More than 175 Small Businesses Find Opportunity at Walmart’s First-Ever Virtual Open Call for U.S. Manufactured Products
October 02 2020 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
An additional 450 businesses to receive further
consideration
More than 800 small businesses from across the country pitched
their U.S. manufactured products today during 30-minute one-on-one
meetings with Walmart and Sam’s Club merchants as part of the
company’s first-ever virtual Open Call event. Approximately 56
percent of these business self-report as diverse and more than 175
received a “yes,” advancing them to the next stage in the process
to land on store and club shelves. In addition to Walmart stores
and Sam’s Clubs, the scope of opportunity available to participants
includes Walmart.com, Walmart Marketplace, and Samsclub.com, and
all participating businesses producing shelf-stable products were
invited to sell their products on Walmart’s various online
platforms.
“No other retailer provides small businesses with as many
channels and avenues to success and we’re thrilled with their
response to Walmart’s first-ever virtual Open Call event,” said
Laura Phillips, Walmart senior vice president for global sourcing
and U.S. manufacturing. “It’s truly inspiring to see the strong
entrepreneurial spirit of this year’s participants. Despite the
challenges small businesses have faced this year, they’ve brought
incredible energy, innovation and ingenuity to their product pitch
meetings and we are excited about what this means for our
customers, our communities and our commitment to source an
additional $250 billion in U.S. manufactured products that support
American jobs.”
In January 2013, Walmart announced its commitment to help boost
job creation and U.S. manufacturing through buying an additional
$250 billion in products supporting American jobs by 2023.
Walmart’s Open Call is one way in which the company continues
investing in this commitment.
Nearly 2,100 people joined the General Session, which
subsequently received more than 34,000 views, to hear from Walmart
executives including company president and CEO Doug McMillon, who
described the various ways Walmart is helping smaller suppliers and
the thousands of small businesses that lease space inside Walmart
Supercenters and Sam’s Clubs address the business impacts of the
global pandemic. Some ways the company is helping include
implementing a rent relief program for store and club tenants,
making changes to its Supply Chain financing program and giving
small businesses like craft brewers more space on store
shelves.
“We want to help small business owners weather the current
situation and take care of their employees, so that after this
pandemic, they and the communities they serve can thrive,” McMillon
said.
Celebrities adding to the excitement of the day included Chef
Robert Irvine who shared advice for how businesses can pivot during
times of crisis, five-time Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin who
encouraged participants to “be confident, believe in yourself and
believe in your product,” and Snoop Dogg whose gin label Indoggo
will be available in Walmart stores next spring.
More than 4,800 small businesses representing 49 states, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia and Mozambique
applied for the chance to pitch a Walmart merchant, a 44 percent
increase in submissions from last year. The virtual nature of this
year’s event also made it possible for the company to increase the
number of meetings. Nearly 900 meetings were held - also 44 percent
more than last year.
The most popular categories were food, health and wellness, and
personal care and products pitched reflect consumer trends in
healthy foods, natural products, ethnic cuisine, snacks and adult
beverages.
Some of the businesses moving on to the next step with Walmart
include:
- Medzone – Face Balm (Kansas)
- The Dog Perk Corporation – Pet Bandana (Minnesota)
- Fresh Nature Foods – Green Chickpea Falafel Cakes
(Washington)
- K-Co (veteran owned) – Brass Hose Nozzle (California)
- DNA Vineyards – Wine (California)
- Sierra Sage Herbs, LLC – Natural Cold Sore Relief
(Colorado)
- RPM, Inc . – Plastic Plant Coaster (Minnesota)
- ChocZero – Dark Chocolate Keto Bark (California)
- MyBread – Gluten Free Baked Goods (Wisconsin)
- Rastelli Foods Group – Chuck and Short Rib Craft Burger (New
Jersey)
- Vow Beauty – Facial Toner (New Jersey)
- TipSee Light Co. LLC – BBQ Light (New York)
- Pompette Beverages, Inc. – Clementine Berry Hard Sparkling
Water (New York)
- That's My Girl, Inc. – Elastic Waist Dress (New York)
- GRIP THAT FLIPS, LLC – Translucent Mobile Device Grip Flip
(Florida)
- Skinny Latina – Hot Sauce (Florida)
- Advanced Graphics, Inc. – Salty Bones Folding Fishing Ruler
(Florida)
- Unique Solutions USA – Water Clarifying and Bio-cleaner
(Florida)
The five states with the largest numbers of businesses receiving
“yes” responses are California, New York, Florida, Ohio, and New
Jersey.
About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save
money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in retail stores,
online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, over 265
million customers and members visit approximately 11,500 stores
under 56 banners in 27 countries and eCommerce websites. With
fiscal year 2020 revenue of $524 billion, Walmart employs over 2.2
million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in
sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity.
Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting
corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart and on
Twitter at twitter.com/walmart.
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