Source: Blog – Alliance for American Manufacturing

Getty Images

Has a company that helped drive deindustrialization really turned a page?

Let me begin by making a provocative statement: Walmart is doing some good.

I’ve been skeptical of Walmart for my entire adult life, and for good reason. I saw small businesses close when a Walmart store came to my rural hometown nearly 40 years ago. I saw factories close when Walmart set terms for suppliers that couldn’t possibly be met by companies offering decent wages and producing goods in America.

That, coupled with Walmart’s policy advocacy for opening trade with China, helped to fuel massive deindustrialization in the United States. Over the past dozen years I’ve seen Walmart finally read the room and announce an ambitious U.S. manufacturing initiative, even if we quibbled over the details to make sure it was substantive rather than performative. I also saw Walmart’s power to shape markets; for instance, its embrace of affordable, energy efficient light bulbs changed the industry and consumer habits.

Now, notwithstanding its recent announcement that it could raise consumer prices due to tariffs (even though it probably doesn’t have to), the company has made several significant commitments in recent years that stand to benefit American workers and producers.

First, its Open Call. It’s a bit like Shark Tank, but with more bite (in a good way).

Walmart’s Open Call is held annually at its headquarters in Bentonville, Ark. The event invites U.S.-based entrepreneurs and manufacturers to present their shelf-ready, American-made, -grown or -assembled products directly to Walmart and Sam’s Club buyers. The 2025 edition, scheduled for October 7 and 8, continues the company’s ambitious pledge to invest $350 billion in U.S. products by 2030.

In the lead-up to the main event, Walmart hosts a series of regional pop-up pitch events across the country — from Los Angeles to Baltimore — giving local businesses a chance to connect with buyers and potentially earn a fast-track invitation to Bentonville. This approach to supplier engagement has opened doors for a significant number of small- and medium-sized businesses.

And the impact of Open Call is visible in some of the success stories it has generated. My favorite example is Athletic Brewing, a leading producer of non-alcoholic craft beer. (Full disclosure: I’m a big fan.) After a successful pitch at a previous Open Call, the company secured a deal with Walmart that helped it invest over $115 million in its U.S. facilities and create nearly 200 new jobs. This kind of growth underscores the event’s potential to catalyze domestic manufacturing and job creation.

The second commitment that caught my eye is Walmart’s partnership with American Giant, a premium apparel brand known for its “Made in the USA” ethos. The collaboration began in 2024 with a $12.98 American-made T-shirt and has since expanded to include sweatshirts. This partnership illustrates how mass-market retailers and premium brands can work together to scale up domestic production. I’ve known American Giant’s CEO, Bayard Winthrop, for several years now, and have seen how uncompromising he is when it comes to quality. So this is the real deal.

Walmart’s Open Call is a powerful example of how corporate initiatives can align with national economic goals. In this instance, it’s about producing more of what we consume right here. By providing a platform for American entrepreneurs and investing in domestic production, Walmart is not only strengthening its supply chain but also contributing to the growth of American manufacturing — one pitch at a time. But let’s make sure as this proceeds, more of Walmart’s shelf space is dedicated to Made in America goods across a wide variety of product categories.

Whether you love or hate the company, the reality is this: About half of America shops at a Walmart at least once a year. And if those shoppers have more Made in America products from which to choose, I’m all for it.

Full Article: Read More