Epic International

What Epic International does

Epic International is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based outsourced sales, marketing, logistics, accounting, and design services firm that operates as the US channel-entry vehicle for brands — particularly foreign and emerging domestic brands — seeking placement in Big Box retail, ecommerce, and the premium/incentive trade channel. Founded in 1998 and operating for over 25 years, the company is structured as an umbrella with two distinct divisions: Epic Retail, which manages the full Big Box, warehouse club, specialty, and ecommerce go-to-market stack including EDI/PIMM compliance, channel-specific packaging, warehousing, accounting, and collections; and Epic Premium, which administers brand presence in loyalty programs, incentive programs, sweepstakes, corporate gifting, recognition awards, and casino rewards.

The company runs on a transaction-based, zero-upfront-cost commercial model. Brands pay nothing for warehousing storage and only incur fees when products are shipped or sold, effectively eliminating the inventory carrying cost and upfront market-entry risk that typically blocks smaller brands from entering US Big Box retail. Execution is delivered through a 30+ person sales organization structured into 24 rep groups under a National Sales Manager, supported by a specialized Amazon ecommerce team and a sales leadership bench (VP of Sales, National Sales Managers, President of Opportunity). No proprietary technology platform, AI/ML capability, patents, certifications, or external funding are disclosed; the moat rests on retailer-side relationships, embedded operational scope, and domain expertise in retailer compliance systems.

Epic's customer base is private and undisclosed, but the firm explicitly targets US and foreign brands of all sizes entering the US market for the first time or expanding into a new channel, as well as brands seeking premium/incentive channel exposure. Retail category coverage spans sporting goods, outdoor recreation/patio, appliances, home and garden, garage organization, power tools, automotive, and HVAC. Geographically, the company is US-only with no disclosed international footprint, expansion plans, M&A activity, or capital-raise history.

Name

Epic International

Legal name

Epic International

Website

https://epicinternational.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Epic International is a Cincinnati-based outsourced sales, marketing, and logistics firm that helps brands — primarily foreign and emerging domestic — enter and scale across US Big Box retail, ecommerce, and premium/incentive channels through its Epic Retail and Epic Premium divisions on a transaction-based pricing model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Channel Management Services

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Creator Partnerships & Sponsorship Sales (Brand Partnerships) (MPAAAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA), Performance & Incentive-Based Endorsements (Bonuses, Royalties, Affiliate/CPA Deals) (MPAKALAI)

Keywords

• Retail channel management
• Outsourced sales services
• Brand distribution services
• Premium incentive marketing
• Ecommerce channel management

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Channel Management Services: Epic serves as the outsourced US sales, operations, and logistics office for brands entering Big Box retail. Revenue is generated through transaction-based fees where they only charge when they ship or sell products. They offer free warehousing and only charge fulfillment fees.
2. Premium and Incentive Channel Management: Manages brands product lines for the Premium and Incentive channel, handling sales, marketing, logistics, accounting, and design services. Operates on a performance basis where they only earn fees when they sell products.
3. Warehousing and Fulfillment: Provides free warehousing storage for inventory and charges fees only when products are shipped or sold.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Epic International is an umbrella company operating two divisions: Epic Retail serves as an outsourced US sales, operations, and logistics office for brands entering Big Box retail (Home Centers, Warehouse Clubs, Specialty) and Ecommerce channels; Epic Premium manages brands for the Premium and Incentive channel including loyalty programs, sweepstakes, corporate gifts, and casino rewards. Services span sales, marketing, logistics, accounting, and design on a transaction-based fee model with free warehousing.

Product overview

Epic International is an umbrella company consisting of two distinct divisions serving different trade channels: Epic Retail and Epic Premium. Epic Retail provides outsourced sales, marketing, logistics, and accounting services for brands entering or expanding in US big box retail and ecommerce markets. Epic Premium manages products for the premium and incentive channel, including loyalty programs, sweepstakes, corporate gifts, and casino rewards programs. Both divisions collectively offer warehousing, EDI/PIMM system expertise, a 30+ person sales team, and channel-specific packaging and logistics support across categories including sporting goods, outdoor recreation, home and garden, power tools, and automotive.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Epic Retail A one-stop outsourced US sales, operations, and logistics service for brands seeking to enter or expand in US Big Box retail (Home Centers, Warehouse Clubs, Specialty) and Ecommerce channels. Covers channel-specific product/packaging/pricing strategy, warehousing, EDI/PIMM systems, and access to a 30+ person sales team. Targets US and foreign brands entering the US retail marketplace.
• Epic Premium A premium and incentive channel management service that handles sales, marketing, logistics, accounting, and design for brands seeking exposure through loyalty programs, incentive programs, sweepstakes, corporate gifts, recognition awards, travel/hotel rewards, and casino rewards programs. Targets Brand Managers and Promotional Agencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Brands gain access to established national sales team immediately upon engagement
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• HALO Branded Solutions: HALO is one of the largest US promotional products and branded merchandise distributors, serving corporate clients with recognition, incentive, and reward programs. Closely comparable to Epic Premium's loyalty, recognition, and corporate gift offerings.
• The Marketing Store: The Marketing Store is a global promotional products and brand activation agency serving brands across loyalty, incentive, and retail channels. Comparable to Epic across both Epic Premium (loyalty/incentive) and Epic Retail (brand activation) divisions.
• MarketSource: MarketSource provides outsourced sales, merchandising, and marketing services to brands and retailers. Comparable to Epic in delivering turnkey field sales and retail execution for brands across multiple retail channels.
• Acosta Group: Acosta is a leading outsourced sales and marketing services provider to CPG brands across retail channels including Big Box, grocery, and ecommerce. Directly comparable to Epic Retail's outsourced sales, marketing, and logistics model serving brands entering US retail.
• BDS Marketing: BDS Marketing specializes in retail merchandising, in-store demonstrations, and brand activation services for manufacturers and retailers. Highly comparable to Epic Retail's outsourced brand-execution and channel-management model.

Emerging players

• Geiger: Geiger is a family-owned promotional products distributor and brand services company with deep expertise in incentive, recognition, and corporate gifting. Comparable to Epic Premium's incentive and corporate gift channel with similar mid-market positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Blackhawk Network: Blackhawk Network operates a global branded payments and gift card network connecting brands to retail and incentive channels. Comparable to Epic Premium's work in loyalty, sweepstakes, and rewards programs at significantly larger scale.
• Advantage Solutions: Advantage Solutions is a large sales and marketing agency providing outsourced headquarter sales, retail merchandising, and marketing services to CPG brands. Comparable to Epic's outsourced sales/marketing function for brands across Big Box and specialty retail.
• 4imprint: 4imprint is a large public promotional products distributor serving businesses with branded merchandise, recognition awards, and incentives. Comparable to Epic Premium's transactional, channel-driven premium and incentive business at greater scale.

Regional players

• Aimia: Aimia operates loyalty and promotional analytics platforms serving brands and retailers, primarily in Canada and EMEA. Comparable to Epic Premium's loyalty and incentive business with overlap in the broader promotional services category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/epicinterntnal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Epic International