Success with America's largest retailers rarely comes from a single meeting or product pitch, according to retail veteran Mitch Gould. It comes from understanding how large-scale retail actually works. Gould notes that retailers such as Costco, Walmart, and Home Depot continue to tighten requirements around pricing discipline, supply chain reliability, and regulatory compliance, resulting in brands being evaluated more rigorously than ever before.
With more than three decades of experience in national retail distribution, Gould has personally secured multiple seven-figure deals with Costco, one of the most selective and disciplined retailers in the United States. "Costco evaluates everything," Gould said. "Pricing, packaging, margins, compliance, logistics, and the ability to execute consistently at scale. If one piece is out of alignment, the opportunity doesn't move forward."
Founded in 1976, Costco has grown into a global retail powerhouse, operating more than 840 warehouses worldwide, serving nearly 120 million cardholders, and generating over $220 billion in annual revenue. Its focus on high-volume value packs and trusted brands makes it one of the most difficult, and rewarding, retail partners to secure. "Costco isn't interested in experiments," Gould explained. "They're looking for partners who can deliver value to their members while executing flawlessly over time. That's where many brands underestimate what's required."
Throughout his career, Gould has worked directly with many of the largest U.S. retail chains, including Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's, Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid. While early retail relationships were often built through in-person buyer meetings, today's environment requires year-round engagement across trade events, category reviews, operational readiness, and market credibility. Gould continues to advise brands on how to prepare for and navigate the U.S. retail landscape by focusing on execution, discipline, and long-term sustainability rather than short-term wins.
For business leaders and technology executives, Gould's insights signal a fundamental shift in the retail supplier landscape. The emphasis on flawless execution at scale means that brands must invest heavily in robust supply chain technology, real-time compliance monitoring systems, and data analytics to manage margins and logistics. The era of winning a retail contract with a compelling product story alone is fading. Today's partnerships are built on demonstrable operational excellence and the ability to meet stringent, non-negotiable standards consistently.
The implications extend across industries, particularly for consumer packaged goods, health and wellness, and hardware sectors seeking national distribution. Success now hinges on a brand's backend infrastructure as much as its front-end appeal. This creates a higher barrier to entry but also rewards those who can meet the challenge with more stable, high-volume partnerships. For the retail industry, this trend toward operational rigor helps major chains maintain low prices and high customer trust, but it also concentrates power with suppliers who can meet these demanding benchmarks, potentially influencing market consolidation and competitive dynamics.
