Mitch Gould, founder and CEO of Nutritional Products International (NPI), is set to bring his extensive retail sales background to the ECRM Vitamin, Weight Management & Sports Nutrition Session, scheduled for Sept. 14-17 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Gould's career includes selling millions of dollars in consumer products to major retailers such as Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Target, GNC, and Vitamin Shoppe. For Gould, ECRM offers a unique opportunity to meet with retail decision-makers from multiple channels in one location, something that previously 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." He emphasized that the value extends beyond efficiency. "Retail has always been a relationship business," he added. "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."
Gould's retail experience spans decades, including work with manufacturers, consumer brands, and major retailers across the health, wellness, and nutrition industries. He later developed NPI's "Evolution of Distribution" platform to provide domestic and international brands with a streamlined approach to entering or expanding in the U.S. market. This platform integrates sales, marketing, logistics, and retail distribution services under one operation. "ECRM fits naturally with the way we approach retail expansion at NPI," Gould explained. "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."
Gould will attend the September session on behalf of NPI and the brands the company represents. His presence is significant given his track record in helping shape 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. As a third-generation retail distribution and manufacturing expert, Gould has launched and scaled consumer products across various sectors, including sports nutrition, health and wellness, skincare, hardware, and beverages. He has worked with iconic brands like Igloo, Rubbermaid, Sunbeam, and Miracle-Gro, as well as celebrity brands associated with Steven Seagal, Hulk Hogan, Chuck Liddell, Ronnie Coleman, and Bob Wall.
The ECRM session is a key event for the health and wellness industry, providing a platform for suppliers and retailers to forge partnerships. Gould's involvement underscores the continued importance of in-person interactions in retail, even as technology transforms business processes. "Technology has made business faster, but relationships still matter," Gould said. "When you can bring efficiency and personal relationships together, that's a powerful combination."
