A message from Walmart

Axios Atlanta Partners

Paid content from Axios' advertisers - June 18, 2025

May was National Small Business Month, and Walmart is giving entrepreneurs in Atlanta the chance to get ahead of the competition before its annual Open Call pitch event at the company's headquarters later this year.

Walmart's Open Call: Helping Atlanta small businesses grow

Two smiling individuals hold cans of Athletic Brewing Co. beverages inside a warehouse, with Walmart branding.

Here's the deal: More than 60% of Walmart suppliers are small businesses (based on FY25 data) — and Open Call is the company's single largest sourcing event for Walmart and Sam's Club.

Prospective sellers with shelf-ready products meet buyers in 30-minute one-on-one pitch meetings.
Deals can range from a handful of local Walmarts to supplying hundreds of stores and even Walmart.com.
Get real-time feedback and the chance to score a fast-pass to the main event at your local Road to Open Call pop-up pitch event on June 24.

Why it's important: Walmart believes a stronger American supply chain creates stronger communities, and Open Call is at the heart of Walmart's commitment to U.S. manufacturing.

That commitment includes $350 billion in products made, grown or assembled in the U.S. in the next 5 years, supporting 750,000 domestic jobs.
Finalists from 48 states pitched in last year's Open Call, and businesses in more than half those states landed opportunities.

An example: Nonalcoholic beer company Athletic Brewing landed a deal with Walmart at the 2020 Open Call. Here's Athletic Brewing's progress since then: