Frequently Asked Questions

Petfood Forum, organized and hosted by WATT Global Media and Petfood Industry, is the pet food industry’s global conference and exhibition focused on research and technologies utilized in the development, formulation and processing of pet food and treats.

Petfood Forum is the pet food industry’s must-attend event for global networking and business, as well as for education on the latest research and trends in pet food manufacturing. Learn more about the history of Petfood Forum.

Currently, Petfood Forum features a three-day agenda and commences with The Operational Edge pre-event seminar and an opening reception on Monday. The trade show and full educational program take place on Tuesday & Wednesday. 

Petfood Forum celebrates 35 years of bringing the global pet food industry together in 2027, with new opportunities to learn, connect and do business.

Here’s what’s new:

• Expanded Expo Hall: Petfood Forum will occupy the entire exhibit hall in 2027, with improved traffic flow, dedicated space for startup suppliers, expanded content and engagement areas, and more opportunities for informal meetings. The Interzoo Pavilion also returns, connecting attendees with European suppliers.

• Two Tech Talk stages: More opportunities to learn directly on the show floor! The traditional Tech Talk stage will feature 15-minute presentations, while a new second stage will offer extended 25-minute presentations highlighting technologies, products and developments impacting the pet food industry.

• The Operational Edge: A new, interactive pre-conference seminar on Monday, April 26, focused on improving pet food manufacturing efficiency, technology and operations.

• SupplierLINK: 1:1 Buyer Meetings: A new program connecting qualified pet food purchasing decision-makers with participating suppliers through scheduled, 20-minute meetings.

• More ways to connect: Enhanced app networking capabilities, more networking and meeting spaces, expanded educational content on the show floor and new opportunities for meaningful industry conversations.

• Simplified registration: Flexible ticket options let attendees choose Expo Hall access, add conference sessions or include the pre-conference workshop based on their interests and goals.

Petfood Forum 2027 takes place April 26-28 in Kansas City, Missouri. Explore the 2027 agenda to see what’s planned.

Petfood Forum is located in the heart of the Animal Health Corridor in Kansas City, Missouri, USA at the Kansas City Convention Center.

Kansas City Convention Center
301 West 13th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105

2027: April 26-28
2028: May 1-3
2029: April 30-May 2

Petfood Forum attracts exhibitors from the pet food industry’s largest collection of companies that supply brand and private-label manufacturers with ingredient, additive and formulation solutions, processing and packaging equipment, flexible packaging solutions, co-packing solutions and services, and consulting and additional services, all in one location.

View the entire list of 2026 exhibitors, search by exhibitor name or by product category. A list of 2027 exhibitors will be available in January 2027. 

The Petfood Forum 2027 Expo Hall will be open on Tuesday, April 27, and Wednesday, April 28, at the Kansas City Convention Center.

Expo Hall hours:

• Tuesday, April 27: 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, April 28: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

All times are Central Time (CDT)

Visit the Petfood Forum agenda for the complete schedule of Tech Talks, networking events and other activities.

Petfood Forum includes dozens of educational sessions held throughout the trade show and conference each year. The educational sessions are focused primarily on market trends and data, nutrition, ingredients, packaging, and processing and food safety.

Petfood Forum 2026 featured dynamic keynotes, concurrent sessions, 24 tech talk presentations and multiple oral and poster presentations given by select undergraduate, graduated and Ph.D. students, as well as industry researchers.

Agenda and speaker details

🔔 Early agenda details for Petfood Forum 2027 are available now. The agenda will feature all-new insights on pet food nutrition, ingredients, safety, processing, packaging and market trends. The full program is still being developed. 

Petfood Essentials is a one-day, interactive educational seminar traditionally held on the Monday before Petfood Forum. Each year, the program focuses on a specific industry topic, bringing together experts and pet food professionals for practical learning, discussions and networking.

🔔 Petfood Essentials is taking a break in 2027. Instead, Petfood Forum will offer a new pre-conference workshop, The Operational Edge: Optimizing Your Pet Food Manufacturing Pipeline, on Monday, April 26.

Designed for pet food manufacturing professionals, this workshop will focus on improving production efficiency, equipment performance, automation and day-to-day operations through expert presentations and interactive discussions.

The Operational Edge: Optimizing Your Pet Food Processing Pipeline is a new, one-day pre-conference seminar taking place Monday, April 26, at Petfood Forum 2027 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Designed for pet food manufacturing professionals, including plant managers, engineers, production supervisors and operations teams, the seminar focuses on practical ways to improve efficiency and performance throughout the pet food production process.

Topics include equipment integration, preventive maintenance, changeover efficiency, automation and the use of data and AI in manufacturing operations.

The program combines expert presentations with interactive roundtable discussions, giving participants opportunities to exchange ideas, address common challenges and identify improvements they can apply to their operations.

Separate registration is required. The seminar is available as an add-on to Petfood Forum conference registration.

Yes, Petfood Forum is the only ARPAS-credentialed events for eligible professionals in pet food. ARPAS members receive credits for attending the educational sessions, pre-event seminar, tech talk presentations & student academic research presentations.

Exact credit numbers will be released in February 2027. Learn more

Attendees include professionals working in pet food nutrition, ingredient and processing technologies, packaging, food science, R&D, product development, food safety, QA/QC, purchasing, import/export and regulatory compliance.

