Walmart wraps up Open Call, hands out more than 100 golden tickets

Walmart handed out more than 100 golden tickets to business owners hoping to get products in the retailer’s system. The retail giant hosted more than 500 companies from 47 states; Washington, D.C.; and Puerto Rico during the 2025 open call.

The annual event was held Oct. 7-8 at Walmart’s new corporate campus in Bentonville.

Buyers from Walmart and Sam’s Club held more than 750 meetings with companies on Wednesday. There were two companies with Arkansas ties among those pitching their products. Hope Harris of Hope Can Change the World pitched her postcard pack to stationery buyers early Wednesday. Harris did not get a golden ticket, but she said pitching the product felt like a “full circle moment” for her as she worked for the retail giant for six years before taking time to start a family.

Bethany Toldo made the trip to Bentonville from Ontario, Canada, where her family owns and operates Centoco, one of the largest manufacturers of toilet seats in North America. Her Arkansas connection is the Centoco plant located in McCrory, about 75 miles southwest of Jonesboro. Toldo did get a golden ticket and is excited about what it means for the company and 48 manufacturing jobs at the McCrory plant, which has been in operation for 40 years.

Walmart said the newest cohort of suppliers joins the ranks of small businesses that comprise more than 60% of the retailer’s U.S. supplier base.

The retailer mentioned three standout recipients from this year’s event: Grandma Betty’s Premium Yellow Grits from Unique Southern Foods located in Brookhaven, Ga.; Vaquero Snacks from Newport Beach, Calif.; and Scentsational Soaps & Candles from Venice, Fla.

“Open Call is Walmart at its best, backing American jobs, lifting small businesses, and offering customers new products they’ll love,” said John Furner, president & CEO, Walmart U.S. “For the past 12 years, the event has helped entrepreneurs grow, and in the process, helped boost U.S. manufacturing.”

Walmart marked 40 years of sourcing goods from the U.S. with founder Sam Walton’s Buy American initiative. Furner said the program helped shape Walmart’s work with suppliers and manufacturers, and that includes self-reported investments of $250 billion in 2013 and $350 billion in 2021. Walmart said as of the end of last year, the cumulative U.S. spend was $176 billion toward its $350 billion goal by 2031.

Some of the 13 tech innovation companies that pitched services ranged from extending shelf life and yield optimization to improving efficiencies and layering technology over existing infrastructure to support manufacturing. Plantible, Loom 3D, and Blue Agtec were among the tech innovators meeting with category managers and sourcing teams on Wednesday.

Walmart also provided training and mentoring sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday focused on helping small operators scale production, improve packaging, and strengthen financial and operational readiness.

Susan Clayton of Baltimore pitched her patented, thumbless mittens to Walmart and got a golden ticket. Clayton said the experience was a surreal, but she is excited to see where it goes. Like many of the golden ticket winners, she is already selling on Walmart marketplace and in limited retail stores in the northeast. Clayton said the training sessions were full of relevant information for small operators.