Walmart Offering MD Entrepreneurs a Shot at the American Dream

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 6th 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.

“We got into Walmart through Open Call so you betcha that I'm a fan!” said Warren Brown, President and CEO of DC-based Don’t Forget Cake. Brown attended Open Call in 2017. “Applying was a good exercise for growth and getting selected was a positive step toward changing the bottom line for my business. Our placement in stores has grown, sales are steady and, if given the opportunity, we're excited to grow into more stores.”

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 U.S. are important to them and we work year-round to identify local suppliers and source products that our customers are proud to buy,” said

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.

“Open Call for me wasn’t just about immediate opportunities,” explained Lesley Riley, founder of Mama Biscuit's Gourmet Biscuits located in Frederick, Md. “It allowed me to develop a relationship for future opportunity.”

In January 2013, Walmart announced its commitment to help boost job creation and U.S. 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 $1.4 billion with Maryland suppliers, supporting 32,500 local jobs.

Apply for Open Call today and join the conversation on your social channels by using #WalmartOpenCall