Elton, Louisiana – October 31, 2026 -- Hunt Tech, LLC will put its HUNT Refined Repellent line into Academy Sports + Outdoors stores in Q1 2027. It is the company's first major retail chain placement, following a distribution build-out through roughly 650 independent retailers.
All three flagship products enter Academy's assortment
The launch covers HUNT Refined Repellent Spray, HUNT Refined Repellent Lotion and HUNT Refined Repellent Wipes. Academy, headquartered in Katy, Texas, will carry them in its camping and outdoor assortment as a Louisiana-made, DEET-free and scent-free option.
Picaridin formula targets hunters, anglers and families
The products are made with picaridin and contain no DEET and no scent. Hunt Tech first aimed the line at hunters and anglers. It now also sells to families and others who spend time outdoors.
Incubator-born brand scaled one independent store at a time
Hunt Tech grew out of the McNeese State University SEED Center business incubator. It manufactures in Elton, in Jefferson Davis Parish, and built its retail base store by store before the Academy deal.
CEO Gabriel Fontenot credited the independent retailers for the company's growth, saying Hunt Tech "earned every shelf" it is on. He added that Academy gave the company a fair shot and that Hunt Tech intends to earn it.