Walmart Selects Spartanburg County for New High-Tech Grocery Distribution Center

Today, Walmart announced plans to build a new, high-tech distribution center for fresh and frozen groceries in Spartanburg County, set to open in 2024. The new 720,000+ square-foot facility will create more than 400 full-time regional jobs and will rely on the combination of Walmart associates, automation technology, robotics and machine learning to process grocery perishables – such as produce, eggs, dairy, flowers and frozen goods – and deliver them to nearby stores. The high-tech facility marks Walmart’s largest grocery distribution center to date and...

Lightlife Expands Distribution at Walmart, Adds Plant-Based Burgers, Breakfast Links and Patties

Greenleaf Foods, SPC, owner of leading plant-based brands Lightlife® and Field Roast™, announced today that its Lightlife Plant-Based Burger, Plant-Based Breakfast Links and Plant-Based Breakfast Patties are now available at select Walmart locations nationwide. The plant-based breakfast items will be sold in the refrigerated breakfast meat section, the first time the retailer will offer a plant-based option in this area of the store, and the Lightlife Plant-Based Burger will be available in the frozen aisle...

How Walmart is Navigating the Supply Chain To Deliver This Holiday Season

We have all seen and heard a lot in recent months about supply chain issues across the retail industry. With so many news stories about port delays, increased consumer demand and holiday season forecasting, it’s natural to wonder whether items will make it to store shelves and how this might affect holiday preparations.

But increased demand for the products customers want is nothing new for this time of year, and it’s certainly nothing new for Walmart. We’ve been delivering the holidays for over 50 years. This year, we’re...

Walmart to Hire 150,000 Associates to Serve Customers for Holidays (and Beyond)

As the most wonderful time of the year approaches, we’re planning to hire approximately 150,000 new U.S. store associates, most of them permanent, full-time positions across the country. This will ensure we’re ready to help customers shop however they want, whether they’re in a store, using curbside pickup or shopping online.

We’re always looking to add great talent to our incredible team of dedicated associates – the every day heroes who have been a constant force for good in their communities amidst the uncertainty of...

Walmart Announces Closing of Inaugural $2 Billion Green Bond Issuance

Walmart Inc. today announced that it has closed its previously announced $2 billion inaugural green bond offering. Net proceeds will be allocated to fund current and prospective projects to advance Walmart’s sustainability goals.

The green bond is Walmart’s first offering under the company’s Green Financing Framework, published August 2021, which details the company’s alignment with the 2021 Green Bond Principles, administered by the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA).

“The closing of our first-ever green bond offering directs capital toward projects that will advance our environmental sustainability goals...

Walmart and Meredith Corporation Partner To Help Answer the Question: ‘What’s for Dinner?’

Walmart Inc., the No. 1 U.S. retailer and world’s largest grocer, today announced a cross-platform partnership with Meredith Corporation, the leading multi-platform media company reaching nearly 95% of women in the U.S., to help millions of busy families plan and prepare meals faster and more easily through AI-powered meal planning, shoppable recipes, visual search, chatbots, and more. The partnership pairs Meredith’s expertise in food content, hyper-local consumer insights and proprietary technology platform with Walmart’s wide customer reach, omnichannel presence, deep product assortment, convenient...

Walmart Driving Regeneration in Agriculture

In 2016, Walmart announced our commitment to sustainably source at least 20 key commodities by 2025. Building on that work, in 2020, we embarked on our journey to go beyond sustainability and become a regenerative company, dedicated to placing nature and humanity at the center of our business.

Regeneration means restoring, renewing, and replenishing, in addition to conserving and sustaining. And as part of that aim, we have committed to protect, manage or restore at least 50 million acres of land by 2030. Across our business, associates have been working with our suppliers and...

Ghost Kitchens Expands Walmart Relationship Into U.S. Market With Plans to Open More Locations

Ghost Kitchen Brands (Ghost Kitchens) is expanding its relationship with Walmart as it opens its first U.S. location in Rochester, New York. The opportunity will make one-stop meal pickup or delivery available from up to 25 well-known and loved brands including many new additions to Ghost Kitchens’ roster, such as Costa Coffee, Kraft Mac & Cheese, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit and Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken.

This announcement builds on Ghost Kitchens’ existing Canadian relationship with Walmart and will see Ghost Kitchens open in additional locations in...

Walmart Responds to Continued Growth by Hiring 20,000 Additional Supply Chain Associates

As our business continues evolving to meet the needs of today’s customers, having a robust supply chain is more important than ever. That’s why we’re excited to announce that our team is growing.

