SuperZoo 2021 Recap!
2020 shut down the country, and 2021 has seen it open back up again. This year we’ve seen now both virtual and in-person events. We thought it might be interesting to show you all one of the biggest trade shows of the year, SuperZoo.
SuperZoo marks the middle of the year for the pet industry, and for many serves as the single best event to announce new products! For others it’s the best place to meet brands and add new products to their stores. In 2019, HoneyCure made its first debut and had a great showing. In 2020, SuperZoo was cancelled, and with no clear indications on the success of virtual events, SuperZoo was much smaller. This year, we went back in-person to check it out!
Here is a quick take of our days in Vegas:
Monday, Day 0:
We woke up early in the morning in Detroit at about 4 am. to get to the airport. Our trip took us to Vegas, and with plenty of gear we planned extra time to move it. Arriving at the airport, we found long lines and lots of waiting. After an early flight with some work done on the plane, we disembarked in Vegas and made out way to the rental car depot.
After equipping ourselves with a large van, we headed to the hotel to check in and drop off personal bags. Right away we headed to get things prepped for the trade show booth, picking up supplies around town, and dropping off boxes and gear to the convention center. After 6 long hours, we had a complete booth.
Our last activity of the day was to grab dinner as a team, and check out Mystere by Circ De Sole. With more than a full day of activity behind us, we headed back for some much needed rest.
Tuesday, Day 1:
We woke up early to arrive at the show with enough time to prepare for the first official day of the trade show. With long lines to grab breakfast, we split up briefly to get everything covered.
Day 1 is typically a busy day, with the most buyers and networkers out and about. It was a pleasure to be able to speak directly to customers again. This year SuperZoo was a bit smaller in attendance but we were able to spend a lot more time with our customers and partners. This enabled us to have some meaningful conversations and really connect.
The trade show and networking was our main focus for Day 2, and after a long day of it we turned it in early to be fresh for the next day.
Wednesday, Day 2:
Day 2 of the tradeshow is usually a bit more serious. This year, we had some work that caused the team to split coverage up to make meetings and cover the booth. This led to quite a busy morning, and we have some exciting developments coming in the next month. A full day of buyer and partner connections, both Ramy and I barely were able to take breaks.
After the show, we took some time to unwind in the heat outside at the hotel pool. This is one of co-founder’s favorite activities, Ramy like to be out in the sun and relax with his girlfriend. But it was back to work shortly after, catching up on computer work and getting emails up to speed. We capped off the night with a short and unsuccessful visit to the casino floor.
Thursday, Day 3:
The last day of the tradeshow is usually a surge of buyers and partners coming by to wrap up partially completed business. We were pleased that many of the buyers we saw early in the show opted to stop by and finish up any conversations In person as opposed to waiting by email. We also met a few new contacts, that should lead to some great business opportunities that will really help spread HoneyCure farther. We’ll be pleased to share more about these in the coming months!
The tradeshow ends early on Thursday, and we quickly packed up and carried our gear out to the rental car. After dropping off shipments (a trade show tip for new businesses: make use of off-site shipping for small parcels to cut costs!), we headed back to the hotel to grab a celebratory bite to eat and prep for the trip home.
Friday, Day 4:
We opted for a late return flight with an intent to explore some outdoor trails outside of Las Vegas on Friday. Unfortunately, work called and we weren’t able to beat the heat for some of our hiking. We also were not able to go far, as Ramy had dropped a shelf on his foot during clean up. Nonetheless, we took a team trip out to Red Rock Canyon and spent the afternoon exploring the national conservation area. It was a lot of fun, and an excellent wind-down activity. Something we’ll definitely consider seeing again.
Our flight home wasn’t as eventful, with an early arrival to the airport and more lines while we waiting to check bags, get through security, and board. We arrived early in the morning the next day to Detroit, and again got to work prepping the team for the next week’s activities and new business!