PetBridge: Connecting India’s Pet Industry with the Global Market
As PetBridge prepares for its inaugural edition in Mumbai, Pascale Sonvico, Exhibition Manager, Zoomark, discusses the international thinking behind the platform, opportunities for Indian manufacturers to work with global pet-care businesses, and the potential for stronger commercial connections between India and international markets.
By Editorial Team, Brushes, Hairs & Fibres
Key Highlights
- International Market Access: PetBridge aims to help international businesses better understand the Indian pet-care market and identify potential distributors, buyers and business partners.
- OEM and Private-Label Opportunities: The platform could help international companies connect with Indian manufacturers and explore sourcing, OEM and private-label possibilities.
- Connections Between Mumbai and Bologna: PetBridge and Zoomark could create opportunities for business relationships to develop across the two markets and continue beyond individual exhibitions.
- Quality of Connections: For the inaugural edition, Pascale Sonvico emphasises the quality of business connections rather than visitor numbers alone.
Editorial Introduction
India’s pet-care industry is attracting growing interest from international businesses as the sector becomes increasingly professionalised. For manufacturers, brands and distributors, the market presents opportunities not only in domestic sales but also in sourcing, contract manufacturing, private-label production and distribution partnerships.
Turning these opportunities into business relationships requires an understanding of the market and access to relevant commercial contacts. Dedicated B2B platforms can help bring companies together, enabling them to explore potential partnerships and better understand each other’s requirements.
Scheduled for 25–26 November 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre (NESCO), Mumbai, PetBridge is being developed with this business focus. Powered by Zoomark and co-organised by BolognaFiere and Inspira Bridge Events, the platform combines international exhibition experience with knowledge of the Indian market.
In this conversation with Brushes, Hairs & Fibres, Pascale Sonvico, Exhibition Manager, Zoomark, discusses why Zoomark is supporting the initiative, what international businesses are looking for in India, and how PetBridge could create opportunities for Indian manufacturers and global pet-care companies to connect. She also shares her perspective on the potential relationship between PetBridge in Mumbai and Zoomark in Bologna.
The Interview
PetBridge marks a significant step in Zoomark’s international expansion. Why did BolognaFiere and Zoomark decide to develop PetBridge in India at this particular moment, and what makes the Indian pet-care ecosystem an important market for this international initiative?
Pascale Sonvico: India is a market we have been following closely as part of Zoomark’s international development. We see a pet care industry that is growing and becoming increasingly professionalised, alongside greater interest from international companies looking for new opportunities.
PetBridge was developed in response to this evolution. At Zoomark, our role has always gone beyond organising an exhibition: we work to create opportunities for companies to access markets, develop relationships and connect with the right business partners.
With PetBridge, we are bringing that experience to India together with a strong local partner, Inspira Bridge Events, combining our international network and know-how with their knowledge of the Indian market.
For us, this is not simply about taking the Zoomark format abroad. It is about building a platform specifically for the Indian pet care ecosystem and creating a bridge between a growing local industry and the international business community.
From your perspective within Zoomark’s international sales and show office, what kind of interest and feedback are you seeing from European and global businesses regarding the Indian pet-care market? What expectations are you hearing from international exhibitors and buyers ahead of PetBridge in Mumbai?
Pascale Sonvico: There is strong curiosity, but companies are also very pragmatic. They want to understand the market, identify the right distributors and buyers, and assess how they can develop their business in India.
This has been important in shaping PetBridge. International exhibitors are looking for more than visibility: they want qualified contacts, market knowledge and concrete business opportunities.
Our aim is to create the right environment for those conversations to happen.
PetBridge is presented as “Powered by Zoomark.” From an operational and commercial perspective, what does this backing bring to the Mumbai event, and how does Zoomark’s international experience shape the development of PetBridge?
Pascale Sonvico: “Powered by Zoomark” means bringing our international experience, network and knowledge of the global pet industry to the development of PetBridge.
As co-organisers, Zoomark contributes its B2B exhibition expertise and international relationships, while Inspira Bridge Events brings essential knowledge of the Indian market.
This combination allows us to build an event that is locally relevant while meeting the expectations of international exhibitors and buyers.
A major area of interest for Brushes, Hairs & Fibres is contract manufacturing, private-label supply and OEM capabilities. From the international perspective, do you see PetBridge creating opportunities for global pet brands to explore Indian manufacturers and supply partners?
Pascale Sonvico: Absolutely. PetBridge is not only about international brands entering India; the opportunity works in both directions.
It can also provide a platform for international companies to meet Indian manufacturers, explore private-label and OEM opportunities, source products and identify potential supply partners.
Bringing different parts of the value chain together and facilitating these new business relationships is an important part of PetBridge’s role.
How do you envision the relationship between PetBridge in Mumbai and Zoomark in Bologna evolving over time? Could PetBridge also serve as a pathway for Indian manufacturers and brands to build relationships with the international pet industry and, potentially, participate at future editions of Zoomark?
Pascale Sonvico: We see the relationship as a two-way bridge. PetBridge can help international companies approach the Indian market, while also giving Indian manufacturers and brands greater opportunities to connect with the global pet industry.
Zoomark in Bologna and PetBridge in Mumbai can therefore create continuity between different markets and business communities, with relationships developed at one event potentially continuing at the other.
As PetBridge approaches its inaugural edition on 25–26 November at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, what would you like the first edition to achieve, and what would you hope Indian and international businesses take away from the Mumbai experience?
Pascale Sonvico: For a first edition, success is not simply about numbers; it is about the quality of the connections we create.
We want international companies to leave Mumbai with a better understanding of the Indian market and valuable new contacts, while Indian businesses gain access to international companies, expertise and opportunities.
If participants leave knowing who they want to continue talking to and what their next business step could be, PetBridge will have achieved something meaningful.
Beyond the Exhibition Floor
PetBridge’s longer-term significance will depend on how effectively the connections made in Mumbai develop into ongoing business relationships. As Pascale Sonvico explains, the objective is not simply to bring companies together for an exhibition, but to create opportunities for meaningful conversations, market understanding and potential collaboration.
For Indian manufacturers, including businesses producing pet-care products and grooming tools, the platform could offer opportunities to engage with international companies and explore sourcing, OEM and private-label requirements. For international businesses, it provides an opportunity to learn more about the Indian market and identify potential commercial partners.
The relationship between PetBridge in Mumbai and Zoomark in Bologna could further support these connections by creating continuity between the two markets. The inaugural edition will be an important first step in seeing how this approach develops in practice.
PetBridge 2026: Event Information
- Dates: 25–26 November 2026
- Event: PetBridge 2026 (Powered by Zoomark International)
- Venue: Hall 4, Bombay Exhibition Centre (NESCO), Mumbai, India
- Official Website: https://pet-bridge.com/
Editor’s Note
Brushes, Hairs & Fibres thanks Pascale Sonvico for sharing her perspectives ahead of the inaugural edition of PetBridge 2026. We look forward to following the event and reporting on developments relevant to the international pet-care trade, manufacturers and suppliers.
Photo Credits
Photographs courtesy of Zoomark International / PetBridge. Published with permission.
