Walmart Seeks American-Made Products With Open Call Event

Walmart, America’s largest retailer, has begun accepting applications for its 10th-annual Open Call event, searching for products that are made, grown or assembled in the U.S. to be sold in Walmart or Sam's Club stores or online.

Walmart’s Open Call is part of the retailer’s 10-year, $350 billion plan to strengthen U.S. manufacturing, and is Walmart and Sam’s Club’s largest sourcing event. The event was launched in 2014, and has provided over 9,000 opportunities for small and medium businesses to grow with Walmart. Last year was the largest Open Call yet, with more than 1,100 small and medium businesses participating.

Applications are open here until Aug. 18. Invited suppliers will be notified on Sept. 21. Open Call will take place on Oct. 24 and 25 this year, during Manufacturing Month 2023. 

All Open Call finalists will have access to mentoring sessions with Walmart leaders and special guests, where they can gain business insights and resources. Each finalist will have a one-on-one pitch meeting with Walmart and/or Sam's Club merchants.

“Open Call presents an incredible opportunity for small and medium businesses to grow their businesses,” wrote Jason Fremstad, Walmart’s senior vice president of Supplier Development and Sourcing in a blog post. “Entrepreneurs who earn a 'golden ticket' — signifying a deal for Walmart to sell their products on its shelves or online — reach new customers, enabling them to grow. Through Open Call, Walmart has helped thousands of small and medium businesses thrive, with many expanding their U.S. manufacturing footprints and creating new manufacturing jobs in the communities they call home.”

In the announcement blog post, Walmart said that more than 85% of Walmart shoppers have said it is important for retailers to carry goods made in the U.S. Currently, more than two-thirds of Walmart's annual product spend is on goods made, grown or assembled in the U.S.