer Thinks About the Future

Torsten Toeller

Founder, Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo

“Successful together: unleash the potential of Europe's No 1 pet retailer”

Torsten Toeller, founder of Fressnapf - the largest pet retailer in Europe - offered a forward-looking view of the sector’s next growth engines.

Key messages included:

• Omnichannel remains fundamental, but the core battlefield is now the customer journey: how to create seamless, context-aware experiences across online and offline touchpoints.

• Health, longevity and functional nutrition will be a major long-term growth track, especially for senior pets and small-breed dogs.

• Globalized, localized supply chains are becoming a strategic capability: the establishment of Fressnapf Asia reflects a shift toward “being closer to factories and closer to markets” at the same time.

• Relationships between brands and manufacturers are being redefined: moving from transactional buying and selling to joint value creation, with shared planning, innovation and risk management.

His core insight: true growth no longer lies in the product list alone, but in deep consumer insight and faster, smarter supply-chain response.

Roundtable - From Manufacturing to Market: Co-Creating the Future Value Chain

Moderated by Benny, founder of the “New Pet Industry Investment & Innovation Institute” and host of the “Hao Bo Pet Channel” video program, the Day 1 roundtable brought together voices from manufacturing, branding and retail.

Across diverse perspectives, several points of consensus emerged:

• Manufacturing is upgrading from capacity output to innovation drivers:

Chinese factories are increasingly seen as sources of new categories, new formats and rapid iteration, reshaping how brands and retailers plan their assortments.

• Brands, retailers and private labels are no longer in a zero-sum game: Private label is now recognized as a structural component of the category, not a threat to brands.

• Brands provide cultural narratives and emotional value.

• PL broadens price architecture and category width. Together, they can raise the overall consumer experience.

• Long-term partnerships are built on data, localization and transparency:

“Being well-matched” is no longer only about scale, but about shared quality standards, transparent mechanisms and long-term investment in the relationship.

• The most reliable growth directions point to health, refinement and demographic shifts:

pet aging, small-breed expansion and functional nutrition, combined with owners who are more willing to spend, learn and express their views, are pushing the industry towards more refined, value-driven growth.

In summary, value chain collaboration across regions, roles and categories will shape the competitive landscape of the next three to five years.

Day 2 - Unlimited Development

From Green Manufacturing to Responsible Brands: Sustainability as the New Default 

If Day 1 asked how the value chain can better collaborate and co-create value, Day 2 focused on how this value chain can develop more sustainably, from ecological sources and manufacturing to packaging, brands and consumers.

Green Manufacturing: Turning Sustainability into an Operating System

Stefaan Clemmens

Chief Commercial Officer, Savic NV

“Building a Greener Future: Savic’s Commitment to Sustainable Manufacturing”

With more than 50 years of history in plastic pet accessories and metal cages, Savic offered a manufacturer’s perspective on integrating sustainability into everyday operations.

Stefaan Clemmens outlined how Savic has:

• Turned sustainability from an isolated project into a way of doing business: from raw material selection and mold/structure design to energy efficiency on production lines, warehousing and logistics optimization.

• Embraced genuine circular thinking: using high shares of post-industrial and post-consumer recycled materials (PIR/PCR), while optimizing mold surfaces, wall thickness and gate design to balance energy use, material consumption and performance.

• Built credibility through audited traceability and clear timelines: third-party audits of recycled material streams and a detailed roadmap - from localized production and fleet electrification (from 2020), to solar and LED upgrades and emission baselines (2023), toward 2030 targets (50% green energy, over 50% of products using recycled materials), and long-term carbon neutrality by 2050.

His message: green manufacturing is not a slogan, but a series of carefully calculated business decisions - serving at once environmental responsibility, cost efficiency and risk management.

“Buy a Fish, Save a Tree”: Sustainable Wild-Caught Fisheries and the Future of the Aquarium Trade

Scott Dowd

Executive Director, Project Piaba; Conservation Biologist

From the Amazon’s Rio Negro to the global aquarium trade, Scott Dowd told a story that is often overlooked in mainstream discussions: responsible wild-caught ornamental fisheries can be a force for conservation.

He explained:

• Compared with large-scale deforestation and agricultural expansion, well-managed ornamental fish collection has minimal ecological impact while providing stable, long-term income for local communities.

• To maintain fish populations, communities must rely on healthy rivers and intact forests, creating a positive feedback loop between harvest, livelihood and conservation.

• The slogan “Buy a fish, save a tree” reflects a deeper logic: when international markets choose fish from verified sustainable projects, they are effectively voting to protect an entire ecosystem.

• This model is gaining recognition from international conservation organizations and sustainability frameworks, and offers a replicable approach to linking market demand with biodiversity and community development in other regions and species as well.

His conclusion: sustainability is not only about what happens between factories; it also depends on how we treat the ecosystems at the very beginning of the industry chain.

Packaging as the Interface Between Sustainability and Growth

Jason Jiang (Jianzhong Jiang)

Group R&D Technical Expert, Amcor China

Sustainability as Compass, Growth as Horizon: Amcor's Sustainable Packaging Solutions for Pet Food

From the perspective of a global packaging company, Jason Jiang detailed how packaging is becoming a critical interface between sustainability, regulatory compliance and brand value—especially in pet food.

