Developing quality relationships with retailers can turn a new brand into a success story, but you'll need to do more than just convince retailers that your product is worthwhile.

Michael Kanter of Cambridge Naturals in Massachusetts details what it takes for a new product to hit the shelves of his store: "You need to [show] us that your line is new and compelling and serves a purpose that we don't likely have at our store... you need to show us that your products are third-party tested, [and] give us great marketing tools, training for our staff, literature, demo offers and samples for customers... there's a whole range of things we consider before we decide to bring in a product." 

With thousands of choices on the market, Kanter says, practicality also plays a role: "There needs to be some price advantage, at least initially."