Interzoo Summit 2016

Next week I will be speaking at the bi-annual Interzoo Summit in Nuremberg, Germany. 

The Interzoo Summit addresses the key trends in consumer and communication behaviors that will influence the pet industry, including digitalization and show-rooming. For those of you attending InterzooI hope you will be able to attend this conference.

The summit is geared to top managers and executive board members of pet product companies. Investor groups or those new to the pet industry may also find the conference to be valuable. Pre-register for the summit here from this link.


Pets International's March issue featured a preview of the summit:

A Few Reflections on Germany

Having returned to the US, I've had some time to reflect on my most recent trip to Germany. The German people are an interesting lot- they are both congenial and friendly, yet amazingly deliberate and precise as well. They never cease to impress me with their efficiency and exactness. At times it can be a bit startling, when they respond to a request or question with a very serious "Yes of course" or "No it is not possible". Being direct and frank is in their nature, and I must admit it is rather refreshing. At least one knows where one stands. Walking about, you can't help but notice their architecture is both serious and heavy; dark at times, yet modern buildings have the smooth, sleek glass, and lines designed with incredible detail. Their food is quite good, although rich and heavy- I've no idea how everyone isn't obese over there. Between all the varieties of bratwurst sausages, potato-everything, delicious breads, traditional schnitzels, refreshing beer, and tempting sweets, it was difficult to control myself with all the options while dining. As it was Spargel season, this white asparagus delicacy was available everywhere, as steamed with Hollandaise sauce and boiled potatoes to a rich and creamy soup. Indeed, it was a gastronomic feast!

Walking through the city of Nuremberg was equally stimulating, reminders of the past (good and bad) to more contemporary elements, Germany today is thriving place with genuinely nice people who seems to like Americans. Mind you, I don't speak a word of German, but whenever approaching a stranger for something, I would always first ask "Sprecken ze English?" which I pronounced as "shhpreckken zeee Engleesh?" Typically most would respond sheepishly with "a little bit" but then carry on a completely coherent conversation with me. Most Germans seem to speak English well enough to get by, but always appreciate the little effort (or courtesy) of asking first before assuming they do speak English.

It was scenes like these, where I found Germany to be serene, relaxing and quite peaceful. Quintessential Old Europe, meets new Europe. A perfect blend for me. I look forward to returning to Deutschland again in the future, where I hope to add a few new words to my vocabulary. If anyone has a few words to suggest, I'd be grateful indeed.
-Herr Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Nuremberg, Germany Part 5

Rick's Roadshow from Nuremberg Germany returns with Part 5. As you may recall I am here attending the Interzoo pet supply trade show. I'm pleased to say that our Austrian colleague brought her dog to the show every day to be in the booth with us. It has been so nice to have a dog with us! I miss seeing Sheldon and Duncan, so it is a treat to have a cute doggie to pet and snuggle with in between meetings. I wish I could tell you his actual name, but it is a German name and I couldn't repeat or spell it. Anyway, here he is, seated on someone's lap. Isn't he sweet as can be? It may sound stupid but it was so interesting watching him follow commands in German. He listened to his mom's voice and watched her very closely to obey every instruction. Such a sweet hund!

above: during several meetings, the cute doggie sat in and joined the meetings. Look closely at this photo, he is seated on his own chair, in the lower right corner. This was not staged- he participated in many meetings just like this. His head watched everyone speak, as if he followed along with great interest. I just love the pet industry!

above: One of the other vendors at the show had a group of German musicians perform at various points during the day. They were mostly kids, with an adult leader. They were really quite good too!

above: The Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). I took this photo from the Hauptmarkt square.

above: The Schöne Brunnen, or "The Beautiful Fountain", located in Hauptmarkt square. It is a sixty-foot statue/sculpture fountain of gold filigree and color. It was originally built in 1385 as a cap for the Frauenkirche or Church of Our Lady. This version is a replica built in 1912, as the original one is in a museum.

above: I just liked the archway over this door way. Such detail! I hope these photos continue to show the detail and character of Nuremberg, Germany. Tomorrow I'll have one last entry for Rick's Roadshow: Nuremberg, Germany. Hope to see you again!
-Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Nuremberg, Germany Part 4

Rick's Roadshow: Nuremberg, Germany continues with Part 4. Yesterday was a hectic day at the Interzoo trade show; my team and I were exhausted from a constant flow of international retailers and distributors flowing through the Nuremberg Messe exhibition center. After work, I set out for some dinner in the old walled city and found this wonderful restaurant corner. If you look closely you can see the nifty details on the side of the house. In the corner, tucked in the ivy lamp is a hanging rope with a hundred or so glass wine bottles. A fun place for sure.

above: this is the side of the house pictured in the top left photo. It has a nice sidewalk garden seating area.