Key points included:

• Recyclability is becoming a global direction: the shift from traditional aluminum foil and complex multi-material structures towards mono-PE, mono-PP and fiber-based solutions that are easier to recycle, while still meeting barrier and performance requirements across dry food, treats and wet food.

• Data-driven decision-making is replacing purely concept-driven choices: life-cycle assessment and carbon footprint tools help brands compare structures quantitatively, turning “Is this sustainable enough?” into a measurable question. In many cases, recyclable solutions can significantly reduce emissions and lower compliance risk in markets with stricter regulations.

• The key is not only the material, but “can it run reliably?”: true innovation must work under real production conditions—maintaining efficiency on existing lines, handling high temperature and pressure, and being supported by scaled yet locally responsive industry chains.

In his view, sustainable packaging is not just about “changing materials”. It is about unlocking value across the whole chain - from compliance and supply resilience to consumer trust and brand storytelling.

Roundtable - Co-Shaping a Sustainable Future for the Global Pet Industry

Moderated by Xiaoxia Liu,

Chief Editor of the “China Pet Industry White Paper”, Founder of PaiDu Pet Industry Data Platform, and Deputy Secretary-General of the Pet Industry Branch of the China Animal Agriculture Association,

the first Day 2 roundtable brought together representatives from Savic, Project Piaba, Amcor and BIOZYM & Dayu Aquatics.

Four key observations emerged:

• Corporate responsibility is moving from “compliance baseline” to “strategic front stage”: sustainability is increasingly included in board-level KPIs, industry-chain design, category planning and partnership models. It is no longer “nice to have”, but a default precondition for doing business.

• Technology is the starting point, but collaboration is the amplifier: innovations such as aquatic ecosystem restoration, microbiological solutions, next-gen materials and smart energy management provide tools—but true impact depends on whether manufacturers, brands, channels and suppliers can build open, co-owned frameworks.

• From “doing some good” to “designing a closed loop”: the most successful cases deliver both environmental improvement and business growth, and can be quantified, verified and replicated across regions or categories. Sustainability, therefore, must be designed as a business model, not just CSR.

• Challenges are real - but so are the pathways: cost pressure, internal alignment, technology maturity and supply-chain coordination remain barriers. Yet companies are starting with low-threshold, quick-win projects, using data tools to visualize ROI and leveraging industry platforms and standards to turn isolated efforts into collective progress.

The consensus: sustainability is no longer “whether to do it”, but “how to do it better”.

Roundtable - Future Consumers and Responsible Brands

In a second discussion on “Future Consumers and Responsible Brands”, representatives of companies recognized as “CIPS Green Pioneers” shared their frontline experiences from both B2B and B2C perspectives.

Under Xiaoxia Liu’s moderation, the conversation traced how sustainability flows between business decisions (B-side) and consumer choices (C-side):

• New generations increasingly bring values into their purchasing decisions: whether it is plant-based formulas, animal welfare, recyclability, low odor, low energy consumption or reduced plastics, consumers want products that are not only effective but also more responsible choices.

• A credible “green label” must be grounded in real product change, third-party verifiable standards and transparent data, not only communication.

• Compared with large groups, small and mid-sized companies often move faster in experimenting with new materials, processes and concepts in niche segments, becoming important drivers of transition and turning “sustainability” from a macro slogan into concrete products and scenarios.

• As more companies explore sustainability across different links in the chain, markets are beginning to form a collective image of “responsible brands”: consumers no longer need to actively hunt for green options - they increasingly encounter them naturally in their everyday choices.

Ultimately, sustainability must land where someone is willing to buy, to repurchase and to recommend - backed by long-term consistency in products, industry chains and values.

From “Unlimited Connection” to “Unlimited Development”: A Longer Time Axis for the Industry

In just two days, CIPIC 2025 painted a coherent picture of where the global pet industry is heading.

• Day 1 - Structure and Collaboration

Focused on how manufacturing, brands and retail can transform the value chain from a distribution game into a co-creation relationship, driven by data, insight and differentiated capabilities.

• Day 2 - Sustainability and Long-Termism 

Extended this value chain into ecosystem protection, green manufacturing, responsible packaging and value-driven brands, exploring how to design longer, more resilient growth curves for the industry, consumers and the planet.

Across both days, a few core messages emerged:

• Growth is shifting from scale expansion to quality evolution.

• Competition is shifting from resource consumption to value co-creation.

• Sustainability is shifting from the choice of a few pioneers to the shared direction of the whole industry.

As was emphasized on site: At CIPIC, the goal isn’t protocol - it’s progress.

We hope that every case, every data point and every exchange at CIPIC will continue to resonate beyond the conference halls - becoming new products, new collaborations, and new steps forward for the global pet industry.

CIPIC 2025 has concluded successfully. This is not an end, but the beginning of a new chapter in the story of “Unlimited Development”.

We look forward to meeting you again at future editions of CIPIC, and to seeing more real-world examples of industry collaboration, green manufacturing and innovative practice emerge from this shared platform.