What happens when purpose meets preparation?
When access meets readiness?
You get a room full of bold, brilliant entrepreneurs: founders, culture shapers, and community builders standing face to face with Walmart buyers, ready to pitch American-made products to one of the world’s largest retailers.
On Tuesday, June 24, Walmart and the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) partnered to host the 2025 Road to Open Call pitch event in Atlanta. More than 30 small businesses applied to present their shelf-ready products directly to Walmart’s sourcing team, all hoping for a chance to advance to the 12th Annual Walmart Open Call happening this October in Bentonville, Arkansas.
The Atlanta event was the second-to-last stop on Walmart’s eight-city national Road to Open Call tour, which also included Kansas City, Baltimore, Austin, Columbus, Orlando, and others, with the final stop taking place in New Orleans on June 26. This national initiative is designed to prepare and connect American entrepreneurs with Walmart’s merchant team, opening doors to potential supplier relationships.
Entrepreneurs from across the country, including many RICE Stakeholders, represented industries such as food and beverage, beauty, safety, and consumer goods. Ten founders earned Fast Passes to Bentonville, advancing them directly to the next round. Every participant walked away more connected, more confident, and more prepared than ever before.
At RICE, we’re proud to celebrate the success of founders like Minke Richardson, who went through our Retail Readiness Academy and returned to pitch again after gaining insight last year. This time, she won a Fast Pass. We also applaud Brian Reynolds of Just for Teens, whose commitment to growth led him to join Cohort #1 of our Product Development Pathways Program, where he refined his packaging and strategy to be ready for this moment.
This is what being RICE Ready looks like.
It takes time.
It takes resiliency.
And it takes an unshakable belief that your moment will come.
Congratulations to Atlanta’s 2025 Walmart Road to Open Call Fast Pass Winners:
- Kristen Dunning, Gently | gentlysoap.com
Personal Care, Beauty, Health & Wellness
- Brian Reynolds, Just for Teens | justforteens.biz
Personal Care, Beauty, Health & Wellness
- Minke Richardson, Kroykorn Gourmet Popkorn | kroykorn.com
Food & Beverage
- Sway Jones, Sway Art | soswayed.com
Craft & Hobby
- Michelle Hatchett, Aero-Flex | aero-flex.com
Patio & Garden
- Tamara Coleman, Bark Bistro Company | barkbistro.com
Pet Care
- Jon Dabney, Rocketsports-1 | View on Walmart
Apparel & Sports
- Dor Karni, Karnis, LLC | karnishummus.com
Food & Beverage
- Gabriel Zambra, Pandinove, LLC | pandinove.com
Food & Beverage
- Nevin DiParlo, Puff Cookies, LLC | puffcookies.com
Food & Beverage
The event was an example of what can happen when small business owners are given the platform, proximity, and preparation to seize their moment.
“Walmart is committed to supporting the success of small businesses, and events like the Road to Open Call play a pivotal role in achieving this mission,” said Mark Espinoza, Senior Director of Public Affairs at Walmart. “Through collaborations with organizations like the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, we create opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect directly with Walmart and take the next step toward our main Open Call event in Bentonville, Arkansas. These events serve as a bridge, helping business owners refine their pitches, gain valuable insights, and potentially secure opportunities that can transform their businesses while strengthening U.S. manufacturing and job creation.”
“Today is proof of what we’ve always believed: communities like ours are where prosperity begins,” said Jay Bailey, President & CEO of the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs. “We’re proud to see so many entrepreneurs come to RICE to make that belief real. To have Walmart walk through our doors and sit face-to-face with the very entrepreneurs we serve every day is a powerful validation of their potential, our work, and the uncommon access we provide to help entrepreneurs excel. This is Atlanta’s opportunity to show the world what’s possible when this access meets readiness.”
To each of these founders: your courage, clarity, and execution made this moment matter. And to the dozens of other entrepreneurs who stepped into the room with hope and hustle, you left more prepared, more connected, and more ready for what’s next.
Let this be the spark.
Let’s keep building.
Let’s keep betting on us.
Watch the recap video of this exciting moment and stay tuned for more from Bentonville this October!
