Celebrating Passion in the Pet Industry: SuperZoo 2024 BlogPaws Best Award Winners
A good story goes a long way, but a good story supported by passion and the drive to improve the lives of pets everywhere becomes a great story. As pet industry experts, we at BlogPaws are ready and waiting to hear the next great story. And we think we found some while attending the latest pet industry trade show.
We keep our fingers on the pulse throughout the year to report on the most exciting pet business-related news, but attending large industry events is always a great source of product announcements and opportunity to see growing pet industry trends. The access to in-person networking opportunities and the ability to see and touch the latest products before they hit the market make attending trade shows invaluable.
On August 13, 2024, Chloe and I (Jessica) from Team BlogPaws descended on Las Vegas to walk miles across the SuperZoo 2024 trade show floor.
SuperZoo is presented by the World Pet Association (WPA) and takes place in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. This year’s show took place from August 14-16, 2024 and brought together over 22,000 pet professionals including retailers, manufacturers, groomers, trainers, veterinarians, distributors, members of the media, and more from all over the world. SuperZoo 2024 featured 1,100+ New Product Showcase entries with 23 New Product Showcase winners.
During these three busy days, we searched for creative booth displays, unique and impressive pet products, and emerging industry trends. After flying home, resting our feet, and catching up on sleep, we were ready to select our BlogPaws Best Awards for SuperZoo 2024.
This year, we awarded 18 categorical BlogPaws Best Awards to brands and products with captivating stories and dedication to improving the pet industry. Read on to see which brands and products earned an award along with why they were selected.
What are the BlogPaws Best Awards?
Launched originally in 2012, the BlogPaws Best Awards were created to celebrate and highlight pet brands that are positively impacting the pet industry through product innovation, education, and dedication to pets and their people.
The awards were refreshed and reintroduced in August 2022, following SuperZoo 2022. Since then, the BlogPaws Team has awarded BlogPaws Best twice a year, in March and August. Our most recent winners can be found here:
This year, we are excited to present the awards for a third time during our upcoming BlogPaws LiVE event, which will take place November 15-16, 2024, in Boulder, Colorado. During this event, pet-focused content creators from the BlogPaws Community will be able to see and feel the products in the running.
Each time we present the awards, the BlogPaws Team considers the industry, the show, and the state of the pet-loving world to determine the number of awards and exact categories we’re highlighting. While the award categories shift, the awards themselves celebrate products along with the impressive work pet industry brands do in their marketing, consumer education, and more.
Following SuperZoo 2024, Chloe and I combed through our notes, photos, business cards, and memories to select 18 BlogPaws Best Award recipients. We’re excited to see many newcomers to the awards this year. Without further ado, we are excited to share the latest class of BlogPaws Best Award winners…
Note: BlogPaws is not affiliated with SuperZoo and the World Pet Association (WPA). BlogPaws Best awards are presented solely by BlogPaws and are in no way endorsed, sponsored, administered, or associated with SuperZoo.
Introducing the BlogPaws Best Award Winners from SuperZoo 2024
Best New Product: AHIFLOWER OMEGA OIL AND CHEWS by WagWell
Omega-based oils and chews have been present in the pet industry for quite some time, but they have been primarily available via fish- and coconut-based products. While coconut oil does contain some valuable omegas, it actually does not provide omega-3. Fish oil does include the valuable omega-3 fatty acid, but it’s not for every pet parent as it’s animal-based. Additionally, the availability of fish to produce the oils varies year by year, which can cause supply chain issues.
The Ahiflower Omega Chews from WagWell features 100% plant-based omegas through Ahiflower® oil. The Ahiflower is a naturally wild plant in the UK and it provides a more sustainable and vegan source option for omega-3 and 6. Every year, we see an increased focus on sustainability in the pet industry and this year is no different.
WagWell’s Ahiflower Omega Chews and Oil highlight the importance of this growing topic while continuing to provide dog’s with support for their joints, skin, and coat.
Best Innovation: HIVE ZOOMER DOG TOY LAUNCHER & LOOPED TOYS by Project Hive Pet Company
Chloe had the opportunity to meet the team from Project Hive Pet Company during the show and was introduced to their new Hive Zoomer Dog Toy Launcher and Looped Ball.
“The human-animal bond is undeniable. And yet, many of the products on the market that allow people to spend time with their dog are not made for those who have disabilities,” Chloe explained. “This product was created for anyone who may not easily be able to bend over to pick up a ball, or who does not have the ability to force a ball into its holder. It was created so that anyone can spend time throwing a ball with their dog. And everyone should have that opportunity.”
