The Walmart: Made Local trailer tour arrived in Frederick, Maryland, beginning a celebration of Walmart’s commitment to U.S. manufacturing and its great local suppliers. The trailer’s stop in Frederick kicked off today at the Walmart Supercenter on Monocacy Blvd with an event featuring remarks from Walmart’s Senior Director of Public Affairs, Mark Espinoza, and Executive Director of Maryland Manufacturing Extension, Mike Kelleher, and check presentations made to the 100 Black Men of Maryland, Inc. and the National Association of Kidprenuers.
From 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. until Tuesday, July 11 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., 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. 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.
“We are excited to meet entrepreneurs in Frederick who are eager for the opportunity to grow their businesses with Walmart through Open Call,” said Mark Espinoza, Walmart’s Senior Director of Public Affairs. “Thanks to a decade of Open Call opportunities, thousands of small and medium businesses have been able to scale their U.S. manufacturing operations, creating new jobs in their communities.”
For photo/video of the event and interview clips from Mike Kelleher, Mark Espinoza, and R Wesley Webb (District Rep for 100 Black Men of Maryland, Inc.), please visit here.
Walmart will soon begin accepting applications for its tenth annual Open Call. Small and medium business owners everywhere are encouraged to apply. 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/co.
