Mitch Gould, founder and CEO of Nutritional Products International (NPI), will bring decades of retail sales experience to the ECRM Vitamin, Weight Management & Sports Nutrition Session, taking place Sept. 14-17 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Throughout his career, Gould has sold millions of dollars in consumer products to many of the country's largest retailers, including Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Target, GNC, Vitamin Shoppe and others.
For Gould, ECRM offers something that once required countless individual trips, appointments and sales calls: the opportunity to connect face-to-face with retail decision-makers from multiple channels in one location. "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 said the value goes beyond efficiency. "Retail has always been a relationship business," Gould said. "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 and includes working 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. 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." Gould will attend the September session on behalf of NPI and the brands the company represents.
The ECRM session is significant because it underscores a shift in how retail deals are conducted. While technology has streamlined many aspects of business, the need for personal connection remains paramount, especially in the health and wellness sector where trust and product knowledge are critical. Gould's participation highlights the ongoing value of relationship-driven sales in an era of digital transformation. His experience with major chains like CVS and Walmart demonstrates the practical impact of such interactions.
Gould's presence at the event also signals NPI's commitment to leveraging every opportunity to help brands succeed in the competitive U.S. market. By engaging directly with retailers, NPI can better align its clients' products with consumer demand, a key factor in the success of any product launch. As Gould noted, "Technology has made business faster, but relationships still matter. When you can bring efficiency and personal relationships together, that's a powerful combination."