above: tucked in the sidewalk garden area was this fun bench, complete with a German man and woman at either end. It made me want to sit there, but it was rather chilly to be seated outside.

above: I'll leave off the main course of the meal but I wanted to show this photo in particular. They served the first course on a regular plat, but inside a special paper bag, which they tore open when brought to the table. This is a fairly high end restaurant, and I had a delicious tortellini pasta. I've never seen food served this way in a fine dining restaurant, strange, but delicious.

above: after dinner I ordered a cheese plate, which was also served with slices of fresh Italian bread, drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I have really developed a taste for cheese after dinner now. Perhaps one of the things I like best about being in Germany is the food experience. Part of it is a surprise when it shows up at the table. While I usually know if something is beef, chicken or fish, often times I can't work out how it is prepared, so its always an adventure when it arrives. I'm here for a few more days so I have more fun in dining rooms yet to come! Do stay tuned and stop back when you can.
-Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Nuremberg, Germany Part 3

Welcome to Rick's Roadshow: Nuremberg, Germany Part 3. Yesterday was a full day at the Interzoo pet trade show in Nuremberg. I spent the whole day working with future international clients at the show. I can speak enough Italian and French to get by without insulting anyone, and my English isn't so bad either! We had a few German-speaking folks on hand so we pretty much had things well in hand all way. I must admit, I do enjoy the international aspect of my position. Natural Balance is a well respected pet food brand across the world, especially in Asia and Europe. After the show finished we went to dinner and I snapped a few photos:

above: a nifty old clock tower sort of structure.

above: this is the big abbey in the center of the old city, its so beautiful.

above: I walked past this building last night and was struck by the detail on the top, isn't it cool? Well that's all for today, I was mostly at work all day! Tomorrow I'll try to take a few photos from the Interzoo show, so do stop back again.
-Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Nuremberg, Germany Part 2

Another busy day at work but not without a few interesting stops along the way. Today Rick's Roadshow: Nuremberg, Germany Part 2 continues my week-long coverage here in this historic old city. Last night we had the most incredible thunder and lightning storm. The entire sky was illuminated with huge thunderbolts. I opened the blinds to enjoy the light show against the dark night sky. Much of yesterday was spent at the Messe exhibition center, working with the team to ensure our trade show booth was set up and displayed properly. After a long day, we escaped and set out to explore some of the city and find something to eat. I was surprised at how nice the weather was, as the weather forecast called for rain, but it was sunny and clear.

above: Inside the walled city, there are all sorts of interesting old structures, including this ammunition tower.

above: parts of the walled city have wooden doors like these. They add charm to it, don't you think?

above: Later we found this really old part of the city and stopped for a late lunch.

above: After a hard day at work, a cold beer was in order...

above: I had Spargle Soup (white asparagus soup), with some warm, freshly made pretzel bread. Wow, it was delicious. I also had some bratwurst and sauerkraut. It was a delicious meal! I'm really enjoying Nuremberg, its a charming place.

above: later, on the way back to my hotel I snapped this photo. Its a little blurry but I think it still conveys the charm of how this city feels at night. I hope you enjoyed today's installment of Rick's Roadshow. I'll be back again tomorrow!
-Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Nuremberg Germany, Part 1

It's a new day and a new destination. Welcome to Rick's Roadshow: Nuremberg, Germany, Part 1. I say "Part 1" because I'll be here for the best part of a week attending the Interzoo Pet trade show. I started the day in Frankfurt, having flown in from Manchester, England on business. I quite like Germany, the people are exceptionally friendly, happy and genuinely like tourists. After getting situated in Nuremberg and doing a bit of requisite work, I went out on a stroll for a late lunch. As usual I had my camera to capture anything that caught my interest. Before long I found a splendid place for lunch, which consisted of a cheese and tomato sandwich with a delicious, vitamin-enriched German beer.

above: My vitamin-fortified German Beer.

above: I wrapped things up with a slice of chocolate-banana cake, with dark chocolate shavings. Wow that was delicious!
A Dinner to Remember...

above: Last night I was entertaining one of our customers and brought them to a place I enjoyed the last time I was here: Nassauer-Keller. It dates back to the 13th century and is located undergound...

above: these are the steps leading down to the restaurant. The ceiling is quite low...

above: once inside, the restaurant has a very nifty atmosphere, complete with vaulted brick ceilings, arched doorways, and a medieval German presence throughout.

above: I swear this suit of armor was watching us all dinner long...reminded me of an old Scooby Doo episode.

above: This is the main dining room. Its quite small and has an intimate feeling to it. It was a great dining experience. The food was all fresh and very delicious. We never felt rushed at all, and thoroughly enjoyed the meal and entire experience. It was German hospitality at its best! If you are ever in Nuremberg, do check out Nassauer Keller, its located on Karolomenstrase, kitty-corner from the big abbey church. Stay tuned for tomorrow, I'll have some sights from around Nuremberg to share.
-Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: A little more Nuremberg, Germany

As it turns out I have a few last photos of Germany worth sharing. Sunday ended up being a travel day anyway, so not much exciting to report in the way of new travels within London. I did, however spend time shopping, which was very cathartic and exhilarating, despite the unfavourable exchange rate for Americans.

