Petfood Forum Europe announces conference speaker agenda

Petfood Forum Europe will return to Nuremberg, Germany, in 2026, co-locating with Interzoo. The one-day conference is scheduled for May 11, taking place the day before the trade fair for the pet supplies industry. Registration is open with early savings available.

The conference will explore consumer trends and nutrition research shaping the pet food and treat industry across Europe. The program will feature presentations from industry experts focusing on market trends, nutrition, ingredient innovation, processing technologies and supply chain management.

Below is a sampling of education sessions from Petfood Forum Europe. View the full agenda

Sustainability in pet food

Dan Lorenzen-Schmidt, senior vice president of business development and innovation at BHJ, will examine how the pet food industry can move beyond narrow ingredient substitution toward a systemic, data-driven and collaborative approach to sustainability.

Lorenzen-Schmidt will share real-world examples focusing on establishing transparent and comparable life cycle assessments across the industry, identifying emission hotspots beyond current efforts and exploring practical pathways to lower Scope 3 emissions through farm-level initiatives and regenerative partnerships.

Rendered versus novel ingredients

Anne Gaasbeek, team lead and senior consultant, and Gregorio Brussino, medior consultant at Mérieux NutriSciences | Blonk, will critically compare the environmental performance of rendered and novel ingredients in pet food and animal feed. They will explore the key factors driving the environmental impact of novel ingredients and discuss whether it is realistic to expect the current gap in greenhouse gas emissions between rendered and novel ingredients to narrow.

AI-assisted supplier auditing

David Rosenblatt, DVM, head of learning and academic services at Sher Consulting and Training, will introduce AI-assisted supplier auditing, a new paradigm that enhances the effectiveness and consistency of traditional audit processes. Rosenblatt will demonstrate how AI can support each stage of the audit cycle, emphasizing second-party auditing but also offering valuable insights for internal and third-party auditors seeking to elevate their practices with next-generation tools.

Enzymes in companion animal nutrition

Deni Kostelac, Ph.D., senior scientist at International Flavors & Fragrances, will discuss how targeted enzyme applications can unlock nutritional potential from fiber-rich substrates, reduce reliance on conventional protein sources and deliver health benefits, particularly for senior pets. Enzymes can unlock nutrients from alternative materials that often have health-associated bioactives inaccessible to the animal unless released from their complex matrices, positioning enzymes as a key link between sustainability, affordability and innovative nutrition.

Freeze-drying technology advancements

Magnus Jochumsen, senior project and sales manager at GEA Process Engineering, will explore recent engineering advancements in freeze-drying technology. Key focus areas include energy optimization techniques to minimize thermal losses and enhance heat transfer efficiency, design strategies that enable higher throughput and consistent product quality, and process automation and solutions that meet stringent food safety standards while simplifying cleaning and maintenance.

Registration details

The Petfood Forum Europe fee includes a multi-day pass to Interzoo, giving attendees the opportunity to combine their conference and trade fair visit and strengthen business contacts.

Petfood Forum Europe registration includes a full day of educational presentations, multiple networking coffee breaks, lunch and a networking reception. Registration for Interzoo 2026 is included with the fee to attend. Register here

• Early bird rate (until March 31) – USD $540
• Standard rate (April 1-May 11) – USD $565