GPO USA has carved out a notable piece of the optics market over the past decade, developing a reputation for quality, feature-rich products that outperform their price point.
Mike Jensen is the owner of GPO USA Inc., a distribution partner of German Precision Optics GmbH, a premium optics company delivering high-performance, feature-rich products at exceptional value. He grew up on a retail gun shop floor in Tucson, Arizona, and has held executive roles with some of the most respected brands in the industry, including Swarovski Optik, Kahles, Marlin Firearms and Remington. In 2016, he left his role as president of Zeiss Sports Optics to launch GPO USA — focusing his experience on building a brand that could challenge the status quo in the optics industry.
We had the opportunity to talk to Jensen recently about the optics market, good glass, and how the company is positioned for the future.
SSR: Tell us a little about the history of GPO and its mission. Jensen: GPO was founded with a very clear purpose: deliver premium, German-engineered optics with American features but without the inflated premium price tag the industry has normalized. Our mission is simple — build high-performance, feature-rich products, back them with real service, and give retailers a brand they can confidently stand behind.
The global headquarters, German Precision Optics GmbH, is located near Munich and currently distributes GPO products in over 60 countries. It is owned and led by Richard Schmidt (the former CEO of Zeiss Sports Optics GmbH) and a team of world-class industry business leaders and engineers. Their mandate is not to build the most expensive optics — it’s to build the smartest ones: more features at the same price, or the same performance at a better price. That’s a direct challenge to how this industry has operated for decades.
SSR: The optics market has expanded significantly over the past decade. Has that created more challenges or opportunities? Jensen: Both — but let’s be honest, this is one of the most saturated and over-marketed segments in the outdoor industry. There’s a lot of noise, a lot of false claims, and frankly, a lot of “smoke and mirrors” regarding optical product quality.
The opportunity comes from the fact that today’s consumer is smarter. They’re asking better questions, and retailers are being forced to be more honest and selective. What wins now is not branding — it’s trust. Trust in product performance, trust in consistency, and trust in the company behind it. That’s exactly where GPO is gaining ground — and gaining it fast.
SSR: What makes a good optic? Jensen: A great optic comes down to clarity, durability, features, and repeatable performance — period. Glass quality, mechanical precision, tracking reliability, and real-world ruggedness.
But here’s the reality: The massive optical gap that existed 25 years ago is gone. Today, the visual difference (what you can see) between ultra-premium and well-built mid-tier optics is often indistinguishable to the end user.
So what separates products now? Features, usability, and value. At GPO, we focus on delivering more — more usable features, and more performance where it matters — without asking the customer to overpay for a brand name.
SSR: Can you talk a bit about the build and construction of GPO optics? Jensen: This is where most brands separate themselves — or don’t. Anyone can source a product. Very few truly understand how to build one correctly.
Our engineering team comes from Schmidt & Bender, Zeiss, Swarovski, and Meopta. These are people who know exactly what materials and tolerances are required to build a product that actually holds up.
Whether it’s the aluminum grade in a riflescope tube that prevents internal damage under ring pressure, or the magnesium housing tolerances that determine whether a binocular survives a drop, or the high-demand, modern technical features consumers aspire to — these details matter. And most companies don’t focus on them the way we do.
SSR: Where does your glass come from? Jensen: This is one of the biggest misunderstandings in the entire optics industry — and one of the most common questions people ask.
The reality is that glass comes from everywhere. The major optical glass manufacturers are based in Germany (Schott), Japan (HOYA), and China (CDGM), but all of them have significant production facilities in China and elsewhere. Schott operates in Suzhou, and HOYA has an extensive manufacturing footprint across China. They also have secondary production facilities in India, Malaysia, Thailand, and Taiwan.
So when a company specifies, for example, “We use only German Schott glass”, that glass may still be produced in China, or India, or Taiwan. The same applies to HOYA. In other words, no brand in today’s optics market can definitively claim a single country of origin for their glass.
What actually defines great glass is not where it’s made—it’s how it’s specified and controlled. It comes down to defining the correct optical requirements and enforcing strict quality control standards throughout production.
The final human inspection of every single unit is the final test. That’s where GPO separates itself from the rest.
SSR: What separates GPO from all the other optics companies competing for shelf space? Jensen: Consistency. Real, measurable consistency.
