ORLANDO FLA. — The American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) unveiled the schedule for Global Pet Expo’s Learning Series, which will be hosted from March 21 to 24 at the Orange Country Convention Center in Orlando. The Global Learning Series is free to attendees of Global Pet Expo 2023.

The Global Learning Series will kick off on March 21 with a retail market tour and US pet market brief. The Learning Series will consist of four pathways — Market Data & Insights, Retailer Success, Learning Experiences and Paws2Learn — with more than 40 hours of live education in total.

Market Data & Insights will include the latest data in pet ownership, profitability and more. In this pathway, market research firms and associations will share their latest data.

  • Packaged Facts will host “Pet Market Outlook 2023” on March 21 from 3 to 4 p.m.
  • NielsenIQ will host “The State of Pet: What’s Next and What’s Trending in 2023” on March 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  • APPA will debut its 2023-2024 National Pet Owners Survey on March 22 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
  • The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) will provide an update on pet food labeling modernization in its Pet Food Regulatory Meeting on March 23 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Retailer Success sessions will focus on customer experience, human resources, leadership, PR and marketing, and profitability and growth to help retailers successfully manage their pet stores.

Learning Experiences sessions will include a retail tour, group meet-ups and other experiential activities.

Paws2Learn sessions will be hosted on the Spotlight Stage within the New Products Showcase on March 22 and 23, consisting of quick, 15-minute sessions covering many hot topics in the pet industry. Speakers for the Paws2Learn sessions include Karl Davidson of APPA; Steve Feldman, president of the Human-Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI); Mike Bober, president and chief executive officer of the Pet Advocacy Network; Julie Springer, market research analyst at APPA; and other industry professionals.

Read the full educational lineup for the event.

Media and buyer registration for Global Pet Expo 2023 opened in November and remains open.

Read more about pet food and treat industry events.