Walmart’s Open Call: A Strategic Sourcing Initiative for Entrepreneurs

Walmart hosted its eleventh annual Open Call event this past week in Bentonville, Arkansas. The event brings together selected innovators, creators, and business owners for an opportunity to meet with Walmart and Sam’s Club merchants. Entrepreneurs pitch their USA made, grown, or assembled products to potentially secure a coveted spot on Walmart shelves.

The event is not just about deals; it is also an opportunity for entrepreneurs to receive valuable insights and build community. With mentorship from successful business figures like Daymond John and the chance to connect with Walmart representatives, entrepreneurs from around the country gained knowledge to help them scale their businesses and navigate the world of retail. By the event’s conclusion, dozens of “golden tickets” were awarded, signifying successful deals struck between Walmart and the entrepreneurs.

Photo Credit: Walmart Corporate

Select Stories of Golden Ticket Winners

• Wendy Kushel, founder and CEO of Wendala’s, traveled from Bluffington, South Carolina to attend. She developed a unique sugar scrub called “Fish Away” that not only eliminated strong food odors from hands but also softened the skin. At the event, she shared her journey from leaving the liquor business to pursuing her passion for creating high-quality skincare products. Landing a deal with Walmart was a dream come true for her, and she couldn’t wait to see her product on the shelves of the iconic retailer.
• Joseph Christensen, representing the family’s honey brand, Farmer Dan, had traveled all the way from southern Michigan. Their small family business, which ran a large beekeeping operation, had caught the attention of Walmart. Joseph spoke about their commitment to providing pure, natural honey to stores in Michigan and their aspirations to expand their production to serve even more customers across the Midwest.
• Jay Cavanaugh from Austin, Texas, represented Fortune Products, a family-owned business specializing in sharpeners. Jay shared how their manufacturing centers in Georgia had been instrumental in producing high-quality sharpeners, and he expressed his excitement at the prospect of partnering with Walmart to bring their products to a wider audience.

For Wendy, Joseph, Jay, and many others, the Walmart Open Call 2024 signaled the start of an exciting new chapter in their entrepreneurial journeys, with their products soon to be on Walmart shelves and reaching a broader customer base.

Applications to Your Business

For other retailers, Walmart’s annual Open Call is an excellent example of a strategic sourcing initiative aimed at increasing the availability of domestically produced products that also provide positive press and serves to humanize the company’s brand in ways that would be difficult to replicate in other ways. Countless examples exist of entrepreneurs who started selling their products at Walmart and leveraged that opportunity into a series of compelling products that succeed over the long haul. Open Call seems like a best practice that retailers can replicate successfully around the globe.

Looking to implement innovative strategic initiatives in 2025? Contact us today to explore how our team can help.