If you’ve ever dreamed of potentially reaching thousands of customers with your innovative products, now is the time to act: Walmart is accepting applications for its 6th annual Open Call, scheduled for June 18 and 19 at the company’s Home Office campus in Bentonville, Arkansas.
The businesses that are interested in having the opportunity to secure a face-to-face pitch meeting with a Walmart buyer can apply by visiting Walmart-jump.com. The application deadline is April 30.
“Our participation in the Open Call opportunity has had an amazing impact on our business,” said Justin Mark, owner of JustinTimeSnacks.
JustinTimeSnacks recently launched its Homeplate Pizza on store shelves in Missouri, just in time for baseball season. “The Walmart deal we secured has led to expansion for increased production that allows us to now own a 5,000 square-foot manufacturing facility. Additionally, all of our ingredients and even the packaging is sourced through local businesses creating jobs across the St. Louis area,” said Mark.
This year’s Open Call attendees could secure deals ranging from a handful of stores in local markets, to supplying hundreds, even thousands of stores, Sam’s Clubs and Walmart.com with their innovative products, according to a press release.
The two-day event informs, empowers and encourages attendees while providing effective networking opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
“Our customers tell us that products made, sourced or grown in the U.S. are important to them and we work year-round to identify local suppliers and source products that our customers are proud to buy,” said Cindi Marsiglio, Walmart’s vice president of Merchandise Services and U.S. Manufacturing. “Walmart’s Annual Open Call gives us a unique opportunity to meet entrepreneurs from across the country and discover new, niche and innovative products that fill a need for our customers and support jobs right here in America.”
During the 2018 Walmart Open Call, nearly 600 meetings were held with product pitches including toys, apparel, natural health and beauty aids, and food.
Prospective suppliers traveled from 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. More than half of the attending businesses self-identified as diverse, including nearly 25 percent identifying as women-owned.
Following last year’s event, a new line-up of innovative products has begun arriving on Walmart shelves and Walmart.com, representing the dreams of dozens of entrepreneurs across the country, including:
- Ahssa Foods LLC, Mesa, Arizona – Low-fat gourmet sauces.
- Bodylove Naturals, Rogers, Arkansas – Natural skincare products.
- The Cumberland Companies, Knoxville, Tennessee – Fog-free shaving mirror.
- Mame’s Burrito Company, Denver, Colorado – Organic breakfast burritos.
- The Perfect Granola, Rochester, New York – Naturally sweetened granola bars.
- RPM, Savage, Minnesota – Placemats for pet food bowls.
- Shoe Crazy, Chesterfield, Virginia – Unique wine blends.
- Wings Cosmetics LLC, Andrews, Texas – Winged eyeliner stamp.
With fiscal year 2019 revenue of $514.4 billion, Walmart employs over 2.2 million associates worldwide. Each week, over 275 million Walmart customers and members visit its more than 11,300 stores under 58 banners in 27 countries and eCommerce websites.