Walmart selects 850 companies for virtual pitch event

Walmart has notified 850 small- and medium-sized product manufacturers that they have been chosen for its Open Call event on Oct. 1, a previously announced virtual pitch session where Walmart will consider partnering with the companies for private label or to run branded items from the companies in stores.

More than 4,800 businesses across 49 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia and Mozambique applied for the chance to pitch a Walmart merchant, a 44% increase in submissions from last year, per the retailer. The selected manufacturers will prepare a 30-minute virtual, one-on-one pitch meeting for the event on Oct. 1.

This is the first time Walmart has run a virtual pitch event, teaming up with the RangeMe platform. A Walmart representative told Store Brands about the event that the retailer is “always looking for quality manufacturers to support our private label business,” and invited them to submit for the pitch event.

The 850 participants will vie to secure deals that include putting in product in a handful of regional stores, to larger deals in Sam’s Clubs, Walmart.com and inside Walmart Marketplace.

Walmart surprised chosen applicants with a Zoom meeting request to inform them of being chosen. Some businesses invited to the event include:

• Freedom Deodorant, Las Vegas, NV – Sanitizing wipes with essential oils
• Backyard Brine, Cutchogue, NY – Garlic Dill pickles
• Amboseli Food, LLC, Layton, UT – Tangy Sumac Spice Seasoning
• Semper Fi Veterans, LLC, Exton, PA – Free Range Duck Eggs
• Lick You Silly Pet Products, Glen Ridge, NJ – Premium All-Natural Beef Liver Dog Treats
• Cat in a Box, Ashland, MA – Cat furniture

"As a female entrepreneur, who has been blending yummy spices for customers on the internet for years, I am excited to be selected to participate in Walmart's Open Call," said Sylvia Kapsandoy, CEO of Amboseli Foods. "This is such an incredible opportunity to potentially introduce more people to USimplySeason seasonings. It’s the opportunity I've been dreaming of!"