Best Emerging Brand: Mimi’s Daughters
While Mimi’s Daughters is not new to creating high-quality and eco-friendly cat toys, they are new to the US market. Based in the UK, the company was founded in 2018 after an inspirational trip to Nepal.
Mimi’s Daughters specializes in creating luxury toys made from organic materials that cats really love to play with. The felt toys are designed in the UK and handmade in Kathmandu by a community of artisan women. The collaboration with the talented woman in Nepal provides them with resources to preserve their felting craft, community, and culture.
One of the flagship products is a cat toy called Monte the Mouse. It’s 2-meter-long tail allows cat parents to play with their cats by wiggling the tail and making Monte come to life. It’s a fun combination of a traditional cat toy and an updated cat wand.
Best Cat Product: FRENCH BAGUETTE by Crochet Kitty
We had the privilege of meeting Abbie Swisher-Elardo, the mastermind behind Crochet Kitty, at the SuperZoo Beach Party and we’re so glad we did! On the last day of the show, I swung by the Crochet Kitty booth to say hi, and it did not disappoint. Not only were the Crochet Kitty products absolutely adorable and amazing, but seeing the creative way Abbie had set up her booth was worth the visit.
Crochet Kitty was part of the Emerging Brand section of SuperZoo, which makes exhibiting for the first time more accessible to smaller brands. Each brand gets a smaller booth space with a dedicated structure and cabinet. To the average person, the cabinet is a place to store personal items, but to Abbie, the cabinet was a secret space to display additional product offerings. The moment she opened the cabinet doors, I squealed with excitement.
For the sake of full transparency, I couldn’t pick just one of her products to highlight, so I had to call in our resident cat expert, Britt, and ask for her (or rather her cats’) opinion. From my top three, Britt selected the French Baguette with Catnip. “I love the fact the French Baguette has the paper they can rip off first. Such a simple touch, but Pippen would go wild for that!” said Britt.
Best Dog Product: LONG LEASH by Zee.Dog
Zee.Dog is a creative brand that has been on our radar for quite some time, so we were a bit surprised to realize that they didn’t yet have a BlogPaws Best Award. This year changes that with one of their newest products.
The brand new Long Leash allows dog parents the ability to find their perfect leash length for their daily activities and to simultaneously adjust that length for special outings or emergency situations. The leash can be adjusted between 5.75 feet to 10 feet in a similar motion that one would adjust straps on a backpack. It’s lightweight enough to work with dogs of all sizes and has a secure tie designed to reduce tangling. This brand-new leash is a great option for dogs and their people who are on the go and ready for their next adventure.
Best Sustainable Brand: WashBar
When we think about sustainability in the pet industry, we often think about recycling waste that’s created by products or packaging. We love seeing companies take it even further by reducing the waste in the first place and avoiding the use of plastic wherever possible.
WashBar’s commitment to plastic-free products impressed us. “WashBar’s packaging is recyclable cardboard and their product has no plastic. It’s a bar that dissolves with use. That means you do not have to throw anything away when you use WashBar’s bathing products. We love seeing this trend come into the pet space!” explains Chloe.
Best Booth Design: Veterinary Formula by SynergyLabs
As soon as I saw the Veterinary Formula booth, I knew it was one I wanted to highlight. The booth resembled a summer camp called “Camp Vitality,” encouraging dogs, cats, and their people to “choose their own “chews your adventure.” It featured a cabin complete with a bunk bed for senior pups to rest and get their photo taken, pet-sized tents, faux campfires, evergreen cutouts, yard games with prizes, and more.
As soon as I entered the booth, I felt welcomed and was excited to learn more about their product offerings, so I’d say the booth design did its job. I only wish I was small enough to enjoy the comfort of the pet sized bunk-bed!
Best Adventure Product: SUN SHOWER™ DOG RAINCOAT by Ruffwear
The Sun Shower Raincoat is not new to the pet scene, but Ruffwear extended the offering by adding a new colorway, Mineral Yellow, at the show. And is it really a raincoat if there’s not a yellow option?
We absolutely love the take on the classic rain jacket appearance, but this jacket isn’t just all about looks. It’s the perfect hiking, camping, and/or adventuring addition for when rain showers might pop up or you just need to layer. Both Chloe and I reside in Colorado, so we are no strangers to the need for a lot of layers and that extends to our pets as well!
