Trailer tour begins countdown to Walmart’s 10th annual Open Call event in October and showcases Walmart suppliers in Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (July 25, 2023) — Today, the Walmart: Made Local trailer tour arrived in Indianapolis, Indiana, beginning a celebration of Walmart’s commitment to U.S. manufacturing and its great local suppliers. The trailer’s stop in Indianapolis kicked off today at the Walmart Supercenter at 4545 Lafayette Road, Indianapolis, IN with an event featuring Hoosier Walmart supplier Turf Titan Brands based out of Fort Wayne and Senator Fady Qaddoura.
“The journey with Walmart has been absolutely amazing, and their dedicated team has made our dream a reality. This launch with the world’s biggest retailer marks a significant milestone towards our mission of making our family-safe lawn nutrients accessible to customers wherever they shop,” said Andrew Saal, president of Turf Titan. “Thanks to their collaboration, we’ve grown from a small USA manufacturer to proudly having our brand on Walmart shelves. We couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity!”
From 3 to 7 p.m. each day until July 27, visitors can learn more about Walmart’s $350 billion commitment to U.S. manufacturing, and entrepreneurs can record a video application for Walmart’s 10th annual Open Call event in October during Manufacturing Month 2023. Open Call provides opportunities for thousands of small and medium businesses to pitch Walmart for deals to sell their products made, grown or assembled in the U.S. in stores or online.
Local suppliers, like Turf Titan Brands, earned deals to sell their products with Walmart at Open Call. By bringing local suppliers’ products to its shoppers, Walmart helps businesses grow. For example, Walmart’s Lead with Local snacks initiative, launched last week, sells locally made snacks prominently on Walmart shelves to connect customers with products from hometown businesses. Over 130 Walmart stores are participating so far, with more to come.
“Walmart is proud to support more American jobs like those at Turf Titan Brands,” said Ahmed Young, director of Walmart public affairs. “We know our customers care about products made, grown or assembled in the U.S., and communities like Indianapolis and Fort Wayne benefit when we invest in these products.”
As part of the celebration, Walmart officials also presented $10,000 donations to the Madam Walker Legacy Center and Indy Chamber. Both organizations support Indianapolis entrepreneurship and cultivate local innovation.
Walmart has begun accepting applications for its tenth annual Open Call. Small and medium business owners across the nation are encouraged to apply by August 18. Open Call is a key part of Walmart’s commitment to invest an additional $350 billion over 10 years in U.S. manufacturing. Already, more than two-thirds of Walmart’s annual product spend is on goods made, grown or assembled in the U.S. Through Open Call, this investment will create opportunities for over 9,000 small and medium businesses to become Walmart suppliers.
About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer helping people save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 240 million customers and members visit more than 10,500 stores and numerous eCommerce websites in 20 countries. With fiscal year 2023 revenue of $611 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.1 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 corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart, on Twitter at twitter.com/walmart, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/walmart.
About Walmart in Indiana
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. In Indiana we serve customers at 127 retail units and online through Walmart Online Grocery and Walmart.com. We are proud to employ over 43,000 associates in Indiana. Walmart supports local businesses, spending $1.1 billion with Hoosier suppliers in fiscal year 2023 and supporting 33,373 Hoosier supplier jobs. Walmart continues to be a leader in employment opportunity, sustainability, and corporate philanthropy. In fiscal year 2023, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation contributed more than $48.8 million in cash and in-kind donations to local nonprofits in Indiana. Learn more at corporate.walmart.com.
