New Products Land on Walmart.com During Made in the USA Open Call

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Wal-Mart Stores Inc. opened its doors to more than 450 entrepreneurs during the company’s third annual “Made in the USA” Open Call event in Bentonville on Wednesday.

The event, held for the third consecutive year, is for products made, assembled or grown in the U.S. and is a complement to the company’s fourth annual U.S. Manufacturing Summit.

Hundreds of potential and current suppliers representing companies large and small from coast to coast pitched everything from food to toys to apparel, and met with hundreds of Walmart buyers for the chance to sell their U.S. made products at Walmart.

The company also announced it was putting every shelf-stable item pitched at Open Call on Walmart.com.

“We are thrilled to put hundreds of new Made in the USA products on Walmart.com,” Michelle Gloeckler, executive vice president, Consumables, Health & Wellness, and U.S. manufacturing lead for Walmart U.S., said in a company news release. “Walmart’s $250 billion commitment to buy products supporting American jobs is having a tangible impact on communities across the country as factories expand or open to make products for Walmart stores, Walmart.com and Sam’s Club.”

The 2016 U.S. Manufacturing Summit and Open Call was attended by companies from more than 40 states, and nearly 800 meetings took place.

Walmart pledged in 2013 to purchase an additional $250 billion in U.S. made products by 2023.

For more information on the company’s U.S. manufacturing initiative, visit www.walmart-jump.com and www.walmart.com/americanjobs.