We released FY22 Q2 earnings last week, and they revealed just how much Walmart has grown over the past year — we had another strong quarter. Innovation across all areas of the business had a huge impact on our growth, and earlier this year, we shared plans to roll out high-tech automation systems to...

Walmart Launches Walmart GoLocal, a New Delivery as a Service Business

Walmart announced the creation of a new line of business – Walmart GoLocal – that extends its expertise in delivering goods to customers to businesses of all sizes.

“In an era where customers have come to expect speed and reliability, it’s more important than ever for businesses to work with a service provider that understands a merchant’s needs,” said John Furner, president and CEO, Walmart U.S. “Walmart has spent years building and scaling commerce capabilities that support our network of more than 4,700 stores and we look forward to helping..."

Zoglo's Incredible Food Corp. to List Its New Product Line with Walmart Canada

Zoglo's Incredible Food Corp. announced that it will be listing its plant-based food products from its new Incredible product line in select Walmart Canada locations across the country.

Founded in 1994, Walmart Canada is part of Walmart Inc.'s International portfolio, with 408 retail locations including...

Quick 'N Eat Angus Beef Patties and New Burger Product Lines Now Sold in U.S. Walmart Locations

Quick 'N Eat is introducing authentically flame-grilled beef patties to frozen, fully cooked meat aisles at Walmart locations across the country.

The rapidly growing producer of affordable, high-quality beef products has also extended its products within the fully cooked burger category, including an all-new turkey burger. Now available at...

Sweet Earth Foods Debuts New Plant-Based Breakfast Bowls and Reformulated Deli Slices Nationwide

Plant-based foods innovator Sweet Earth Foods is announcing the nationwide launch of their new heat-and-eat Breakfast Bowls and reformulated, ready-to-eat Deli Slices. As consumers return to on-the-go busy lifestyles, these prepared meal and plant-based protein offerings provide quick plant-based solutions.

The three new Sweet Earth Breakfast Bowls meet this demand and are inspired by classic regional scrambles, all while offering between 17 - 20 grams of plant protein and three to five grams of fiber in every bowl. New flavors found in the frozen meals section include...

Johnsonville Rolls Out Sausage Strips Nationwide 

Rolling out to grocery stores nationwide this summer are Johnsonville Sausage Strips - a new product line of fully cooked smoked sausage that looks and cooks like bacon, but is sausage.

After a successful launch in 2020 among Midwest consumers, Johnsonville Sausage Strips are now available to consumers nationwide at additional U.S. retailers including...

Walmart Highlights "American Lighthouses" Concept, Following Annual Open Call Event

Open Call 2021 is now in the books with more than 900 small businesses from across the country pitching their products made, grown or assembled in the U.S. to Walmart and Sam’s Club merchants today. As expected, this year’s cohort marked the largest number of business owners ever to take part in the one-day event, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Of those businesses, 167 of their products are advancing to the next stage in the process to land a deal with Walmart or Sam’s Club and another 705 are receiving further consideration...

How Walmart is Using A.I. to Make Smarter Substitutions in Online Grocery Orders

Last year, amidst the pandemic, Americans’ shopping behavior shifted radically. Customers increasingly began shopping online for everyday needs, including food and groceries. That surge in demand was a boon for online grocers, but it also presented a unique challenge to retailers as the combination of in-store shoppers and online volume meant some popular items  could quickly sell out. Walmart’s solution was to use artificial intelligence to help both customers and Personal Shoppers choose the best substitute for an out-of-stock item.

For example...

Walmart Invests in DroneUp, the Nationwide On-Demand Drone Delivery Provider

In Walmart's ongoing effort to get customers the items they want, and fast, the companys knows it will take a well-coordinated network of delivery solutions that span the streets, sidewalks and skies. Some of these solutions are still emerging, but they’re already showing encouraging results.

Last year, Walmart partnered with DroneUp, a nationwide drone services provider, to launch trial deliveries of at-home COVID-19 self-collection kits. The trial demonstrated we could offer customers delivery in minutes versus hours. Now, after safely completing hundreds of drone deliveries from Walmart stores, it is...

Beyond Meat Expands Presence at Walmart with Beyond Meatballs and Summer Grilling Pop-ups

Beyond Meat, a leader in plant-based meat, announced its second expansion of product offerings this year at Walmart. This June, Beyond Meatballs™ will be available for the first time at 2,100 Walmart stores in which Beyond Meat products are already sold across the country. This rollout is the second major Beyond Meat expansion at Walmart in 2021, following the launch of Beyond Sausage® Hot Italian and Cookout Classic™ in stores earlier this year.

