Nulo launches kitten food line, reports Olympic campaign sales gains

Nulo has introduced Silky Mousse, a new wet single-serve pouch meal line for kittens, developed with a protein-forward formulation that replaces the potato-, tapioca- or grain-based binders commonly used to achieve mousse texture in the category. Instead, Nulo uses egg ingredients to build the mousse structure while maintaining higher protein content and moisture levels — a nutritional priority for young felines.

The line reflects the company's high-protein, low-carb dietary philosophy. Cats are obligate carnivores that continuously convert protein into glucose for energy and have elevated amino acid requirements to support brain function, according to the company. Nulo says its minimal-processing approach is intended to maximize protein bioavailability.

"This is an important expansion to our cat food assortment," said Eric Emmenegger, head of retail and product marketing at Nulo. "We're investing here to help Neighborhood Pet retailers take advantage of the expanding cat food segment. It's a growth opportunity."

The launch targets what the company describes as a favorable demographic trend. According to Euromonitor and other industry sources, 49 million U.S. households own a cat, up 3.9% since 2022, compared with dog household growth of 1.6% over the same period. Cat food category growth is forecast at 5.1% for 2025, versus 3.9% for dog food. The American Pet Products Association also reports growth in two- and three-plus cat households, which increases per-home consumption.

Silky Mousse kitten recipes are available in variety packs featuring three protein options in 1.75-ounce pouch servings. "The smaller pack sizes also permit a lower price point, enhancing affordability and accelerating early trial conversion," Emmenegger said.

Alongside the Silky Mousse Kitten line, Nulo is introducing variety packs of its Pate with Shreds for Kittens and Gently-Cooked Meals for cats of all life stages.

Nulo's winter Olympics campaign ran alongside a retail promotions program that incentivized independent retailers to build off-shelf, Olympics-themed product displays.NuloOlympic campaign drives category growth

In related news, Nulo reported that its Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics campaign generated more than 46 million TV impressions, with an investment the company said nearly matched its spend for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. The campaign ran alongside a retail promotions program that incentivized independent retailers to build off-shelf, Olympics-themed product displays. More than 2,500 retailers across the U.S. and Canada participated.

According to Nielsen and Stackline data through February 28, 2026, Nulo posted sales gains of 8.1% in the latest 52-week reporting period — more than any of the other top 15 pet specialty brands across brick-and-mortar and e-commerce channels.

Nulo's campaign included a sponsorship of U.S. Figure Skating and a branded integration with the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis, which featured TV ads, stadium signage, out-of-home media and an on-site Nulo Pet Therapy Area for athletes and coaches.

The brand's TV campaign centered on its "Journey to Glory" hero spot, with concentrated airings in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle and St. Louis.

"We concentrated our campaign around the Olympic games broadcast that assured strong viewership numbers," Emmenegger said. "Plus, an added layer bringing to life our athlete partner relationships through media interviews and our companion Olympic Pins program that received on-air recognition — including a video from NBC with Snoop Dogg. We rode the Olympic wave of attention to break through the noise — otherwise a tougher assignment for any pet food brand.

"It's early since the games concluded and our retail promotion program is still ongoing, but indicators from our retail partners report a strong uptick in velocity and volume for our kibble business due to the unprecedented ad/promo investment we just completed to drive traffic to our retail partners," Emmenegger added.

Nulo plans to announce the winner of its retail display promotion on April 14.