Grow.
Innovate.
Connect.
On behalf of the entire CONNECT team, we want to extend our genuine thanks to everyone who joined us for CONNECT 2025 in Niagara Falls.
To all the attendees-thank you for bringing your passion, curiosity, and commitment to growing the pet industry. And to the incredible CONNECT exhibitors—thank you for showcasing the very best in products, services, and innovation. Presenting exclusive CONNECT show buying opportunities.
CONNECT 2026 opens soon. We can’t wait to welcome you back and continue this journey with you.
Let's Connect.
Join us at Connect, the Canadian platform for collaboration and innovation in the pet industry!
We are dedicated to bringing together Canadian and global pet industry leaders—including manufacturers, retailers, and suppliers—to foster strong relationships and drive success.
At Connect, you'll find invaluable opportunities for networking, education, and dialogue, all designed to help pet businesses thrive in an ever-evolving market. Our Connect Tool Box vendors and expert speakers are here to share powerful insights and strategies to help you grow your business.
This event is more than just a gathering—it's a community committed to empowering retailers
with the knowledge, skills, and connections they need to succeed. We advocate for innovative solutions and ensure retailers have access to brands that truly support them.
Built by pet professionals, Connect values your input! We invite you to share your vision and insights to make this experience even more impactful for your business. Join us in shaping the future of the pet industry—let’s grow together!
Connect:
A B2B pet trade event celebrating the Canadian pet industry hosted and created with a team that is 100% built with individuals and vendors from the Canadian Pet Industry.
Attendees and Exhibitors can enjoy all the amenities of the Connect Lounge. A spacious seating area with beverages, charging stations and plenty of seating area for impromptu meetings.
Connect brings 2 days of educational talks to attendees. Visitors will hear from Jennifer Murray, Jordan Milgrom, and financial advice through RBC, Moneris and ADP.
A highlight of the show is Connect's Fresh Food Showcase featuring a variety of frozen and gently cooked products from many of the Connect Exhibitors. Thanks to Habco for the great looking freezer setup.
Thursday night features Connect Live at the NFCC with the Orange Man Band. The evening will kick off with $10,000 in cash giveaways to retailers and exhibitors.
Your Ultimate Summer Strategy for Neighbourhood Retailers
By Jennifer Murray
Let’s be honest, summer can feel like a weird in-between season for pet retail. Unless your store is at the beach, or located at another busy summer destination, you might find that summer foot traffic dips because your customers are distracted. A retailer that does not stay proactive during the summer might even begin to see sales slide. But here’s the good news my friends! Summer is also a massive opportunity to build visibility, drive repeat visits, and become the store your community counts on when it’s hot out.
If you were at my Omnipresence presentation at the Connect Pet Expo in May, consider this your summer game plan to bring that strategy to life in your store. If you missed it, here’s the heart of it: omnipresence is not about chasing clicks or gaming algorithms. It’s about showing up with purpose and staying relevant. Omnipresence is about making sure your store is seen, heard, and trusted online, in your community, and in every customer interaction. At its core, it’s about preserving the human connection that makes neighbourhood pet retail so powerful.
Let’s break it down into five smart steps to keep your store visible, valuable, and thriving all summer long.
✅ 1. Be a Summer Lifesaver!
Build a seasonal display in your store that helps your customers protect their pets in the summer weather. You should stock the section with cooling gear, pet-safe sunscreens, frozen treats, car crates, travel harnesses, and flea & tick solutions. These items are not just “nice-to-haves,” they are “must-haves” for responsible summer pet parenting. Your goal is to make it easy for pet parents to both shop and learn at your store.
✅ 2. Give Them a Reason to Leash Up
I don’t want you to just sit in the store and wait for customers to wander through your front door. Instead, I want you to give them something to show up for:
A frozen treat sampling day
A “pups on the patio” social with your local café
An educational pop-up on heat safety or summer travel tips
Small events like the above build community, create great social content, and keep your store relevant in your community. This is also an excellent way to show your personality and build the “undeniably you” feeling to complete your store’s vibe.
✅ 3. Make Summer Loyalty Easy & Fun!
Make it easy for your customers to come back and visit you this summer. Here are some great options for moving merchandise and making people smile at the cash register.
A summer punch card: “Buy 5 summer items, get one free”
A pet travel essentials bundle at a discounted price
Think of a fun loyalty boost idea for July. I want you to get the creativity flowing and work as a team to enhance the customer experience.
✅ 4. Turn Scrolls into Sales
Summer is a great opportunity to use your social platforms to teach, not just sell.
· Post quick summer tips like “did you know dogs can burn their paw pads on hot pavement?”
Don’t forget to follow-up the summer tips with product mentions: “We’ve got protective booties and balms ready for pickup!”
I want you to let your pet care knowledge shine and consistently remind your customers that you are always there to help and educate.
✅ 5. Show Your Summer Shine
This is your chance for your business to feel as bright and inspiring as the outdoor weather. In Canada we never have long enough to enjoy the sunshine. It will be cold again before we know it. I encourage you to embrace the sunshine and update your windows, sandwich boards, website banners, and even your voicemail message if needed. Summer is a feeling—so let your brand reflect it. I see bright visuals, outdoor pet pics and clear messaging like:
“Hot days, cool pets. We’ve got what you need.”
🌟 Final Thought:
Summer is not slow—it is strategic. The pet retailers who win in July are the ones who show up early, show up consistently, and show up where their customers are already looking. Summer success is built through intentional moves that keep your store visible, valuable, and connected.