How NPI’s Mitch Gould Helped Build Amazon’s Sports Nutrition Category—and Is Still Opening U.S. Retail Doors for Brands Worldwide

Mitch Gould, founder and CEO of Nutritional Products International (NPI), played a foundational role in helping Amazon.com build out its sports nutrition category more than two decades ago. Today, he continues to shape how health and wellness brands enter the U.S. marketplace through his all-in-one “Evolution of Distribution” model.

In the early 2000s, Gould partnered with Muscle Foods, a key distributor in the sports nutrition space, to help stock Amazon’s recently launched health and wellness platform with over 100 brands and products. This early effort helped lay the groundwork for what would become one of the world’s largest online marketplaces for dietary supplements and fitness products.

“The brands we placed on Amazon back then were pioneers. We helped create the sports nutrition category from scratch,” said Gould. “It showed me how challenging U.S. market entry can be for companies—especially those coming from overseas.”

That realization led Gould to create the Evolution of Distribution, a turnkey solution that brings together sales, logistics, FDA compliance, and marketing services under one roof. This comprehensive approach helps product manufacturers—particularly international brands—enter the competitive U.S. retail space without needing to build a full infrastructure from scratch.

“The concept is simple,” said Gould. “Instead of building an entire operation—office, staff, warehouse, compliance team—brands can plug into NPI and hit the ground running.”

Based in Boca Raton, Florida, NPI works with a broad range of health and wellness products and continues to support retailers like Amazon.com and Walmart.com, where demand for innovative wellness solutions remains strong in the post-pandemic world.

“Online shopping remains the go-to for many consumers even as retail foot traffic has bounced back,” Gould said. “That’s why we prioritize getting our clients on major e-commerce platforms while continuing to adapt our model to evolving consumer behaviors.”

Over the course of his career, Gould has placed products with retailers such as Walmart, Costco, CVS, GNC, Rite Aid, The Home Depot, and Lowe’s. He has also represented major celebrity brands, working with global icons like Steven Seagal, Hulk Hogan, Ronnie Coleman, Wayne Gretzky, Chuck Liddell, and Roberto Clemente Jr.

“The U.S. remains the largest consumer market in the world,” Gould added. “NPI makes it easier—and more cost-effective—for brands to establish a foothold here. Instead of spending thousands of dollars, if not more, on renting office space, hiring sales staff, meeting FDA guidelines, finding warehouse space, and bringing onboard a marketing team, all they need is NPI,” Gould continued. “We have the knowledge and experience to make their U.S. launch easy and successful.”

About Nutritional Products International

Nutritional Products International specializes in helping companies expand the sales of their new or existing products throughout the United States. We work closely with brand developers, manufacturers, and retail outlets to ensure a smooth transition from product launch through consumer purchase. In addition, we have the ability to import distribute and promote foreign brands that wish to enter the US Market.

About InHealth Media

InHealth Media team members have more than 30 years of combined experience with health, skin care, fitness and nutrition brands. Representing hundreds of brands through the years gives us in-depth knowledge of the challenges today’s manufacturers face. Distribution to thousands of outlets throughout the U.S. has been accomplished through knowledge, experience and relationships with key executives. We have a comprehensive grasp of what modern consumers seek. All of this combined with with resources and tools, are what make InHealth Media stand out amongst the crowd.

About Mitch Gould

Mitch Gould is a third-generation retail distribution and manufacturing expert with over 25 years of experience launching consumer products across categories including dietary supplements, sports nutrition, skincare, hardware, and beverages. He has represented iconic brands like Igloo, Rubbermaid, Sunbeam, Miracle-Gro, and celebrity lines including Steven Seagal’s Lightning Bolt, Hulk Hogan’s Hogan Nutrition, and Chuck Liddell’s Iceman RX. Gould has secured placements with major retailers such as Walmart, Costco, GNC, Amazon, CVS, Walgreens, and Home Depot, and has built national sales teams while forming strategic partnerships with athletes and public figures like Ronnie Coleman, Roberto Clemente Jr., and Tapout Nutrition.