A delegation of Kansas pet food industry company representatives traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, to attend Petfood Forum Asia and the VICTAM Asia trade show March 29–31, 2016. The delegation was able to assess current trends in the pet food market and establish business connections in Asia.

In Kansas, the dog and cat food manufacturing and other animal food manufacturing industries provide a total economic contribution of approximately $7.24 billion. With countries in Asia such as Thailand, India and China among the fastest growing pet care markets globally, and Japan ranking as the fourth-largest pet care market worldwide, the region will continue to have an increasing impact on the pet food and pet care industries.

Members of the delegation attended workshops at Petfood Forum Asia 2016 to learn about the latest trends in the Asian pet food industry, and visited the VICTAM Asia trade show to interact with nearly 200 companies involved in the manufacturing of pet food.

“This trade mission was a multifaceted learning opportunity,” said Lynne Hinrichsen, agribusiness development director at the Kansas Department of Agriculture. “Representatives from Kansas agribusinesses were able to meet companies that they may not have been able to see in person, and I spent time learning what their needs may be in terms of exporting product. The company representatives were able to hear about the pet food industry in Asia and how the pet food market outlook in Asia differs from the United States.”

The delegation traveling from Kansas included:

• Eric Arnold, Bill Barr & Company, Overland Park
• Will Rock, Bill Barr & Company, Overland Park
• Todd Baker, Horizon Systems, Lawrence
• Steve Bordman, Horizon Systems, Lawrence
• Lynne Hinrichsen, Kansas Department of Agriculture, Manhattan

The trade mission was made possible by a State Trade and Export Program (STEP) grant, funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The STEP grant helps Kansas non-exporters get started and existing exporters to export more. Since the grant’s inception in 2012, more than 30 Kansas small businesses have participated and achieved $9.2 million in actual export sales, which supports the KDA’s vision to encourage economic growth of the agriculture industry and the Kansas economy.