The jacket design provides all the necessities, including an oversized storm collar for added coverage, a portal for leash access, reflective accents, and leg loops for a secure fit.
Best Household Product: PET FEEDING SYSTEM by WeatherTech
When you hear the name WeatherTech, I bet you immediately think about cars. They are well known for their FloorLiners and FloorMats that are laser measured to provide the perfect fit for any vehicle, but when you look at WeatherTech’s tagline, you’ll see the words “Home” and “Pet” listed right after “Auto.”
WeatherTech brings the same level of quality and innovation to their pet products as they have for their vehicle products. The pet product that stood out the most to us was their Pet Feeding System, which comes in two different heights and single or double feeding options.
“We like our homes to be clean. Maybe not clutter-free, but dirt, germ, and bacteria-free! This feeding system is great for any cat or dog as it comes in several sizes and heights, and it is very easy to wash and clean with every part of it dishwasher safe – and safe for our pets! BPA-free and NSF-certified stainless steel,” said Chloe.
In addition to being easy to clean, the feed systems include a uniquely shaped bowl that is ergonomically designed to ensure that your dog or cat won’t need to strain his or her neck to get every bit of food or water.
Best Calming Product: QUIET MOMENTS SCOOPABLES by NaturVet
“There are countless calming products on the market for dogs,” explained Chloe, “but cats tend to get overlooked when it comes to a calming functional treat that is both flavorful – hello anchovy oil – and effective – we know what these calming ingredients are: chamomile, ginger, melatonin!”
At the show, we were impressed with Quiet Moments Scoopables from NaturVet, but we had to wait to bring it back to our resident cat expert before truly committing to a BlogPaws Best Award. When we asked Britt about the product, she immediately responded “I actually really like the look of that and would honestly like to try it with Jinx and her long car ride anxiety,” so the deal was sealed!
Best Booth Engagement: Hill’s Pet Nutrition
In addition to creative booth designs, the show floor is full of booth activities to draw in retailers. At this show, the most creative activation we saw was at the Hill’s Pet Nutrition booth.
Their booth featured a “Science of Taste Experience.” To participate in this experience, you could taste a mix of ingredients that seemed very strange paired together via a small push pop. The ingredients included banana mousse, fresh parsley, sun butter, sriracha, coconut milk, turkey bacon, heavy cream, ginger, and honey.
I was able to go through the experience along with a few members of the Hill’s team, and I’m so glad I did. I compared the push pop to the experience of an everlasting gobstopper because the flavor kept shifting and progressing. It started out sweet, then became spicy, only to come back to banana right at the end. Despite raising my eyebrows more than a little at the ingredient list, it was a pretty delicious flavor profile.
Best Charitable Focus: o.t.i.s (Overcoming Trauma, Inspiring Survivors)
A first glance of the product line from o.t.i.s., you see high-quality options for dog treats, jerky, and more. When you look a little deeper, you see a brand that was built on a cause.
“It’s in the name. o.t.i.s. stands for “Overcoming trauma, inspiring survivors.” Specifically, children who need healing that can be aided by a dog in some way. That’s why they donate to medical dog programs with each purchase. We love a brand with a cause and o.t.i.s. puts theirs right in their name,” said Chloe.
Within their first 6 months of launch, o.t.i.s. donated $10,000 to the Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Medical Dog Program. In April 2024, when they celebrated their first anniversary, the brand donated an additional $25,000 to the same program. In just a year, o.t.i.s. has been able to make a lasting impact in the Colorado community. We can’t wait to see what’s next.
Best Travel Product: DOG POOP BAG DISPENSER by Springer
At almost every show, there’s one product that makes us think “Why didn’t this already exist?” or at least “Why do more people not know about this?” The Springer Dog Poop Bag Dispenser made us ask both of those questions.
It’s a simple product that’s also full of details. The streamlined design makes it easy to attach anywhere – to a leash or a bag – and the method of attachment doesn’t cause the holder to dangle, which prevents tangling or just general annoyance.
And it doesn’t stop with the holder because the poop bags themselves have an easy open tab design to combat all those times when it takes a solid five minutes to open a single bag – and you know it’s always a cold or rainy day when that happens!
Best Supplement Product: DAILY MULTI by InClover
We’ve been fans of InClover for quite some time. Maybe it’s that they are based in our home state of Colorado, or maybe it’s that we truly love their product offerings – it’s a bit of both, if we’re being honest.
Visiting the InClover booth is always on our list during pet industry trade shows, and we’re so glad we swung by at this show. The Daily Multi, a multivitamin supplement for BOTH dogs and cats, immediately caught our eye.
