Harvest Group Strengthens Costco Capabilities with Acquisition

Commerce agency Harvest Group is strengthening its position in the club channel with the acquisition of Next Step Club Solutions, a Costco-focused brokerage firm. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 2019, Next Step offers a range of services including sales support, product development for branded and private label items, program management, administrative assistance and influencer marketing. As part of the deal, Next Step founder Steve Freeman will join Harvest Group’s Costco team as a VP.

“Steve and his team at Next Step have built something special,” said Valerie Corniel, VP of Costco at Harvest Group, in a press release. “They hold strong, long-standing relationships with Costco buyers nationwide and understand the nuance of operating within a club retail environment.”

Harvest Group works with brands at retailers including Walmart, Sam’s Club, Target, Amazon and Kroger. The company said as a result of the acquisition its clients will benefit from stronger coverage across all Costco regions and expertise in scaling from regional rotation to national distribution.

“Harvest Group’s reputation for delivering outstanding results for its clients and customers made it an easy decision to join forces with them,” Freeman said in a press release. “Their values, culture and commitment to Costco closely align with our core principles. With Next Step’s experience and Harvest’s tremendous capabilities, we will now be able to expand our service to our existing client partners while positioning ourselves for growth with new products, new clients and innovation.”