As demand for plant-based meat options continues to grow, Beyond Meat has increased retail momentum across the U.S., Europe, Australia and other global markets in an effort to increase worldwide accessibility to delicious plant-based meat products made without GMOs. As the key summer grilling season kicks off, consumers have continued to...

Incogmeato Introduces Plant-Based Chik'n Tenders

Incogmeato™ by MorningStar Farms®, a leader in plant-based poultry, knows America loves chicken tenders and now they're unveiling new plant-based Chik'n Tenders. Hitting shelves this month in Original and Sweet BBQ flavors, the new Incogmeato Chik'n Tenders are indistinguishable from its animal protein counterpart – with a signature "just-like-meat" tear.

"Our new Incogmeato Chik'n Tenders are a game changing experience for the flexitarian chicken-loving consumer who wants to try plant-based but isn't finding an option that stacks up to...

Walmart Invests in Cruise, an All-Electric Self-Driving Company

The following statement was made by John Furner, President and CEO, Walmart U.S.

Over the years we’ve been doing a lot to learn more about the role autonomous vehicles can play in retail, and we’ve seen enough to know it’s no longer a question of if they’ll be scaled, but when.

We’re taking the next step in our work with autonomous vehicles by making an investment in Cruise, the San Francisco-based company enabling a self-driving future through their all-electric fleet of self-driving cars. The investment will aid our work toward developing a last mile delivery ecosystem that’s...

Plant-Based Food Sales Surpass $7 Billion, Sales Up 27% in 2020

According to the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA), U.S. retail sales of plant-based foods continued to increase by double digits in 2020, growing 27% and bringing the total market value to $7 billion. This sales growth was consistent across the country, with more than 25% growth in every U.S. census region.

In the past two years, plant-based food sales have grown 43%, which is nine times faster than total food sales. In 2020, about 57% of all U.S. households purchased plant-based foods, up from 53% in 2019 totaling 71 million households.

PBFA also found that the value of plant-based meat, while the second-largest plant-based category, hit $1.4 billion in 2020. That represents sales growth of 45% from 2019. The plant-based meat category grew twice as fast as...

Impossible Foods Launches First National Advertising Campaign, "We Are Meat"

Impossible Foods is launching its first national advertising campaign as the leading food tech startup accelerates growth and takes advantage of mounting economies of scale.

The campaign, titled “We Are Meat,” features TV spots with the meaty images and sizzle of the company’s award-winning burgers. Produced by Portland, Ore.-based Wieden+Kennedy, the advertisements claim that Impossible Burger, which contains no animal ingredients, is meat for meat lovers — made from plants.

The first national integrated campaign for Impossible Foods kicks off today with...

Walmart is Now Offering COVID-19 Vaccines in 48 States, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.

As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout ramps up and vaccine eligibility widens, Walmart is administering vaccines in more than 3,800 stores and clubs across 48 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Walmart has worked to administer COVID-19 vaccines into the arms of residents in rural and vulnerable areas across the country. More than 80% of shots administered through our pharmacies and 60+ dedicated community events were in what HRSA designates as the most medically underserved areas of the country. For example, in Jackson, Mississippi, we partnered with the Jackson Housing Authority to set up in a community center for a low-income senior housing unit where we administered nearly 2,000 vaccinations to vulnerable seniors.

We remain focused on reaching communities with access issues and vaccine hesitancy, especially those located in medically underserved areas where Walmart has a presence. That continued focus will...

Beyond Meat Expands Product Distribution 

Beyond Meat announced its latest expansion of product offerings at Walmart. Starting this week, within the approximately 2,400 Walmart locations nationwide in which Beyond Meat products are currently sold, Walmart will be adding Beyond Sausage Hot Italian® to the fresh meat aisle at more than 400 stores as well as expanding the frozen Cookout Classic value-pack to approximately 500 stores.

This increased distribution at Walmart is Beyond Meat’s second in the past year and is part of Beyond Meat’s effort to increase worldwide accessibility to simple, plant-based meat products made without GMOs or bioengineered ingredients. As demand for plant-based meat continues to rise, this increased distribution complements the company’s expansive retail presence at approximately...

Walmart Drops $35 Minimum for Express Delivery

Walmart is making it easier for customers to get the items they want at the lightning-fast speed they may need them. Beginning today, the retailer is removing the $35 minimum order requirement for Express delivery.

