Walmart Open Call wraps up after more than 800 meetings

After more than 800 meetings held on Wednesday in Bentonville, Walmart’s Open Call wrapped up with dozens of golden tickets handed out to those seeking to be a vendor. More than 50 tickets had been given out by noon with meetings continuing to 4 p.m.

Wendy Kushel, founder and CEO of Wendala’s, received a golden ticket Wednesday. She pitched a sugar-scrub dubbed “Fish Away” that eliminates strong food odors from hands and softens the skin. Based in Bluffington, S.C., Kushel said she had never tried a sugar product in her life but in 2019 someone told her to rub coconut oil and sugar on her body.

“I fell in love and knew I had to start a sugar-scrub business. I was finished with the liquor business I was trying to run and focused on growing this business. I have been selling my products online and in a few small retailers but getting into Walmart is wonderful,” she said. “When I would walk around my Walmart and see all the amazing products from other entrepreneurs on the shelf of this iconic retailer, I just knew I had to get my product on the shelf too.”

Kushel said the Fish Away scrub would go into stores in the Northeast and Northwest to start in large fishing communities. She also pitched a scrub for the bathroom sink area and another product later in the day.

Joseph Christensen made the trip to Bentonville from southern Michigan to pitch the family’s honey brand Farmer Dan. He said the family runs a large bee keeping operation and sell their honey to stores around the area.

“We are a small family business and to get the attention of Walmart is unbelievable. We are going to start supplying the Walmart stores around Michigan with our honey and hopefully expand production through the Midwest as far south as Texas next year,” he said.

Jay Cavanaugh made the trip to Bentonville from Austin, Texas. His family-owned business, Fortune Products, makes sharpeners in its manufacturing centers in Georgetown and Leander, Texas. The brand – Accusharp – has been in Walmart since 2015, but he was back to pitch a sharper for the lawn and garden category.

“Our sharpeners are sold in 40,000 stores across the U.S. and we have several sharpeners already in Walmart for kitchen, in hardware and crafts and we have done licensed products for Walmart for Pioneer Woman sharpeners and others. I called on Walmart for years and didn’t get them to bite. But they called us in 2015 and wanted a meeting. We have been doing business ever since,” Cavanaugh said.

He said the brand continues to get endorsements from top chefs who use the knife sharpener. Gardeners will now have access to the newest sharper for shears and other tools. Cavanaugh said the new product should hit stores in time for spring gardening.

“When you stop and think of the magnitude Walmart has on the economy when it buys American-made products, it can be mind-blowing when you consider all the component parts, packaging and graphics, shipping and logistics and so on. Walmart has been a great partner to us,” he said.

Jim Bauer, sales and category manager at Smackin’, also received a golden ticket on Wednesday. Bauer pitched the Smackin’ Sunflower Seed snacks to buyers and it was the export buyer from Canada that bit first. He said Canada will put the snacks in some stores in the coming months and Walmart U.S. will work with the small firm on a plan for next year. Bauer said the team in Minneapolis numbers just eight people but they have the capacity to service thousands of stores with the lower sodium, flavorful seeds.