Ritual’s national launch follows Ulta’s first quarter fiscal 2025 earnings report in which the company posted a 4.5% year-over-year increase in net sales, reaching $2.8 billion and comparable sales growth of 2.9%.
“We’ve been building one of the most trusted brands in women’s health, both online and on shelves nationwide, and this partnership with Ulta Beauty marks an exciting next chapter in that journey,” Kat Schneider, founder and CEO of Ritual, told NutraIngredients.
“Ulta is one of the most trusted and visited destinations for beauty and wellness shoppers, and its commitment to delivering science-backed, high-quality products aligns perfectly with our own values.”
“Launching at Ulta allows us to meet consumers where they’re already thinking about their well-being, from the inside out,” she added, and “also reflects the larger shift we’re seeing: Wellness is no longer separate from beauty. It is beauty.”
Ulta’s financial performance and wellness strategy
Ulta executives highlighted strong early performance in fiscal 2025, despite a dynamic consumer landscape.
“Fiscal 2025 is off to an encouraging start with stronger-than-expected performance,” said Kecia Steelman, president and chief executive officer of Ulta Beauty in the company’s fiscal report. “Our Ulta Beauty Unleashed plan is resonating with guests, energizing our team and fueling growth.”
Ulta reported a net income of $305.1 million for the quarter and diluted earnings per share of $6.70. Merchandise inventory rose 11.3%, which the company attributed in part to “inventory to support new brand launches” and growth in strategic wellness categories.
Clinically validated formulas enter beauty retail
At the center of Ritual’s positioning in the market is its investment in clinical research conducted on full product formulas and commitment “to setting a new standard where transparency, scientific integrity and trust are non-negotiable,” Schneider said. “That’s why we’ve made a five million dollar commitment to complete gold-standard human clinical trials on the finished formulas of all our products by 2030.”
“This level of scientific rigor isn’t required in the supplement industry, but we believe it should be,” she added.
As example, she cited the current lack of regulatory oversight over terms like ‘clinically studied’, which she noted allows for “some brands to include small amounts of studied ingredients, often not in the right form or at clinically-studied doses, and then claim their entire formula is ‘clinically backed.’”
This is “misleading,” she asserted, and “ultimately leaves consumers spending their money on products with questionable efficacy.”
The Ulta launch includes four Ritual products with human clinical data: Essential for Women 18+, Essential Prenatal, HyaCera and Sleep BioSeries Melatonin.
“We’re so proud to see our clinically studied commitment come to life on shelves at Ulta,” Schneider said.
Consistent growth strategy across retail channels
Schneider emphasized that the company does not tailor product formulations for retail environments.
“From the very beginning, we’ve been intentional about how we scale into retail,” she said. “A key part of that strategy is offering the exact same products in stores that our customers have come to know and trust on Ritual.com.”
To that end, she explained, “We don’t create separate SKUs or compromise on formulation.”
The broader strategy, beyond the Ulta retail partnership, is rooted in maintaining consumer trust in product efficacy while evolving to meet expectations for wellness products.
“We have, and will continue to, strategically identify retail partners that are leading the charge in bringing clinically-validated wellness solutions to their shelves,” Schneider told NI.
“They understand that today’s consumer expects more than just great marketing. They want real science, transparent sourcing and validated results behind every product.”
Policy advocacy and industry impact
Beyond retail growth, Ritual is also taking a more active role in public policy, engaging in legislative advocacy to modernize supplement regulations.
“Now we’re leveraging the power of our business voice to advocate for updated regulation in an industry that hasn’t seen significant updates in over 30 years,” Schneider said. “We’re in the trenches advising lawmakers on how to create policy that makes safer and efficacious supplements more accessible, no matter what brand a consumer wants to go with.”