Express delivery allows customers to order items from Walmart’s food, consumables and general merchandise assortment such as produce, pantry staples, everyday essentials, toys and electronics. It relies on the retailer’s team of 170,000 trained personal shoppers who pick customers’ orders. Like Walmart’s pickup and delivery service, there is no markup on items – an item is priced the same as it is on the shelf. Express delivery costs...

Ghost Kitchens Partners With Walmart Canada to Offer One-Stop Meal Pickup or Delivery

Ghost Kitchen Brands (GKB) is excited to announce it is teaming up with Walmart Canada, its first partnership with a big-box retailer to bring one-stop meal pickup and delivery to more Canadians. The first Ghost Kitchen at Walmart is now open in the St. Catharines Walmart (420 Vansickle Rd.) with additional locations in Woodstock, Toronto, Lachenaie and Saint-Constant to open in the coming months.

Customers can order freshly prepared meals in-store and online for contactless pickup or delivery (from a third-party app such as Uber Eats), and mix and match from more than 20 well-known brands including...

Walmart Launches COVID-19 Vaccine Drive to Reach More Residents in Vulnerable Communities

To drive higher vaccination rates in vulnerable communities by improving access to the COVID-19 vaccine, Walmart is creating a series of community events to administer the COVID-19 vaccine across the country. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is providing Walmart with allocation of the vaccine for this new effort, which Walmart is launching in partnership with local community leaders and nonprofit organizations.

These new events mark an expansion of Walmart’s role with the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program and are supplementing Walmart’s ongoing vaccination program at more than 1,400 pharmacies nationwide in...

Issa Brothers and TDR Capital Complete the Acquisition of Asda from Walmart

Walmart Inc., Asda Group Limited, the Issa brothers and TDR Capital have announced that the Issa brothers, founders and co-CEOs of EG Group, a global convenience and forecourts retailer, headquartered in Blackburn, UK, and investment funds managed by TDR Capital LLP, a leading UK-based private equity firm, have completed the acquisition of Asda, Walmart’s wholly-owned UK business, for an enterprise value of £6.8 billion, on a debt-free and cash-free basis.

The Issa brothers and TDR Capital have acquired a majority ownership stake in Asda, while Walmart will...

Walmart and Sam’s Club Pharmacies Administer COVID-19 Vaccines Through Federal Program

Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies will begin administering COVID-19 vaccines through the U.S. Federal Retail Pharmacy Program on Feb. 12, 2021. More than 1,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies in 22 states are receiving federal vaccine allocations this week, with an emphasis on locations that reach customers in underserved communities with limited access to health care. In addition to the 22 states, Walmart and Sam’s Club is also currently administering vaccinations under the state allocation in 11 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. While initial vaccine supply is limited, Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacists and technicians stand ready to help expand vaccine access across the country.

With 150 million customers and members passing through our doors each week, Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacists can safely and easily reach customers where...

Giant Food Reports Successful COVID-19 Vaccine Pilot Program Launch in Maryland

Giant Food reported the successful distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible Marylanders alongside Governor Larry Hogan and the Maryland Department of Health as part of the pilot program launch. The vaccine administrations, which began Jan. 25 for residents in phase 1A/B/C, resulted in zero waste as all doses distributed to Giant's 22 Maryland stores were administered within a one-week period. The pilot program announced by the State of Maryland last month began with 35 retail pharmacies throughout the state at Giant, Walmart and Martin's locations.

"We've felt extremely fortunate to be selected for this collaboration with the state of Maryland, developing the best practices that will be the foundation for...

Impossible Foods Cuts Suggested Grocery Store Prices 20%

Thanks to tremendous growth and economies of scale over the past year, Impossible Foods is cutting suggested retail prices by 20% for grocery stores throughout the United States.

The price cuts bring the company’s suggested retail prices for Impossible Burger to $5.49 for patties and $6.99 for a 12-oz. package. (On-shelf prices may vary depending on location and retailer.)

Impossible Foods is strongly encouraging the roughly 17,000 grocery stores, supermarkets and retailers that sell Impossible Burger to pass the savings to...

Walmart to Begin Administering the COVID-19 Vaccine in Several States 

As we prepare this week to begin administering COVID-19 vaccines in Maryland, Texas, Delaware, Indiana and the District of Columbia to eligible populations as determined by each district and state, we know our pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are ready. It has been a year of hard work and preparation to get to this point. And as more people become eligible for vaccination, it’s a good time to take a look back at how we got here.

