Women-owned pretzel brand Stellar Snacks is closing out 2026 with its most aggressive product launch to date — a six-flavor Baked with Olive Oil Pretzel Braid collection, available exclusively at Sprouts Farmers Market locations nationwide. The launch lands as the brand approaches roughly 18,000 retail doors, up from approximately 12,000 at the end of 2025, a 50% expansion it describes as its biggest single-year growth on record.
The Numbers
The sales trajectory behind that door count is striking. According to SPINS data cited by the company, Stellar's MULO sales grew 205% over the last 52 weeks versus the prior year. Average ACV distribution in MULO reached 20%, up 14.3 points. In the Total U.S. Grocery channel, Stellar accounted for 27% of all pretzel category growth in the four weeks ending October 4. For operators and retail buyers evaluating the salty snack set, that kind of category-contribution figure signals real velocity rather than promotional pop. The growth rolled out through a series of phased expansions: Kroger, Albertsons/Safeway, and Publix added the brand nationally earlier in the year, followed by a nationwide Target expansion this summer alongside a new multipack targeting the club channel.
The Product Play
The new olive oil line comprises six flavors spanning sweet and savory profiles. Four — Maui Monk (Maui onion with a touch of sweetness), Bold & Herby (roasted garlic and onion), Cinnamon Dolce (cinnamon and brown sugar), and French Dijon (tangy Dijon with subtle sweetness) — extend existing flavor territory. Two are entirely new to the brand: Elote Loco, a Mexican street corn-style seasoning, and Spicy Flame, built around habanero and paprika. All are positioned as seed-oil-free, vegan, non-GMO, kosher, and free of top allergens including peanuts and soy. Andy Yee, Stellar's Senior Brand Manager, noted that the line gives consumers "more options" while preserving the artisanal baked character the brand is known for. That emphasis on clean-ingredient positioning tracks closely with the better-for-you snacking trends reshaping the salty snack aisle across retail and foodservice channels alike.
What's Behind the Growth
Stellar's retail push is backed by a strategic investment from Main Post Partners, made earlier in 2026. Founded in 2019 by Elisabeth Galvin and her daughter Gina Galvin, the brand has roots in airline foodservice — its pretzels are served on Southwest Airlines flights, reaching hundreds of millions of passengers annually. That high-visibility channel seeded brand recognition well before the company pursued mass retail expansion. For hospitality and foodservice buyers, Stellar's trajectory illustrates how airline and travel-channel snack placement can function as a powerful launchpad for retail scale. Aidan McAuley, Senior Executive Vice President of Sales, pointed to "product, flavor and pack size innovation" as the foundation for the next phase, alongside what he called a broader consumer shift toward better-for-you snacking driving market share growth across the salty snack category. The Baked with Olive Oil line began reaching Sprouts shelves in late October.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
