NULO PET FOOD…Why Are Olympians Choosing It

By, Katy Cable
A 5 min. Read

What an Olympics! I am so sad it’s over. Ever since I was five or six years old, I remember sitting glued to the TV not wanting to miss a second of the swimming, diving and especially the gymnastic events. The Olympics inspired me to become a gymnast and I dreamed of following in the footsteps of Cathy Rigby who was from my hometown.

Now I have another connection to the Olympics through Nulo Pet Foods. If you saw any of the games, you likely witnessed Simone Biles take your breath away twisting ,spinning and summersaulting 12 feet in the air. What about the gold hardware Caeleb Dressel swam away with. Did you see Ryan Crouser, hurl the shot-put for his 3rd gold medal, or “golden” Gabby Thomas race for the podium in the 200 meter? It was unbelievable!

Equally as exciting for me was seeing the moving, inspiring Nulo commercials featuring these amazing Olympians AND their beloved pets. The ads convey the importance of these cherished pets in the lives of these athletes. From their unconditional love, to their unwavering support, these treasured pets have been pivotal “teammates” to these Olympic stars.

Created by Michael Landa, a former All-American medal swimmer, turned successful entrepreneur. His inspiring story about how he created Nulo pet foods is one I'm excited to share.

After graduating from UCLA, Landa started a successful pet-care business where he saw a concerning number of pets requiring insulin. Using his education and research in biomedical engineering, Landa believed the source of the epidemic number of dog diabetes cases was the direct result of their high glycemic carb diets. This inspired Landa to create a nutritional solution.

Landa began working with Dr. Greg Aldrich, a leading pet-food scientist, to formulate a new pet food with a much different nutritional platform. In 2008 the first product SKU’s hit the market. Nulo (standing for: NUtrition+LOve) is packed with premium animal-based proteins and low-glycemic ingredients. It also is the first pet food to feature BC30, a patented, human-grade, powerhouse probiotic to help manage digestive health.

Launching a new product line in the crowded and highly competitive pet food industry is nearly as difficult as winning an Olympic Gold Medal. In an effort to differentiate, Nulo partnered with Whole Foods Markets, going after health-conscious consumers desiring the same high-quality nutrition for their cherished pets. Nulo took off like a rocket and the decision was made to switch gears. and focus solely on pet specialty retailers.

It wasn't long before Nulo caught the attention of famous gold-medal Olympians and athletes such as Michael Phelps, Natalie Coughlin, Tara Lipinski, and so many others. Athletes clearly understood the pivotal role one’s diet played in their health, and performance. They valued Nulo’s completely different approach to pet food and became outspoken evangelists as well as Nulo's first Brand Ambassadors.

In addition to pet-loving athletes, Nulo has partnered with Veterans, search and rescue dog teams, therapy dog organizations, Spartan Races, Ironman, as well as hundreds of animal shelters and rescue groups. These partnerships all exemplifying Nulo's mission: “FUEL INCREDIBLE."

As a Pug owner who has worked closely rehabilitating sick, injured, dogs and cats for over 18 years, I am all too familiar with the health problems so many pets face. I also see that a good species-specific diet is the first line of defense in treating and managing nearly every health issue and even some behavioral problems. I learned the hard way what a difference food choices make in the health and well-being of my own pets. After trying nearly every dog food on the market, I personally have been astounded by Nulo. After begging them for donations for the shelters and rescues I volunteer with, I was thrilled to be offered a job. Now, 8 years later, I am proud to be part of Nulo’s astounding growth. It is now the fastest growing pet food in the world. I love that Nulo is still independently owned and run by many of the OG team members.

The best part of working with Nulo is the hundreds of messages, photos and testimonials from so many pet owners who are equally thrilled with this food. Dogs and cats suffering from chronic allergies, obesity, kidney stones, tumors and many other conditions are healing and having their health restored because of this simple change in diet.

Although created by an athlete and touted as "Athlete's Food For Pets," I encourage you to give Nulo a try even if your dog, like mine, is far more coach-potatoe than athlete. Even designer dogs, like my Olive the Pug, bred only to sit on the laps of Chinese Royalty, can enjoy premium, food for their "inner athlete!" We may have to wait a couple more years for the next Olympic Games, but, like so many of its stars, you too, can start feeding your pet like a champion athlete right now!