I’m on the clinical team with Dr. Tom Van Gilder, our chief medical officer, and last year, as soon as we heard about the speed at which COVID-19 was spreading toward the United States, we started planning immediately. And when we learned the viral sequence of SARS-CoV-2 was discovered in January of 2020, we knew at that point...

Walmart and HomeValet Pilot Smart Box Technology to Receive Fresh Deliveries

When Walmart launched its grocery delivery service in 2018, the company did it for one reason – customers wanted it. Since then, it’s been a lifesaver for busy families. They can simply shop their local store from anywhere and schedule a time to have it delivered right to their front door. It’s incredibly convenient.

But as Walmart's founder, Sam Walton, once said, “To succeed, stay out in front of change.” It’s why Walmart is continuously testing new technology, like drones and autonomous vehicles, to find new ways to serve customers. "Which made us think – what if we could...

Grocers Begin Offering the COVID-19 Vaccine

As shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine are being sent out around the United States, grocery chains are preparing to offer the vaccine through their pharmacies. Clearance for immunizations came in December, after the FDA authorized the use of the first COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech SE. The second vaccine to be authorized was developed by Moderna, which the FDA stated can be given to people 18 years of age and older and cited the shot's high effectiveness in preventing COVID-19 in a large clinical study.

Kroger announced it will provide the COVID-19 vaccine nationwide across its 2,200 pharmacies and 220 clinics, partnering with the federal government and state health departments to administer the vaccine in accordance with...

Walmart and Gatik Go Driverless in Arkansas and Expand Self-Driving Car Pilot To a Second Location

Last year Walmart began an autonomous vehicle pilot with Gatik to move customer orders on a two-mile route between a dark store (a store that stocks items for fulfillment but isn’t open to the public) and a Neighborhood Market in Bentonville, Arkansas. Since then, Walmart has safely driven more than 70,000 operational miles in autonomous mode with a safety driver.

Now, the company is taking the next step forward: Gatik’s multi-temperature Autonomous Box Trucks will operate this route driverless in the state of Arkansas. This achievement marks a new milestone that signifies...

Lightlife Strengthens Walmart Partnership by Expanding Tempeh to 3,500 Stores 

Greenleaf Foods, SPC announced a significant retail expansion of its Lightlife brand Tempeh—a versatile, high-protein, naturally-fermented food that appeals to plant-based and meat eaters alike. Lightlife Tempeh is now available in more than 3,500 Walmart locations nationwide—a more than ten-fold growth from its previous 300 stores—bringing the product’s retail distribution to over 18,500 retail locations. Lightlife is the market leader in tempeh, having grown at a rate of 44% in 2020 alone.

“Lightlife Tempeh accounted for about 80% of total U.S. tempeh dollar sales so far this year,” said Dan Curtin, president of Greenleaf Foods, SPC. “We are excited to grow our partnership with...

Walmart Releases Q3 FY21 Earnings

Walmart has released earnings for Q3 FY21. Below are highlights of the earnings results:

Total Revenue

Total revenue was $134.7 billion, an increase of $6.7 billion, or 5.2%. Excluding currency, total revenue would have increased 6.1% to reach $135.8 billion.

U.S. Comparable Sales

Walmart U.S. comparable sales increased 6.4% with strength across key categories, including...

Dr. Praeger’s Launches Refrigerated Veggie Burger Line

Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods announced their first refrigerated product line.

The Refrigerated Burger is debuting at Walmart and is available in two SKUs – Classic Veggie Burger and Chipotle Black Bean Veggie Burger. The new burgers feature the same veggie-forward look and flavor profile that Dr. Praeger’s customers know and love from fan favorites like the California Burger, and 13-16g of plant protein per patty. The Burgers are non-GMO, vegan and kosher certified.

After over 25 years in the frozen food aisle, Dr. Praeger’s is expanding to the refrigerated section to provide customers with nutritious and affordable veggie burger options no matter...

Hormel Foods Introduces Two New Flavors of Hormel Black Label Bacon

The makers of Hormel Black Label bacon are reinventing bacon once again with the launch of – Hormel Black Label Ranch Thick Cut Bacon and Hormel Black Label Classic Country Style Thick Cut Bacon.

The Hormel Black Label team brought the flavor and versatility of ranch to life with the latest innovation of Hormel Black Label Ranch Thick Cut Bacon. Ranch lovers can rejoice, because this new flavor is hand-rubbed with ranch seasoning and naturally hardwood smoked to create an irresistible flavor.

"Our team combined American's favorite condiment with thick-cut bacon to create Hormel Black Label bacon hand-rubbed with...