Every brand has a story. The PATS ‘Behind the Brand’ series dives into the history and passion of some of the companies joining us at the Pet & Aquatics Trade Show 2026.
Tropica Aquarium Plants is a world-renowned Danish company recognised for high-quality aquatic plants, offering a vast range of species free from snails, algae, and pesticides. They provide various plant types—pot, 1-2-Grow! (tissue culture), and bulbs - tailored for aquarists of all levels, featuring a patented, easy-to-use coding system to match plants with specific aquarium conditions.
You’ll be able to find Tropica Aquarium Plants at PATS 2026 on stand S16. Radu Samson, Marketing Manager of Tropica Aquarium Plants gave us some more insight into the company and what to look forward to at PATS 2026.
1. How did the business begin, and what problem were you originally trying to solve? Tropica began in Denmark over 50 years ago with a simple ambition: to make aquarium plants more accessible, reliable, and successful for hobbyists and retailers alike.
At the time, live plants were often difficult to source and inconsistent in quality. We set out to solve that challenge by applying professional horticultural techniques to aquatic plant production, ensuring consistent quality and helping more people succeed with planted aquariums.
2. What has been the biggest challenge in building or growing the brand so far? Our biggest challenge has been educating the market while maintaining our high standards as we’ve grown globally. Early on, many aquarists saw plants as difficult rather than essential to a healthy aquarium, so we invested heavily in education: sharing knowledge, creating care guides, and developing nutrition systems. At the same time, scaling a brand built on live plants demanded exceptional consistency, logistics, and innovation to ensure every Tropica product continues to deliver trust for retailers and success for consumers.
3. How has the pet retail landscape changed since you started, and how have you adapted? The landscape has transformed dramatically. Consumers today are far more informed, often researching extensively online before visiting stores. The planted aquarium hobby has grown tremendously, with aquascaping becoming recognised as an art form. We've adapted by strengthening our digital presence through our website, Tropica App and our social media content, providing comprehensive online resources, and developing product innovations like our 1-2-Grow! tissue culture plants that helped drastically reduce the impact the hobby has on wild nature.
4. Where do you take inspiration from when developing new products or ranges? We listen closely to our customers, both hobbyists and retailers. Our broad development team and network include passionate aquascapers who understand real-world needs. We also look to nature itself, exploring aquatic habitats worldwide and working to make rare or challenging species accessible through cultivation. Sustainability challenges inspire innovation too, like our tissue culture technology that eliminates pesticides and reduces our environmental footprint.
5. What does “success” look like for you as a brand? Success can take many forms and shapes considering our dual interest in both our retail partners and the hobbyists. For our retail partners, success means being a reliable supplier that helps drive their profitability through consistent quality, strong margins, and the marketing support that brings consumers through their doors. For hobbyists, it's seeing thriving planted aquariums in homes worldwide and knowing we've helped people experience the joy and tranquillity they bring. It's about maintaining our reputation for quality while making the hobby more accessible. Ultimately, we measure success by being the trusted partner for retailers and the first choice for consumers, while making a positive environmental impact and expanding the planted aquariums hobby’s reach.
6. Can you share an example of how your products have made a difference for retailers, pets or pet owners? A great example is our 1-2-Grow! tissue culture range. These plants are pest-free, adapted to underwater conditions, and ready for planting, which has made a real difference for retailers and hobbyists. Retailers can now present the tissue cultures in clean self-service solutions, reducing the costs of their classic underwater displays, whereas hobbyists are more independent and have a higher degree of control over their water chemistry. Many consumers tell us it has increased confidence in buying live aquarium plants, especially for aquascaping or shrimp aquariums where cleanliness and quality are essential.
7. What advice would you give to independent retailers choosing new products or suppliers in the current market? Our advice is to choose partners who offer more than just products. Reliability, consistency, support, education and inspiration are key. Retailers should look for suppliers who understand the challenges of selling live goods, provide strong resources, and share a long-term commitment to consistent growth and development of the industry. In the aquatic trade specifically, choose suppliers with strong sustainability credentials; today's consumers increasingly care about environmental impact. Finally, stock products that solve problems rather than just fill shelves.
8. How long have you been involved with PATS, and what stands out to you about the show? Tropica has been part of the PATS community for many years. What makes the show special is the quality of conversations - it’s where relationships are built, ideas are shared, and the industry comes together in a very practical and positive way. It brings together serious retailers who are passionate about their businesses and want to offer their customers the best. Additionally, you get to touch base with your competitors and complementary suppliers to assess new trends and areas with room for improvement.
9. Why is exhibiting at PATS important for your business specifically? PATS is particularly important for us this year because Tropica is at a pivotal point where a lot of novelties will be introduced, expanding our product range into untapped market segments. We need a platform to both test and advertise our new ideas and direction, and PATS provides the perfect environment. The show gives us invaluable face-to-face time with retailers where we can gather immediate feedback on our innovations and gauge market reaction to our expanded offering. While digital communication is important, nothing replaces in-person conversations where we can demonstrate these new products, understand challenges, and build trust around our evolving vision. It's where we strengthen existing partnerships while introducing our retail partners to exciting new opportunities that will shape the future of our brand.
10. What can visitors expect when they meet you at PATS this year? This year will be particularly exciting as visitors can expect to see some inspirational layouts along with our expanded product range that complements our core business. We'll be showcasing novelties that we're introducing to the UK market following their debut at Interzoo in Germany. There will be hands-on demonstrations of both these new additions and our established ranges, and our knowledgeable team will be available to discuss the products, provide growing tips, and share ideas. Most importantly, we're looking forward to conversations with visitors and gathering feedback on what we're introducing. It's a great opportunity for anyone interested in aquatic plants and the aquarium hobby to see what's new from Tropica.
11. Who should make a point of visiting your stand, and why? Independent aquatic retailers, garden centres, aquascaping specialists, and businesses considering expanding their aquarium range into freshwater should make a point of visiting the Tropica stand. Whether you are introducing live plants for the first time or looking to develop your freshwater category further, we are happy to share our experience, practical insights, and knowledge of what works in today’s market. One of our goals is to support retailers in building confidence with live plants and creating inspiring, well-balanced aquarium sections for their customers.
12. Looking ahead, what’s next for the brand beyond PATS? Beyond PATS, Tropica will continue investing in new plant varieties, improved retail solutions, as well as education and inspiration that supports the entire hobby. We’re focused on sustainability, innovation, and long-term partnerships ensuring that aquarium plants remain a growing and exciting category for UK retailers and consumers well into the future. Ultimately, we're focused on growing the planted aquarium category by making it more accessible, sustainable, and rewarding for everyone involved.
