July 14, 2025
Act fast — Walmart is inviting entrepreneurs to apply for its annual Open Call competition, a high-stakes opportunity for Utah founders to pitch directly to Walmart and Sam’s Club buyers through July 25, 2025. Think Shark Tank for retail shelves, minus investor demands.
This is not a concept-stage opportunity. Selected businesses will be invited to pitch in person at Walmart’s headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, in October 2025. To qualify, businesses must have products fully packaged and shelf-ready, with standard retail identifiers such as GTIN and UPC barcodes.
What’s needed to apply:
- A product that is made, grown, or assembled in the U.S.
- Retail-ready packaging and labeling
- GTIN/UPC barcode for each product
- A completed RangeMe profile (free account)
- Product descriptions, images, and pricing information
- Manufacturing capacity and fulfillment readiness
Utah entrepreneurs have found real success through this program. Salt Lake City-based Grind Goods participated in the 2022 Open Call and expanded from its local reach to appear in more than 650 Walmart locations nationwide, growing sales by over 1,800%.
In addition to consumer goods, Walmart is inviting applications from companies with innovative manufacturing solutions, such as sustainable packaging, automation tools, supply-chain technologies, and other advancements that enhance U.S. production.
Open Call is part of Walmart’s broader $350 billion commitment to supporting U.S. manufacturing. For Utah startups with the right product and production capabilities, this is a rare opportunity to gain national exposure and retail distribution.
For more details and to apply, visit the Walmart Open Call 2025 website. You can also find answers to the Open Call FAQs.
Looking to support your small business in Utah? Visit the Startup State Initiative’s resource page to find more tools, programs, and communities to move your business forward, or learn how to start your business in Utah.
The information in this article is current as of the publishing date and is intended for informational purposes only. This article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal, tax, or business advice. Any resources and organizations mentioned, unless an entity of or a partner of the state of Utah, are not formally endorsed by the Startup State Initiative or state of Utah.