Mitch Gould, founder and CEO of Nutritional Products International (NPI), has built a career on a foundation laid by two generations of family entrepreneurs in Brooklyn, New York. His grandfather owned a factory in Brooklyn and maintained a showroom in the Empire State Building, while his father, Jerry Gould, expanded into manufacturing and distribution. This legacy, combined with mentorship from retail veteran R.D. Wells, shaped Gould's approach to retail and ultimately led to the creation of NPI's proprietary 'Evolution of Distribution®' platform.
Gould entered the retail industry in 1986 after Wells introduced him to Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank during Home Depot's early national expansion. He went on to represent major consumer brands such as Igloo, Rubbermaid, Sunbeam, and Miracle-Gro, as well as celebrity lines including Steven Seagal's Lightning Bolt Energy Drink and Hulk Hogan's Hogan Nutrition. His career also included partnerships with martial arts legends Chuck Norris and Bob Wall. One of his early achievements was working with Amazon to build its sports nutrition and health products category from concept to inception, growing it to more than $100 million in sales.
In 2007, Gould founded NPI and created the 'Evolution of Distribution®' platform, a turnkey system integrating FDA compliance, global logistics, retail introductions, sales, and marketing. This platform, inspired by his family's entrepreneurial journey, compresses the typical 18- to 24-month market entry timeline for global brands into a streamlined process. The platform has helped numerous brands secure placements at major retailers including Walmart, Costco, GNC, CVS, Walgreens, Amazon, and Home Depot.
Gould's story is chronicled in his memoir, The Blonde, the Ferrari, and the Kwan: The Quintessential American Success Story, available on Amazon. NPI continues to serve as a trusted brand launch and distribution firm, leveraging Gould's three decades of experience to guide domestic and international brands through the complexities of U.S. retail.
The 'Evolution of Distribution®' platform represents the culmination of three generations of family grit and innovation, transforming a Brooklyn factory and Empire State Building showroom into a national infrastructure capable of taking products from concept to store shelf across tens of thousands of retail doors.
