Exclusive: Walmart expands support for American-made products
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Walmart's 12th Open Call event will be Oct. 7-8 in Bentonville, Arkansas. Photo: Worth Sparkman/Axios
Walmart is expanding support for American-made products through new programs to help small businesses, the retailer shared exclusively with Axios Tuesday.
Why it matters: Growing the pipeline to have more items made in the U.S. can help insulate the world's largest retailer — and consumers — from the effects of tariffs and the trade war.
The big picture: Walmart announced a new "Grow with US" program and shared details of the upcoming 2025 Open Call to make it "easier for U.S.-based entrepreneurs to navigate the complexities of retail and bring their products to a national stage."
- "We anticipate thousands of small businesses will take advantage of these free resources over the coming years," John Furner, Walmart U.S. president and CEO, told Axios.
Catch up quick: Walmart said in 2021 that it planned to spend an additional $350 billion by 2030 on items made, grown or assembled in the U.S., which the company estimated would help generate 750,000 jobs nationwide.
- More than two-thirds of products sold in Walmart U.S. stores are "made, grown or assembled" in the country, company CFO John David Rainey said at the company's investment community meeting earlier this month.
- "The third that we import comes from all over the world, but China and Mexico are the most significant," Rainey said.
Walmart "Grow with US" program
Zoom in: Walmart's new "Grow with US" is a four-step program designed to provide U.S. small businesses with training, mentorship and resources needed to grow with the company, Furner said.
- "We've seen firsthand how investing in small businesses results in better assortment, better meeting the needs of our customer base, and supporting jobs and growth in communities," Furner told Axios.
- Furner said more than 60% of all U.S. suppliers last year were small businesses.
The program is part of Walmart's "expanding commitment to small business development," joining programs around the world, including "Crece con Walmart" in Mexico and "Vriddhi" in India.
- The programs have graduated 70,000 small businesses in four years, Walmart said.
How it works: U.S. small businesses interested in participating can register with Walmart by providing a voluntary Small Business Administration certification, or by requesting verification through the retailer.
Walmart Open Call 2025
State of play: Applications for Walmart's annual Open Call event open June 24. U.S.-based small and medium-sized businesses will get the chance to pitch their shelf-ready products directly to Walmart and Sam's Club merchants.
- Merchandise reviewed could end up on shelves at Walmart or Sam's Club stores, Walmart.com or Walmart Marketplace.
- The Open Call event is Oct. 7-8 in Bentonville, Arkansas but there are several pop-up pitch events for aspiring suppliers beforehand where some "potentially score a fast pass to our main event in Bentonville," Furner said.
What's next: Four of this year's Road to Open Call events will be held during Small Business Month, which is May:
- May 1: Orlando
- May 9: Kansas City, Mo.
- May 13: Baltimore
- May 21: Austin
- June 18: Columbus
- June 24: Atlanta
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