Walmart Creates “Grow With US” Program To Partner With American Small Businesses
on May 02, 2025
“Grow With US” Furthers Walmart’s $350 Billion Commitment To Products Made In USA
As the prospect of tariffs, and their results, remain up in the air, many businesses are finding ways to address this uncertainty.
One way for American businesses to be prepared to outlast any financial season is to focus on goods that are American-made.
That’s what Walmart is attempting, and in a big way.
At Walmart’s Investment Community Meeting in April, John David Rainey, CFO of Walmart, said that over two-thirds of products sold in U.S. Walmart locations are “made, grown, or assembled” in the country.
Rainey added, “The third that we import comes from all over the world, but China and Mexico are the most significant.”
Grow With US
In a Tuesday, April 29, press release, the retailer unveiled its Grow with US program. Of course, the “US” in this program’s name has two meanings: Walmart and the United States.
“More than 40 years ago, Mr. Sam [Walton] set a priority that still drives us today: supporting American-made products and the small businesses behind them,” the press release stated. “Grow with US is part of Walmart’s expanding commitment to small business development.”
Through Grow with US, small business owners will be given the training, mentorship, and resources to make growing with Walmart a possibility.
This voluntary program has four steps, offering small business owners the chance to learn for free at Walmart’s Supplier Academy; get discovered through Open Call, RangeMe product discovery tool, or Walmart Marketplace; mentorship for select participants to guide them through retail; and financial support for eligible small businesses to apply for through Walmart’s Early Payment Program and Bridge Marketplace.
In a statement to Axios, John Furner, CEO and president of Walmart, said, “We’ve seen firsthand how investing in small businesses results in better assortment, better meeting the needs of our customer base, and supporting jobs and growth in communities.”
Learn more about Growth with US here: https://corporate.walmart.com/suppliers/supplier-inclusion.
Open Call
For the 12th year, Walmart is hosting its annual Open Call events.
“We’ve committed $350 billion in products made, grown or assembled in America by 2030, helping to support more than 750,000 U.S. jobs,” the Walmart website states, referring to its 2021 investment promise. “Through Open Call, we’re proud to create pathways for small and mid-size businesses to grow while helping deliver value and choice for millions of customers.”
While the main Open Call event starts on October 7 in Bentonville, Arkansas, the Road to Open Call events are ongoing, with the official Open Call application process opening on June 24.
“[Road to Open Call] pop-up pitch events give innovators and entrepreneurs the chance to meet with Walmart buyers, get real-time feedback and potentially score a fast pass to our main event in Bentonville,” the Walmart website states.
Upcoming Road to Open Call events include Kansas City, MO (May 9); Baltimore, MD (May 13); Austin, TX (May 21); Columbus, OH (June 18); and Atlanta, GA (June 24).
Learn more about Open Call here: https://corporate.walmart.com/suppliers/investing-in-american-jobs/events/annual-open-call/open-call-2025.
