Walmart Seeking Made-in-Hawai‘i Products

Wikki commons photo.

Walmart is seeking Hawai‘i entrepreneurs who want to pitch their made-in-the-USA products to the company’s buyers in a daylong event at Walmart’s global headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, on June 28, 2017.

Registration has begun at walmart-jump.com; the deadline is May 18.

In January 2013, Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, committed to American renewal by announcing it intends to help boost job creation and U.S. manufacturing through buying an additional $250 billion in products that support American jobs over 10 years. Based on data from Boston Consulting Group, it’s estimated that 1 million new U.S. jobs will be created through this initiative.

“We are excited to once again invite businesses from all 50 states to meet with Walmart buyers who have one goal in mind: to buy more American products for our stores, clubs and Walmart.com,” said Cindi Marsiglio, Walmart’s vice president of U.S. manufacturing. “By investing in products that support American jobs, we are able to bring new products to our shelves that our customers want and new jobs to our communities. Increasing domestic manufacturing will help create additional jobs in the U.S., and that’s good for American businesses.”

Walmart buyers will be looking to make deals of varying sizes ranging from supplying product to a handful of stores in a local market, to supplying hundreds or thousands of stores as well as Sam’s Club locations and Walmart.com.

The following are examples of successful deals with Hawai‘i-based suppliers:

Kolani Distillers LLC from Pā‘ia on Maui signed a deal for their Old Lahaina Rum to be placed in all 10 Walmart stores in Hawai‘i during Open Call 2015. “We would encourage anyone who has a local product not represented on the shelves at Walmart to register for Open Call,” said Paul Case, president of Kolani Distillers LLC.

Ilio Products LLC, distributor of the digestible deodorant Body Mint, appreciates the local relationships they’ve been able to develop over the years as a Walmart vendor. “We’ve been working with Walmart’s Hawaii Buying Office since 2010,” said David Pang, president of Ilio Products LLC. “One of the best things about our relationship with Walmart and the local buyers is that it’s not just about our products; we’re always treated with respect and as a supplier that’s all you can ask for.”