HONOLULU — Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, is looking for Hawaii entrepreneurs to pitch their made in the USA products to the company’s buyers in a daylong event at Wal-Mart’s global headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., on June 28.
HONOLULU — Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, is looking for Hawaii entrepreneurs to pitch their made in the USA products to the company’s buyers in a daylong event at Wal-Mart’s global headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., on June 28.
Registration has begun at walmart-jump.com. The application deadline is May 18.
“We are excited to once again invite businesses from all 50 states to meet with Wal-Mart buyers who have one goal in mind: to buy more American products for our stores, clubs and Walmart.com,” said Cindi Marsiglio, Wal-Mart’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.”
Wal-Mart 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.
In Hawaii, Wal-Mart spent more than $235 million with local suppliers in FYE17. As one example, 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 Wal-Mart vendor.
“We’ve been working with Wal-Mart’s Hawaii Buying Office since 2010,” said David Pang, president of Ilio Products LLC. “One of the best things about our relationship with Wal-Mart 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.”