In 2026, Petfood Forum attracted 3600 pet food professionals from 43 countries and 381 supplier companies. See a sample list of past attendees

The Kansas City Marriott Downtown is the host hotel for Petfood Forum, which is conveniently located 1 block away from the Kansas City Convention Center. Attendees receive special group discounts at the Marriott Downtown and Loews Kansas City Convention Center Hotel, based on availability.

Please refer to our Hotel and Travel section for more information on our suggested hotels and room block details and deadlines.

PLEASE BE AWARE: In order to appropriately and safely secure your hotel rooms, please only use the links provided on the Petfood Forum website to ensure you are booking within the official Petfood Forum room blocks. We do not affiliate with anyone that conducts telephone or email solicitations for booking hotels and do not recommend you arrange your hotel reservations with any of those groups.

All attendees are responsible for making their own lodging arrangements, the cost of which is not included in your registration fees.

Please refer to our Hotel and Travel section for more information on our suggested hotels and room block details and deadlines.

In order to ensure the best possible rate and room availability, each room reservation requires a two-night, non-refundable deposit upon reservation.

Kansas City, Missouri is centrally located in the heart of America. It is easily accessible by interstates and highways. Additionally, Kansas City International Airport (MCI) makes flying in and out for the conference and exhibition easy. Learn more at flykci.com.

Taxi and car services are available throughout the city. Taxi stands are located at all major hotels, shopping and entertainment districts.

🔔 Petfood Forum takes place at the Kansas City Convention Center.
Kansas City Convention Center
301 West 13th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105

Some hotels, including the headquarter hotel the Kansas City Marriott Downtown and Loews, are within walking distance of the Kansas City Convention Center.

Kansas City Convention Center
301 West 13th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105

Enter the Kansas City Convention Center through the 2200 Lobby entrance off 13th Street or directly from the Loews Kansas City Hotel.

The Convention Center main parking lot, Barney Allis Plaza Garage located between 12th & 13th and between Central & Wyandotte, is currently closed.

Alternate parking options are available. View the map

Petfood Forum attendees can enter the Kansas City Convention Center through the 2200 Lobby entrance off 13th Street or directly from the Loews Kansas City Hotel.

Once inside, follow the signs to Lobby 2300 for registration and badge pickup.

Petfood Forum offers several educational opportunities, including conference sessions, keynote presentations, Tech Talks and The Operational Edge pre-conference workshop.

Choose the registration option that fits your interests:

• Expo Hall Pass: Includes access to Tech Talk presentations and academic research on the show floor, along with exhibits, networking events and other Expo Hall activities.

• ADD ON the Conference Pass: Gain full access to all educational content including the opening keynote, general sessions, closing panel discussion and concurrent educational tracks.
• ADD ON the Pre-Event Seminar Pass: The Operational Edge is a one-day seminar happening on Monday before Petfood Forum begins. It includes small-group learning designed for plant managers and the operators, engineers and supervisors on their teams. 

Conference sessions and the workshop can be added to your Expo Hall registration for an additional fee. 

View Registration Options & Pricing →

All meals shown on the Petfood Forum schedule of events are included in the cost of your registration. We encourage attendees to join us and continue to network during these times. View the agenda

Early agenda details for Petfood Forum 2027 will be released starting in October 2027.

Students studying companion animal nutrition, pet food science or a related field can attend Petfood Forum for just $300, which includes the Expo Hall + Conference Pass. Valid academic credentials are required to qualify for the student rate.

To register, select “Student” on the registration page.

Companies that sell or provide ingredients, equipment, packaging, technology, consulting or other products and services to pet food manufacturers are considered Suppliers to Manufacturers.

Exhibiting at Petfood Forum is the best way to promote your company, showcase your products and services, and connect with the industry’s largest gathering of pet food manufacturers.

But if you prefer to attend without exhibiting you can register as a Supplier to Manufacturers attendee, which includes a supplier Expo Pass ticket priced at $200 more than the published attendee rate. 

**Petfood Forum reserves the right to review registration types and adjust registrations that do not match the attendee’s company type.

You may cancel your participation at any time but please be aware of the event cancellation policy listed below. If you cancel by Feb. 28, 2027, you will be refunded your registration fee less a 15% processing fee. If you cancel on or after March 1, 2027, you will not be eligible for a refund, but may send someone in your place.

All name substitutions must be completed by April 1, 2027. Please email additions, changes and/or cancellation requests to: PFFevents@wattglobal.com. All fees must be paid by April 15, 2027.

Registering with social media is not required. Please look below the social buttons on the registration screen for the “Register with Email”  button and proceed accordingly.

Your name badge, lanyard and program materials will be available at Petfood Forum registration located in the 2300 Lobby of the Kansas City Convention Center. To assist with making the registration process at the convention center quick and easy, a scan-and-go QR code will be sent via email to the email address entered on the registration prior to the show. Be sure to bring this barcode with you when you check in at Petfood Forum.

👉 Pro tip: Save your QR code to your phone’s “wallet” for quick access. 

To obtain a visa to visit Petfood Forum, you will need to contact the embassy in your country.

To request a VISA letter of invitation for Petfood Forum, please email debener@wattglobal.com.