From Bentonville to the Factory Floor: How Walmart’s Open Call Is Powering a New Era of American Manufacturing
When nearly 600 hopeful suppliers arrived at Walmart’s Home Office on October 7, they came with products, prototypes, and plenty of ambition. They also walked into something larger than a pitch meeting. The 12th Annual Open Call reminded everyone that Walmart’s roots, and its future, are deeply tied to American innovation.
John Furner, CEO of Walmart U.S., opened the event by recalling founder Sam Walton, who was rarely seen without a yellow notepad in hand and a product close by. “He loved merchandising,” Furner said, “especially when it supported American jobs.”
That philosophy, once reflected in items like washcloths made in North Carolina and patio furniture built in the Midwest, remains central to Walmart’s approach today. Open Call has become the retailer’s largest sourcing event of the year, drawing entrepreneurs from across the country to pitch products made, grown, or assembled in the United States. Over two days, buyers are holding roughly 750 meetings, awarding coveted “golden tickets” to suppliers whose items will move forward to store shelves or Walmart.com.
Steuart Walton, board member and grandson of the company’s founder, encouraged the crowd to keep chasing their vision, regardless of age or experience. “My grandfather was 44 when he started Walmart,” he said. “It’s never too late to take what you’ve learned and build something new.”
Innovation Meets Manufacturing
This year’s Open Call introduced a new element: a showcase of technology firms offering solutions that could strengthen U.S. manufacturing. From modernizing textile mills to developing sustainable agricultural systems, these companies reflect a shift in how Walmart views its supplier ecosystem.
Jason Fremstad, senior vice president of supplier development, said revitalizing domestic production requires more than buying American. It requires transforming the way America makes products. “If we’re going to change where things are made,” he said, “we have to change how they’re made.”
Julie Zorb, senior director of sourcing innovation, pointed to apparel as one of the industries most in need of reinvention. In the 1990s, more than half of U.S. apparel was made domestically. Today it is less than three percent. Rebuilding that capability will take automation, new materials, and creative reuse of existing equipment.
“Imagine taking the old looms and mills that still exist here and modernizing them with technology,” Zorb said. “It’s possible, and it’s happening.”
One innovator at this year’s event is demonstrating how agricultural technology can change sourcing altogether. Using soil enrichment sprays and dwarfing techniques, their system allows avocados to grow in parking lots. The idea turns underused space into micro-orchards and reduces dependence on imports, a clear example of innovation meeting practicality.
Building the Next Supply Chain
Open Call is one visible part of a broader effort. Walmart has committed to invest 350 billion dollars in products made, grown, or assembled in the United States by 2030. That investment is expected to support more than 750,000 American jobs.
This year’s focus on innovation shows that Walmart’s strategy extends beyond sourcing. The company is pairing supplier development with the same technologies transforming its own operations. From robotics and digital freight optimization to AI-driven inventory systems, Walmart is building a more resilient supply chain designed to support domestic manufacturing at scale.
Recent efforts include the use of sensors on millions of grocery pallets to improve visibility and reduce waste, as well as the creation of AI agents that automate repetitive supply chain tasks. These investments make it more practical to manufacture closer to home while increasing efficiency and accuracy across the network.
A Movement, Not Just a Meeting
Walmart’s first Open Call was primarily about introducing small businesses to buyers. Today it has become part of a national movement to restore American manufacturing capacity. For entrepreneurs, the opportunity is significant but so is the challenge. Success at Walmart’s scale requires reliability, financial discipline, and readiness to grow. For many, though, this event is the starting line for building something enduring.
Open Call is evolving from a showcase of products into a platform for innovation. It celebrates not only what is made in America, but what could be made here again. For the entrepreneurs who filled the auditorium in Bentonville this year, it was more than a pitch. It was a call to create the future of American manufacturing.
Matt Fifer
Matt Fifer is a former Walmart corporate leader and the founder of Conversations On Retail and Winning With Walmart. After nearly 13 years with Walmart in operations, marketing, and international M&A, he launched a series of companies focused on helping retailers and suppliers collaborate and grow.
Today, he travels the country exploring how automation, data, and digital media are reshaping the relationship between retailers, brands, and shoppers.