Walmart’s 13th Annual Open Call

Oct. 15, 2026

4 min read

U.S. Manufacturing

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Oct. 15, 2026 - Walmart welcomed nearly 150 entrepreneurs from 35 states and Puerto Rico to Bentonville for its 13th annual Open Call, the company's flagship sourcing event for products made, grown or assembled in the United States.

Selected from a pool of several thousand applicants across the U.S., this year's attendees brought products from categories including home, sporting goods, pets, food, beverage, baby, and personal care, pitching their products directly to Walmart and Sam's Club merchants. Fifty four entrepreneurs received Golden Tickets from Walmart merchants, which gives them an opportunity to sell their products on Walmart or Sam's Club shelves or online at Walmart.com.

"Open Call brings together two things that are important to Walmart: supporting American manufacturing and discovering innovative products our customers will love," said David Guggina, president and CEO, Walmart U.S. "Our purpose is to help people save money and live better, and our suppliers play an important role in delivering on that promise. Open Call is about more than getting a product on our shelves. It's about creating opportunities for businesses making products right here in the U.S., while bringing more choice and value to the customers we serve."

Helping entrepreneurs go from pitch to shelf

When they weren't pitching, the entrepreneurs attended breakout sessions and stopped by resource booths to learn directly from Walmart and Sam's Club leaders about what it takes to build, operate and scale a successful business across one of the world's largest omnichannel retailers, as well as the many channels for growth. Seven supplier mentors also worked with entrepreneurs to help sharpen their pitches and share firsthand lessons from building their own businesses.

"Every entrepreneur's journey is different, but it all starts with the customer," said Leah Platz, senior vice president of Merchandise Excellence, Walmart. "This year, we focused on bringing entrepreneurs to Bentonville who are positioned to take that next step and pairing them with the insights, resources and relationships that can help them move quickly. Whether that next step is launching on Marketplace or expanding into stores, we're excited to help these businesses build for long-term success."

The day began with insights from Walmart and Sam's Club leaders across merchandising, Marketplace, and eCommerce, who shared how their teams think about putting the customer and member at the heart of product selection, the multiple pathways available to reach customers as well as a session focused on operational fundamentals.

Throughout the day, attendees could meet with supplier mentors, practice their pitches, and learn more about Walmart's numerous supplier-focused resources from supplier finance to supplier academy along with Walmart's growth businesses such as Marketplace, Connect and Walmart Business.

Together, the sessions were designed to give entrepreneurs a closer look and practical takeaways to help them build a business that can grow with Walmart and Sam's Club - whether in store or online.

More than 40 years of supporting American-made products

Open Call builds on a commitment to American-made products that stretches back more than four decades, when Sam Walton launched Walmart's "Buy American" initiative in 1985.

As of FY26, more than two-thirds of Walmart's annual product spend is on goods made, grown or assembled in the U.S. In 2021, Walmart committed to investing an additional $350 billion over 10 years on products made, grown or assembled in the U.S., an investment estimated to support more than 750,000 U.S. jobs.¹

Open Call is one of several ways Walmart is creating pathways for small businesses, emerging brands and local manufacturers to grow.

You can learn more about Walmart's commitment to American jobs here and explore what Walmart has to offer for suppliers here.

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