Harvest Group Acquires Boutique Costco Brokerage Firm

Harvest Group, a commerce agency, has acquired Next Step Club Solutions, a boutique Costco brokerage firm specializing in club retail expertise. The strategic acquisition expands Harvest Group's capabilities, strengthens its national footprint and expands its relationships with Costco buyers.  

Founded in 2019 by Steve Freeman, Next Step is a Costco-focused sales and solutions agency that has carved out a niche as a high-touch, results-driven “concierge broker” guiding brands through initial product concepts to national Costco rollouts. Freeman has 30 years of Costco-specific experience, including key roles at Resource Marketing and Advantage Solutions. He will join the Harvest Group Costco team as a VP alongside Valerie Corniel, VP of Costco at Harvest Group. 

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Through the acquisition, Harvest Group clients will benefit from opportunities to further integrate Costco into their total commerce strategy, ensuring consistent messaging, execution and performance across their business. 

Next Step supported the development of Kirkland Signature items. It has transformed regional tests into multimillion-dollar programs and secured ongoing “first call” status with buyers across multiple Costco departments. 

"Steve and his team at Next Step have built something special," said Corniel. "They hold strong, long-standing relationships with Costco buyers nationwide and understand the nuance of operating within a club retail environment. This acquisition gives us stronger coverage across all Costco regions and brings expertise in taking brands from initial launches to national programs." 

With more than 350 retail experts, Harvest Group works with brands at such major retailers as Walmart, Sam's Club, Target, Amazon and Kroger. The company has offices in Rogers, Ark.; Cincinnati; and Minneapolis. 

Costco is No. 3 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2025 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the Issaquah, Wash.-based company to its Retailers of the Century list.