Nearly 300 people attended the first Pet Food Processing Exchange, including pet nutrition manufacturers, ingredient and equipment suppliers and more.

Michael Johnson, principal of consumer strategy at BSM Partners, providing an overview of the pet food industry and where it’s headed.

Attendees Mark Holm, Brian Krumsee and Elissa Brown of Handtmann.

Attendees Kurt Braun of Grain Processing Corporation and Roger McKinley of Zeppelin Systems USA.

Brittany White, Ph.D., vice president of research, development and engineering and commercial enablement at Ollie, discussing the latest emerging ingredients in pet nutrition.

Worth Turner, chief executive officer of Custom Veterinary Services LLC, sharing how processors can find the right manufacturing and supplier partners. 

Meyer Sosland, chief operating officer and executive editor of Sosland Publishing, Kimberlie Clyma, editor of Pet Food Processing, and Scott Krebs, president of Wenger.

Jim Ritchie, president and CEO of RedStone Logistics and instructor at the University of Kansas, diving into supply chain and transportation challenges and their impact on the industry.

Jay Pierre of H&M Trucking and Bill Farrant of CPM Wolverine Proctor.

Mallory Gaines, director of market access and multilateral affairs at the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), providing insights on trade opportunities for US pet food processors and how to get started exporting.

Andrea Binder, vice president of retail account development at NielsenIQ, sharing the latest retail and pet food insights.

Kimberlie Clyma, editor of Pet Food Processing; Scott Krebs, president of Wenger; Amy Patterson, president of Petsource by Scoular; Jeremey Couture, director of business development, pet specialty group at Nestlé Purina Pet Care; and Tom Rychlewski, vice president, food and beverage operations at CRB, sharing thoughts on the state of the industry.

Will Rock of Bill Barr & Company, Jacob Strahm of The Peterson Company, David Larson of Novonesis, and Kevin Young of The Peterson Company. 

Sherri Stephens of Merieux NutriSciences/Silliker and Wendy Warner of TekniPlex.

Yigit Guler of GEA North America, Patrick Fitzgerald of Kincannon Reed, and Max Wamsley of Mississippi State University. 

Austin Cole of Barrett Pet Food, Quinn Duncan of Wilbur Ellis, and Eric Allphin of MFiber.

Eric Rittenhouse, Michael Johnson and Nate Thomas of BSM Partners. 

Kimberlie Clyma, editor of Pet Food Processing; Andy Daly, client delivery partner at Microsoft; Greg Powers, vice president of Cool Stuff at Gray Solutions; and Brian Lakari, vice president of operations at Carnivore Meat Company, sharing their perspectives on the plant of the future.

Jake Kremel of Doral, James Boddicker, publisher of sister publication Baking & Snack, Kerwin Brown of BEMA, and Mike Gude, publisher of sister publication Milling & Baking News.

Daryle McDonald of Thanh Phu Plastic Packaging, Jay Moynihan of Mondi, Brian Streit of Wenger Manufacturing, and Quinn Fowler of Wenger Manufacturing.

Erica Shaffer of Meat+Poultry, Al Willsey of Sosland Publishing, Kimberlie Clyma of Pet Food Processing, Nicole Kerwin of Pet Food Processing, Tom Huppe of Sosland Publishing, Whitney Hartman of Sosland Publishing and Heather Davis of Blentech Corporation. 

Billie Johnson, Ph.D., food safety and regulatory compliance manager at BHJ North America, speaking on the importance of food safety in pet nutrition. 

Will Rock of Bill Barr & Company, David Larson of Novonesis, and Kelly Matz of Great Plains Analytical Labs.

Staci Greco of Sosland Publishing and Brian Krumsee of Handtmann.

Rebecca McGowen of Simmons Foods, Grant Weidman of Material Motion, and Wendy Warner of TekniPlex.

Anne Klein, senior sustainability business manager with the Pet Sustainability Coalition, discussing the various ways pet food processors and suppliers can help reduce the industry’s overall environmental impact.

Kaleb Tenhaken of HaF Equipment, Kerwin Brown of BEMA, and James Boddicker of Baking & Snack.

Dave Carney of Buhler, Amy Patterson of Petsource by Scoular, and Douglas Bondy of Dolphin Products.

Husch Blackwell Partner Fang Shen discussing the essential considerations companies should keep in mind when establishing partnerships in international markets.

Stephanie Clark, Ph.D., assistant director of special services at BSM Partners, providing insights on emerging trends in product development. 

Hannah Carney of Sosland Publishing, Brian Maddox of Biorigin, Jordan Tyler of BSM Partners, and Dave Crost of Sosland Publishing.

Save the date for Pet Food Processing Exchange 2025 set for Oct. 19 to 21 in Kansas City, Mo.