Chloe shared, “I love a versatile supplement with simple ingredients that are 100% active and 100% natural – no synthetic ingredients! Also, it is formulated for both cats and dogs by a scientist who has dedicated her life to studying how nutrition supports overall health with a pet’s unique makeup, and she happens to be the founder, Rebecca Rose.”
Best Home Care Product: PROTEKTIN42K™ PREBIOTIC DENTAL POWDER FOR ALL PETS by TEEF for Life
If you’re anything like me, your pet’s dental health is a constant battle. As much as you try, you never get around to brushing your pet’s teeth enough, and every time you do, your dog or cat hates it as much as you do. There’s no denying that the toothbrushing experience is a necessary part of pet parenthood, but that doesn’t mean we can’t explore other options to put into our dental health toolkit.
At the show, I was introduced to TEEF for Life for the first time. Their Protektin42™ is a dental powder that can be dissolved in your dog or cat’s drinking water to improve their dental health. The prebiotic powder is a patented formula that puts microbes on a Keto diet. This causes bacteria to focus on proteins and amino acids rather than carbs and sugars, creating healthier and less stinky by-products in our pets mouth.
Better dental health and less stinky dog mouths through drinking water? Count me in!
Best Health Product: RECOVERY SUIT FOR CATS by Suitical International BV
Raise your hand, bark, or meow if you hate the cone of shame. Us too.
What if there was a way to get the benefits of the cone without actually having to use a cone? Guess what! There is! The Recovery Suit from Suitical provides a cone and bandage alternative for both dogs and cats. It is a full-body garment that can be worn after a medical procedure, when recovering from a skin condition, to reduce licking, scratching, and/or biting, and even to help minimize shedding.
The suit provides full coverage while still allowing cats to use the litter box on their own. It’s made with a patented, breathable design and is machine washable.
Best Enrichment Product: SUSHI SET by Pupper Squares
Puppers Squares was another brand located in the Emerging Brand section of the SuperZoo show floor. As soon as I saw their booth, I was overcome with joy. Not only did they have the cutest branding, but they also had creative products centered around a positive experience that you could share with your dog.
So often, we associate enrichment with physical activity and food puzzles that we forget enrichment is so much more than that. During the show, I attended a panel session featuring Meghan Wolfgram, founder of Swiftpaws and previous BlogPaws Best Award recipient, on the topic of pet enrichment. One question that was posed was, “What is enrichment?” The panel turned the question on its head to ask, “What isn’t?”
With that in mind, I wanted to highlight a product in the enrichment category that made people think a little bit, and I knew the 8 Piece Sushi Set was the right choice after hearing stories from the founders about the experiences customers have already had.
The Sushi Set includes 8 freeze-dried square sushi treats (2 salmon, 2 tilapia, 1 beef liver, 1 shrimp, 1 egg, and 1 purple yam) and a wooden tray. Using chopsticks to serve is encouraged!
Best Boutique Product: ELEVATED HALO BOWL by Catenary Home
We love our BlogPaws Community and always ask if they have any requests for booths to visit while we’re attending trade shows. Every once in a while, we get a suggestion to check out a brand or product that is completely new to us, and that’s exactly what happened at this show.
Hayley from Cat Therapy sent us an Instagram DM to visit the Catenary Home booth, which was also located in the Emerging Brands section. On the final day, we finally swung by and met the founder, Wicksie Tu. Her designs impressed us online, but seeing them in person really emphasized the quality, creativity, and thoughtfulness that went into designing each of their products.
Just like with Crochet Kitty, I couldn’t pick just one product myself, so I phoned a friend. Britt selected the Elevated Halo Bowl for our Best Boutique Product because “Whisker fatigue is something that isn’t discussed nearly enough, and they look so modern and nice.” I can’t wait to see what Catenary Home comes out with next!
18 brands, each with incredible and innovative products that are pushing the standard of pet care. We’re thankful to each of the award recipients for helping to move the pet industry forward. Congratulations to all the winners!
What’s your favorite brand or product from our BlogPaws Best picks? What do you want to learn more about? I can’t wait to hear your thoughts in the comments!
About the Author: Jessica Shipman, BlogPaws COO / CMO, has been in the pet industry since 2013, following the launch of her blog, Beagles & Bargains. She’s a skilled marketing strategist with an Ivy League Engineering degree making her a sought-after web developer, too. When not focused on content creation or SEO, she enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Luna and Ralph. Read more…
