Nulo Lands Hollywood Feed's 179 Stores Starting November 2

Nulo announced it signed a distribution deal with Hollywood Feed that will put its full line, Freestyle grain-free, oven-baked Culinary Harvest, and wet foods, into all 179 Hollywood Feed stores across 19 states starting November 2, 2026. Select markets in Georgia, Indiana, and Ohio will soft-launch the line on October 19.

The regional-chain move and what it changes for independents

Nulo says it is now the sixth-largest pet food brand in U.S. pet specialty retail. Hollywood Feed operates 179 stores across 19 states. The deal adds a regional chain to Nulo's specialty retail distribution.

For Hollywood Feed, the company says it is adding a brand that shares its focus on premium nutrition and customer education. Shawn McGhee, president of Hollywood Feed, said the company is "consistently seeking products that help our valued customers provide their pets with enhanced nutrition, longevity and quality of life."

The announcement does not detail the commercial terms of the distribution agreement or what protections, if any, apply to other retailers in Hollywood Feed's trade areas.

The athlete story and what the source does not report

Nulo partners with Olympic athletes, the company names 3x Gold Medalist shot putter Ryan Crouser and 2x Gold Medalist speed skater Jordan Stolz, and uses that athlete-driven positioning to differentiate on the shelf. Dr. Greg Aldrich, Nulo's Chief Operating Officer, said Hollywood Feed's "credibility teaching pet parents what great nutrition looks like" aligns with how Nulo thinks about nutrition.

Nulo's recipes are built around high animal-based protein, low-carb nutrition with low-glycemic ingredients, and a focus on gut health, according to the company. The source does not report performance data or metrics tied to the athlete partnerships.

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Our read: watch the soft launch

The October 19 soft launch in Georgia, Indiana, and Ohio precedes the full November 2 rollout by two weeks. That window gives Nulo and Hollywood Feed early read on customer response in select markets before the chain-wide launch.

For independents in those three states, the soft launch is the window to watch. If Nulo's sales hold steady in your store during the Hollywood Feed test period, the regional chain is not pulling your customers. If sales drop when Hollywood Feed launches, you will need to decide whether the margin on Nulo justifies keeping it on the shelf or whether you reallocate that space to a brand Hollywood Feed does not carry.

Nulo is the sixth-largest pet food brand in specialty retail, according to the company. The company is adding a 179-store regional chain to its distribution. Smaller brands watching this deal should ask whether a regional chain partnership would cost more in independent relationships than it would deliver in incremental revenue.

What changes on the shelf this week

If you stock Nulo and Hollywood Feed operates in your market, pull your sales data for the brand over the past 90 days and set a baseline. When the soft launch or the full rollout hits, compare weekly sales to that baseline for eight weeks. A drop signals you are competing with the chain and you need to decide whether Nulo's margin justifies the space or whether you replace it with a brand Hollywood Feed does not carry.

If you are a buyer at a regional chain watching this deal, your assortment needs to absorb a premium brand without cannibalizing your own private label or your hero premium line. Nulo's athlete story differentiates it from other high-protein brands.

If you are a brand operator pitching independents, this deal is the conversation your retail partners are already having. Be ready to answer whether you plan to add regional chains, what protections you will offer independents if you do, and what the independent gets for building your brand that a chain buyer does not.

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