Austin Entrepreneurs Pitch Walmart For Product Shelf Space

AUSTIN, TX — Two teams of Austin entrepreneurs this week will be competing in a Shark Tank-like competition to their products onto Walmart shelves.

The masterminds behind Tree Hive Syrup and Gentle Bees® will pitch their products' appeal along with more than 450 small business owners during the "Open Call" at Walmart national headquarters on Wednesday, June 13. Now in its fifth year, the event enables small business owners and entrepreneurs to engage in one-one-one meetings with buyers in the hopes of snagging some of that coveted shelf space to secure customers.

The local competitors are:

• Tree Hive Syrup: Eric and Mary Claire Van de Schaaf and their family of five reside in North Austin. The husband-and-wife team are behind the delicious Tree Hive syrup, a combination of four blended ingredients: maple syrup, honey, bourbon vanilla and cinnamon, officials described. The sweet product was created in the early 1990s when Mary (creator, co-owner and mom) would mix honey and syrup together and top the family's pancakes with it. Several years later Eric (co-owner and dad) got the idea to bottle up the delicious mixture. The duo operate their small business from home, selling their product online nationwide and in a growing number of markets, grocers, and stores throughout Austin and Dallas.
• Gentle Bees®: Derrick Frohne, founder and owner of Gentle Bees Natural Skin & Aromatherapy Products will pitch his product, Gentle Bees Abyssinian Peppermint Lip Balm at Walmart headquarters. The Gentle Bees® brand is designed and made in Austin. The product was inspired by the scorching summer heat in Texas almost accidently after Frohne sought to find a lip balm for his girlfriend who left hers in the car (it melted, naturally, because this is Texas). Frohne was intrigued with the challenge posed by the situation, embarking on a quest to create a melt-proof lip balm that was non-greasy and rejuvenating with hydrating attributes. He ultimately found ingredients to make a lip balm capable of withstanding a high melting point, finding the key ingredient of Abyssinian oil. From that launching pad, he decided to create a line of naturally flavored lip balms. Gentle Bees is already a supplier on Walmart.com, but Frohne wants to have it stocked on coveted Walmart shelf space. The entrepreneur strives to locally source his product, planning to use beehives already on Texas land.

Attendees at this year’s Open Call could secure deals ranging from one store in a local market, to supplying hundreds or even thousands of stores, Sam’s Club locations and Walmart.com, officials said. Some companies will find out on the spot if their products were selected for dedicated shelf space, while other deals may take more time with follow-ups between buyers and suppliers after the event has ended, officials noted.

“Walmart’s investment in U.S. -manufactured products goes beyond the shelf," Cindi Marsiglio, Walmart’s vice president of Merchandise Services and U.S. Manufacturing, said in a prepared statement. "The investment is also in the entrepreneurs’ dream, and that can be an emotional experience for everyone involved. By investing in products that support American jobs, we’re able to bring new products to our shelves and new jobs to our communities.”

The competition is an offshoot of a January 2013 commitment by Walmart to help boost job creation and U.S. manufacturing through buying an additional $250 billion in products that support American jobs over 10 years, officials said. Based on data from Boston Consulting Group, it’s estimated that 1 million new U.S. jobs will be created through this initiative, according to the retailer. Last year, Walmart spent $50.7 billion with Texas suppliers, supporting 146,759 local jobs, officials added.

About Walmart (provided text):

Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, over 270 million customers and members visit our more than 11,700 stores under 65 banners in 28 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2018 revenue of $500.3 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.

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