Walmart begins application process for Open Call
by March 23, 2021 1:58 pm 1,426 views
Walmart said Tuesday (March 23) the application process for Open Call is open through April 30 for entrepreneurs and companies to pitch their products at the virtual event slated for June 30.
Bentonville-based Walmart has renewed its commitment to purchase another $350 billion of goods grown, made or assembled in the U.S. over the next decade. This commitment goes further to support U.S manufacturing hubs in hopes of supporting 750,000 new American jobs.
“Open Call is like watching the American Dream play out in real time,” said Laura Phillips, Walmart senior vice president for Global Sourcing & U.S. Manufacturing. “You see on full display the spirit and energy of new ideas and the hope of what could be – founded on creativity, hard work and self-belief. It’s inspiring. Walmart’s announcement earlier this month to spend an additional $350 billion on products made, grown or assembled in America makes Open Call even more exciting and important. We know how much this opportunity means to small businesses, and we can’t wait to see the new product submissions from potential new suppliers.”
The deadline to apply for participation in this year’s Open Call for products made, grown or assembled in the United States is April 30. The application and additional information about the event are available via the Walmart Jump portal.
The June 30 virtual event will include similar programming to last year. In addition to one-on-one pitch meetings with Walmart merchants, participants will have an opportunity to hear directly from Walmart executives at the hour-long kickoff of the event. Smaller breakout sessions will be available throughout the day where suppliers can learn more on topics and about resources available to them.
Walmart said this year’s Open Call attendees could secure opportunities that range from promoting products in a handful of stores in local markets to supplying products to thousands of Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs and online.
“Walmart makes it easy – they really do,” Henry Johnson, who owns Le’Host Hair & Wigs with his wife Haith, said in the release when referring to their experience at Walmart’s 2020 Open Call. “They sent us a video that they send to everyone who’s going to present to buyers and said, ‘This is what we’re looking for.’ … We found out what was important to Walmart as a company, in the community.”
Walmart began expanding Le’Host products into some 300 stores across the Southwest and Southeast regions of the United States.
Walmart is also promoting this event through several social media channels where participants are invited to take part in the conversation using #WalmartOpenCall.