Mitch Gould, founder and CEO of Nutritional Products International, has established a track record of securing multi-million-dollar retail partnerships, including seven-figure deals with Costco, the nation's third-largest retailer. With over three decades of retail and consumer goods experience, Gould attributes his Costco success to understanding the company's unique business model focused on delivering value packs of well-known brands at competitive prices. Costco's extraordinary growth includes over 900 warehouses globally, with more than 600 locations in the United States, employing over 300,000 people while achieving 2024 net sales exceeding $250 billion. Gould described Costco as a unique retail powerhouse built on loyalty and value, noting that the company's model of offering trusted brands in bulk packs resonates strongly with American households.
Throughout his career, Gould has cultivated relationships with leading U.S. retailers including Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's, Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid. While initial deals often resulted from in-person meetings, current retailer engagement primarily occurs through major industry events and curated buyer showcases. The foundation of NPI's success lies in Gould's Evolution of Distribution platform, a turnkey system designed to help brands navigate all aspects of U.S. market entry from regulatory compliance and logistics to marketing, public relations, and sales execution. Working in conjunction with its sister company InHealth Media, NPI provides comprehensive infrastructure that makes product launches seamless, cost-effective, and efficient for both international and domestic brands.
Gould emphasized that their mission centers on removing guesswork for brands seeking success in the world's most competitive retail market. By managing all facets of the distribution process, NPI enables clients to concentrate on their core strength of creating quality products while the company handles the complex logistics of retail placement and market expansion. This approach matters because it addresses a critical challenge for product manufacturers: navigating the increasingly complex U.S. retail landscape where relationships, logistics, and market understanding determine success or failure. The implications extend beyond individual brand success to potentially reshaping how products reach consumers, as streamlined distribution systems could lower barriers to market entry and increase product diversity on retail shelves.
The importance of this distribution model becomes clear when considering the scale of retailers like Costco, where understanding the value-focused business model is essential for partnership success. Gould's experience demonstrates that retail success requires more than just quality products; it demands deep understanding of retailer priorities and comprehensive support systems. As retail continues to evolve with changing consumer preferences and economic pressures, distribution platforms that can efficiently connect brands with appropriate retail partners will become increasingly valuable. The Evolution of Distribution platform represents a significant development in retail strategy, offering a systematic approach to market entry that could influence how both established and emerging brands approach the U.S. marketplace in coming years.