There are plenty of well-known brands with strong marketing — but also high return rates. Every time a customer brings a defective product back to your store, there is a little bit of skepticism created and trust lost. Everyone offers a lifetime warranty. That’s not the differentiator anymore. The real differentiator is whether the customer ever needs to use it.
At GPO, every single unit is hand-inspected — 100% of the time. Every unit must pass a strict, multi-step QC process before it ships. Our goal is simple: it works, every time, out of the box.
That’s why our return rates are extremely low, and why retailers trust the product. We don’t just talk about quality — we enforce it.
SSR: What types of hunters are the new PASSION riflescopes geared for? Jensen: The newly introduced PASSION HDi line is built for the majority of hunters — not the niche segments the industry likes to over-focus on.
Most hunters are not shooting extreme long range. They want a scope that delivers a crystal-clear image, performs in low light, and has a few critical features that actually matter in the field.
The new PASSION HDi riflescopes are exactly that: premium glass, modern coatings, practical magnification ranges, and an illuminated fiber micro-dot reticle — at a price point that makes sense. No fluff, no unnecessary complexity, just what works. We offer only three models that touch more than 50% of the market, a 3-12x42i, 3-12x50i, and a 3-12x56i, built for the majority of the hunting market spanning the three primary regional segments: West, Central/North/Northeast, and South/Southeast.
SSR: Has the growth of long-range hunting and shooting influenced your product line? Jensen: Absolutely, but it’s important to understand how. Long-range is not the volume driver, but it is the influence driver. The entire market watches that segment.
Our GPO CENTURI riflescope line was built to meet that demand head-on. Our lead engineer and European general manager spent years collaborating with me in developing a platform that includes every feature serious long-range shooters want — and we delivered it in one package under $800.
There are no products in the market that can match that combination of features and price. That’s why retailers find it easy to sell — it stands out immediately.
SSR: Where do you see potential for growth? Jensen: Optics is a billion-dollar industry category, but growth isn’t coming from the market expanding — it’s coming from taking market share, winning shelf space, and capturing a larger slice of consumers’ mindshare. And share comes from trust. Retailers trust the margins, the service, and the consistency. Consumers trust performance.
In a crowded market, that’s the only formula that works. Trust equals growth, and we’re proving that right now.
SSR: What new products are you most excited about right now? Jensen: New products are always the most exciting part of this business. The PASSION HDi riflescopes are positioned to take real share in the high-volume segment. The CENTURI line continues to set the benchmark for feature-rich performance — validated by awards like NRA American Hunter Optic of the Year.
And our spotting scopes, especially under $1,000, are consistently being compared to products two to three times the price, and our range finding binoculars are some of the smallest, fastest, brightest products in this segment. That tells you everything you need to know about where we’re positioned.
SSR: What’s your personal favorite GPO product? Jensen: That’s always a tough one. I’m a business executive, but I’m also an optics geek at heart.
I grew up in a long-range shooting family in Arizona and moved into serious Western DIY hunting early on. Having worked with the top optics brands in the world, I have very high expectations.
My go-to setup reflects that: 12.5x50 HD binoculars, 16-48x65mm APO spotting scope, 10x40 RF binoculars, and the CENTURI 3-18x50 zero-stop illuminated riflescope. It’s a niche Coues deer setup, but when an opportunity presents itself at distance, it delivers.
SSR: What do you want retailers and their customers to think of when they hear the name GPO? Jensen: Trust. Performance. Value — proven in the field and on the shelf.
Retailers today are under more pressure than ever. The internet has eliminated the margin for error. Low-margin product lines with high return rates simply don’t survive anymore. Retailers have to be sharper, more selective, and ultimately more trustworthy than the internet itself.
That means recommending products based on real customer benefit — not just price or a flashy brand — and standing behind what they sell.
GPO is built on that foundation. We give retailers products they can confidently recommend because they know they will perform, hold up, and create repeat customers — not problems. That trust is everything, and it’s exactly what drives our growth.
SSR: What do retailers need to do to begin carrying GPO products? Are there dealer programs available? Jensen: We are a dealer-focused brand. It’s simple — reach out to GPO USA at info@gpo-usa.com, or call us at 1-844-MY-BINOS (844-692-4667). Our national sales team supports accounts of all sizes with hands-on product training and support.
We offer strong margins, marketing support, reliable inventory, stock balancing, a “demo a scope on us” program, and an aggressive sales incentive points program. From day one, the goal has been clear: Build a company that retailers actually enjoy doing business with — not one they tolerate.
