At a time when American consumers are increasingly interested in what products are actually "Made in the USA"—as evidenced by a recent report showing a surge in related internet searches—the nation's largest retailer announced plans this week to boost its support for American-made goods through new initiatives.
Walmart has launched a new initiative called "Grow with US," offering tools and support to small businesses, especially those producing American-made goods. The program is designed to strengthen the U.S. economy, which is largely driven by small businesses.
"We're unveiling Grow with US, a new program designed to provide U.S. small businesses with the training, mentorship and resources they need to grow with Walmart," Walmart's U.S. CEO and president, John Furner, wrote in a press release.
The CEO pointed out that over 60% of Walmart's U.S. suppliers are small businesses. With the ongoing trade war with China, domestic sourcing for the mega-retailer might increase. Currently, the Trump administration has 145% tariffs on all Chinese goods entering the U.S.
"More than 40 years ago, Mr. Sam set a priority that still drives us today: supporting American-made products and the small businesses behind them. Simply put, we want small businesses to work with Walmart, but we know getting started can feel complex," the CEO said.
At the start of March, Furner announced a new commitment: "First, we're announcing a new commitment: over the next ten years, Walmart will spend an additional $350 billion on items made, grown or assembled in the U.S. We estimate that this spend will support more than 750,000 new American jobs."
Walmart's expanded commitment to America's thousands of small businesses offering domestically produced goods is fantastic news as the Trump administration works to restore the nation's manufacturing base via a trade war with China to re-shore critical supply chains that will be needed before the 2030s kick-off.
In line with Walmart's commitment to "Made in the USA," we're proud to launch a new partnership this Friday with the Beef Initiative. The goal is to connect consumers with mom-and-pop ranchers producing clean, locally sourced beef that aligns with the "Make America Healthy Again" protocols. This grassroots effort aims to help rebuild America's mom-and-pop ranchers and farmers one beef cut at a time: Shop Clean Beef.
Let's remember that none of this would have been possible without President Trump's relentless push to reshore supply chains and rebuild America's hallowed manufacturing core. There will be plenty of opportunities ahead—right here at home.
