Success with America's largest retailers requires understanding how large-scale retail actually works, according to retail veteran Mitch Gould. 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.
The implications of this retail reality are significant for consumer brands across all categories. As major retailers implement stricter evaluation criteria, brands must develop comprehensive strategies that address every aspect of the retail partnership. This includes not only product quality and pricing but also supply chain management, regulatory compliance, and the ability to maintain consistent execution across hundreds or thousands of retail locations. Brands that fail to meet these rigorous standards risk losing access to critical distribution channels that can make or break their national presence.
For the retail industry, this trend toward more disciplined evaluation reflects the increasing pressure on major retailers to maintain profitability while delivering value to customers. As consumer expectations evolve and competition intensifies, retailers like Costco are becoming more selective about which brands they partner with, prioritizing those that can demonstrate reliability, scalability, and long-term value creation. This shift creates both challenges and opportunities for brands seeking national distribution, requiring them to invest in capabilities that extend far beyond traditional sales and marketing functions.
The broader business landscape is affected by these developments as well, as the requirements for retail success increasingly favor established brands with robust operational infrastructures. Emerging brands and smaller companies may face significant barriers to entry unless they can demonstrate exceptional execution capabilities or partner with experienced distribution experts who understand the complexities of large-scale retail. This dynamic could potentially limit innovation and diversity in retail product offerings, though it also creates opportunities for specialized consulting services and strategic partnerships that help brands navigate these challenges.
