Walmart details 2026 Open Call program for US entrepreneurs

Selected participants may secure retail placement with Walmart and Sam’s Club stores.

USA – Walmart Inc. has released new information about its Open Call 2026 initiative, a program designed to give entrepreneurs in the United States an opportunity to present products and supply chain solutions directly to the retailer’s buying teams.

The program, launched in 2014, allows founders and small business operators to pitch items manufactured, grown, or assembled in the United States as part of the company’s ongoing effort to increase domestic sourcing.

Applicants selected for participation will hold 30-minute private meetings with Walmart merchants, during which they present products and ideas that could be introduced into local outlets or expanded nationwide.

Successful pitches may also lead to product listings on Walmart’s online channels, including Walmart.com and its digital marketplace, creating an additional route for suppliers to reach customers nationwide.

To reach entrepreneurs in different regions, the company has organized a series of Tour Stop events that will take place in eight cities across the United States before the final Open Call gathering later in the year.

Tour Stops planned across US cities

The first Tour Stop will begin on April 9 in Los Angeles, after which the program will continue through several other locations before concluding the tour segment in Atlanta on June 24.

Other cities scheduled to host meetings include Orlando, Salt Lake City, Baltimore, Dallas and Indianapolis, allowing founders to participate without travelling long distances to Walmart’s headquarters.

During these tour events, entrepreneurs will take part in scheduled one-on-one meetings and attend breakout sessions focused on business development, product readiness, and navigating large retail supply chains.

Some of the sessions will be open to the public, a decision the company says is intended to broaden access for business owners who want to learn more about selling products through large retail networks.

Applicants must register through RangeMe, an online platform used by retailers to review product submissions.

After registration, selected businesses will receive a notification before the event scheduled in their region.

Entrepreneurs who advance from the Tour Stop meetings will receive invitations to attend the main Open Call 2026 event scheduled for Oct. 6 and 7 at the company’s headquarters in Bentonville.

Domestic sourcing target

The retailer has set a goal of selling US$350 billion in products made, grown, or assembled in the United States by 2030.

Company figures show that cumulative spending on US-sourced goods had reached US$176 billion by the end of 2025, with domestically produced items accounting for 66% of that total.

According to the company, Open Call has become its largest sourcing event and plays a role in efforts that it says could support more than 750,000 jobs connected to domestic manufacturing and production.

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