Nulo says Milan Olympics push lifted independent retail sales

Nulo’s Olympics-themed marketing appears to have done what many premium pet food brands are trying to achieve: generate national awareness while sending business back to independent pet retailers. Pet Age reported that Nulo’s investment around the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics produced 46 million TV impressions, drew more than 2,500 independent retailers into themed display programs, and helped drive an 8.1% sales gain across the top 15 pet specialty brands in the latest 52-week period. That framing matters because it positions the campaign not simply as brand advertising, but as a retail activation strategy built around the independent channel. (petage.com)

The move fits Nulo’s longer arc. The company has for years emphasized consumer-facing marketing designed to pull shoppers into pet specialty stores, rather than relying only on shelf presence. Earlier reporting from PetfoodIndustry described Nulo’s “Fuel Incredible” campaign as a major growth driver in 2024, with founder and CEO Michael Landa crediting Olympic athlete partnerships and related media investment for helping the brand post sales growth in a difficult market. In the 52 weeks ending January 18, 2025, Nulo sales rose 2.1% to $261.8 million, with volume up 13.4%, according to a Nielsen-based report cited by the company. (petfoodindustry.com)

The Milan effort appears to be an expansion of that same playbook. Nulo added winter athletes to the “Fuel Incredible” roster in November 2025, tying the campaign to competitors preparing for Milan 2026 and emphasizing the role of pets in athletes’ lives. The company later extended that Olympic storytelling with “Silent Teammates” pet pins distributed at the Games, a brand activation designed to connect athlete narratives with pets waiting at home. Around the same period, U.S. Figure Skating named Nulo its official pet food sponsor, giving the brand more visibility as Olympic attention built. Taken together, those moves suggest a coordinated, multi-touch campaign spanning television, social media, athlete endorsements, event sponsorship, and in-store merchandising. (nulo.com)

There’s also a channel story underneath the headlines. Nulo’s retail posture remains closely tied to independent specialty. Phillips Pet said in 2024 that bringing Nulo back into its premium portfolio would strengthen offerings for independent pet retailers across its U.S. distribution network. That aligns with Nulo’s own messaging that its core kibble lines represent major volume opportunities for retailers, and with prior company statements that marketing investments are meant to support store traffic and sell-through. (phillipspet.com)

Direct outside expert reaction to this specific campaign was limited in publicly available reporting, but broader industry commentary supports the strategy. PetfoodIndustry has noted that 2026 is shaping up as a balancing act between premiumization and value-seeking, with some pet parents trading down while independents try to differentiate through service, community, and curated assortments. Pet Age has similarly argued that brick-and-mortar pet retailers need to lean into trust, expertise, and in-person experience to stay competitive. In that environment, a national campaign that gives independents ready-made displays and a consumer story may be more valuable than awareness alone. That’s an inference based on the market context and Nulo’s channel choices. (petfoodindustry.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is a useful signal about where premium nutrition brands think influence still happens. Independent pet retailers often serve the same highly engaged pet parents who are receptive to veterinary guidance on diet, weight management, GI health, life-stage feeding, and functional nutrition. When a brand invests heavily in storytelling around elite performance and pet wellbeing, then pushes that demand into specialty retail, it can shape the nutrition questions clients bring into the exam room. Even when the products involved aren’t therapeutic diets, the surrounding messaging can influence expectations about protein content, ingredient quality, function-forward treats, and wellness positioning. (petfoodindustry.com)

The campaign also underscores that retail marketing and veterinary communication are increasingly adjacent. Pet parents don’t separate those worlds neatly: they may hear a national ad, see an in-store display, and then ask their veterinarian whether a premium food or supplement-style treat fits their pet’s needs. That means veterinary teams may want to stay aware of major consumer campaigns, especially when they are likely to drive product trial or prompt nutrition conversations in practice. (petfoodindustry.com)

What to watch: The next question is whether Nulo can convert an Olympics-driven burst into durable specialty-channel growth. Watch for follow-on retailer programs, updated packaging and core-kibble investments, additional athlete or governing-body partnerships, and any evidence that the company is broadening the campaign from awareness into more sustained product education and category expansion through 2026. (petfoodindustry.com)