So here are some final photos of my last night in Nuremberg, Bavaria. We ate dinner at a wonderful German restaurant called Raubritter, located just off the main square, in a rathskeller/basement. As you can see from this top left photo, the stairway going down had all sorts of "authentic" looking decor. We made our way down the stone steps into the restaurant, which looked like it had been there for ages and ages. Much to our delight, no one in the place spoke English, so it turned out to be a fun evening. Looking around (and listening) there were virtually no tourists dining. Or perhaps I should say everyone was speaking German.

above: the restaurant had a cozy bar that was decorated with all sorts of German beer stuff.

above: Stone vaulted ceilings gave the restaurant an old world feel. Our table (not shown) was in a tiny cave-like corner, with no electricity, so the only light we had was from two candles. The low curved cave ceiling had soot all over it from years of burning candles at that table. It was really a cool place to dine. The food was delicious, although we didn't recognize any of the food that arrived. It was because we couldn't read the menu!
One last statue/fountain...

above: This fountain was so beautiful, with lots of detail. It's difficult to see it all but you can tell that there is quite a bit going on within it.
And just for a laugh...

above: I saw a shop in Nuremberg with hundreds of wigs, all on display in the window. There were two other large windows like this one, all with different wigs. It's not something you see often in the US...so I just had to include it.
Tomorrow, I have a surprise for the loyal readers of this blog. I do hope you will stop by and check it out, as Rick's Roadshow continues once again from London!
-Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Nuremberg~Bavaria, Germany

My final day in Bavaria. I worked all day until late afternoon. After two and a half days of being at the Interzoo the trade show, I decided to call it a wrap. So it was off to the old city to explore more of Nuremberg. I had an interesting experience on the train: three older Russians sat down next to me and started chatting with each other in their language. The old man sputtered something to me in Russian, which of course I did not understand so I smiled and said "Do you speak English?" he frowned, having no idea what I had said. He then turned and offered me a piece of candy. I declined initially but they were insistent so I accepted and ate the candy, which made them all smile, as they hungrily ate their own pieces of the sweet. I decided to bridge the gap a bit and used my BlackBerry to Google "Basic phrases in Russian". FInally the search results came back, and suddenly the train arrived at my destination. I quickly stood up, looked at my BlackBerry Google result and said to the three old Russians: "Spasiba" (pointing to my mouth, as I was still eating the candy). I glanced at my Blackberry screen again and managed to say: "Do svidaniya, Schast'ya i zdorov'ya!" All of which means "Thank you, Goodbye, I wish you happiness and health". A smile came over the faces of the three old Russians and they waved merrily to me as I exited the train. It was a fun experience, I was grateful for the magic of the Internet! Once I reached the old city again I went exploring and took a few more photos. I hope you enjoy these final views of Nuremberg.

above: Nuremberg is situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal. It affords charming views of the city.

above: this photo is actually from Friday but I felt it belonged more in today's post, as it was taken on another area at the river. It's tough to see but the building behnd me had fresh flowers in window boxes along the entire length of the building.

Nuremberg Castle

above: I walked up the hill to the massive Nuremberg Castle, which was built as early at 1000. Until 1571, all of the Kaisers and kings from the Roman Empire lived in this castle at some point.
The Hauptmarkt Square

above: The Frauenkirche (Church of our lady) has a wonderful clockworks movement. Just under the face of the clock, there is a mechanical statue of the Kaiser, who moves out when the clock strikes noon. above right: the Hauptmarkt square, with a farmers market type variety of stalls.

Performers on the Hauptmarkt

above: this man was my favorite, he was playing accordion and had his dog on his shoulder the entire time. The dog earned him a donation of 2 Euros from me..

above: a clown and an old German Witch from the Forest. She was playing the flute. I gave the witch 2 Euros as well.

above: The ‘Schöner brunnen’ (which means beautiful fountain). It was built back in 1385 and is the focal point of the square.

The Hauptmarkt has a huge number of fresh vegetables and food stalls. Above left: a cheese stall and above right: meat and sausages.

above left: Many of the stands were selling white asparagus, which are in season at the moment and are being served on every menu in town. above right- I thought these red eggs were interesting, not sure why.

Well that's all from Germany. Sunday morning I fly back to London where I'll be in town for a few days on business and a few days of personal time off, so I'll have plenty more to share. Thanks so much for stopping by, Rick's Roadshow continues...

-Rick Rockhill