DES MOINES, IOWA (March 27, 2019) — If you’ve ever dreamed of potentially reaching thousands of customers with your American products, now is the time to act: Walmart is accepting applications for its sixth-annual Open Call, scheduled for June 18 and 19 at the company’s Home Office campus in Bentonville, Arkansas. Apply today by visiting Walmart-jump.com for the opportunity to secure a face-to-face pitch meeting with a Walmart buyer. The application deadline is April 30.
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. 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 US 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 US 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.
In January 2013, Walmart announced its commitment to help boost job creation and US manufacturing through buying an additional $250 billion in products supporting American jobs by 2023. Walmart’s Open Call is one way in which the company continues to invest in this commitment. Last year, Walmart spent $ 875.4 million with Iowa suppliers, supporting 34,743 local jobs.
Apply for Open Call today and join the conversation on your social channels by using #WalmartOpenCall.
About Walmart in Iowa
Walmart Inc helps people around the world save money and live better — anytime and anywhere — in retail stores, online, and through their mobile-devices. In Iowa we serve customers at 68 retail-units and online through Walmart Online Grocery, Walmart.com, and our family of brands. We are proud to employ 17,218 associates in Iowa. Walmart supports local businesses, spending $875.4 million with Iowa suppliers in FYE18 and supporting 34,743 Iowa supplier jobs. Walmart continues to be a leader in employment-opportunity, sustainability, and corporate philanthropy. In FY18, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation contributed more than $17.8 million in cash and in-kind donations to local nonprofits in Iowa and our Iowa associates volunteered more than 11,300 hours with local causes. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting our corporate website and our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter channels.
