Mitch Gould, founder and CEO of Nutritional Products International (NPI), is set to bring his extensive retail background to the ECRM Vitamin, Weight Management & Sports Nutrition Session, scheduled for Sept. 14-17 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Gould has spent decades selling consumer products to some of the largest retailers in the country, including Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Target, GNC, and Vitamin Shoppe. His participation underscores the continued importance of in-person relationships in an increasingly digital retail landscape.
For Gould, the ECRM session represents a unique opportunity to meet with retail decision-makers from multiple channels in one location, a process that once required countless individual trips and appointments. ‘I’ve spent my career traveling the country, sitting down with buyers and building relationships with major retailers,’ Gould said. ‘ECRM brings many of those opportunities together under one roof. Instead of flying from city to city for individual meetings, you can have productive conversations with retailers over several days in one location.’
Gould emphasized that the value of such events extends beyond mere efficiency. ‘Retail has always been a relationship business,’ he noted. ‘There is something different about meeting people face-to-face, having dinner together, talking outside the formal meeting environment and getting to know the people behind the business. ECRM creates that kind of atmosphere.’
His career spans more than 25 years, during which he has worked with iconic consumer brands such as Igloo, Rubbermaid, Sunbeam, and Miracle-Gro, as well as high-profile celebrity brands including Steven Seagal, Hulk Hogan, Chuck Liddell, 8× Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, and martial arts pioneer Bob Wall. This experience led him to develop NPI’s ‘Evolution of Distribution’ platform, which provides domestic and international brands with a streamlined approach to entering or expanding in the U.S. market. The platform brings sales, marketing, logistics, and retail distribution services together under one operation.
‘ECRM fits naturally with the way we approach retail expansion at NPI,’ Gould said. ‘It gives us an opportunity to sit across the table from retailers, understand what they are looking for and introduce them to brands and products that may fit their customers.’
The implications of Gould’s involvement are significant for both manufacturers and retailers. For manufacturers, the session offers a chance to get their products in front of key buyers in a condensed, efficient format. For retailers, it provides access to curated brands that have been vetted by a veteran like Gould, who understands the nuances of consumer demand and distribution. Gould’s track record includes helping shape the growth of the U.S. sports nutrition category, supporting the expansion of performance-focused products across major retail and e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, Walmart, GNC, CVS, and Walgreens.
In a business environment where technology has accelerated processes, Gould maintains that personal connections remain paramount. ‘Technology has made business faster, but relationships still matter,’ he said. ‘When you can bring efficiency and personal relationships together, that’s a powerful combination.’ As the retail industry continues to evolve, events like the ECRM session serve as a reminder that despite the rise of digital tools, the human element of commerce is irreplaceable.
