Walmart Puerto Rico begins 2026 open call to expand local supplier network

The Open Call PR initiative is aimed at helping local entrepreneurs, including agricultural producers, grow their businesses while expanding the availability of Puerto Rican products in Walmart stores. 

By THE STAR STAFF

Walmart Puerto Rico is launching a new edition of its Open Call PR program as part of an effort to increase its annual investment in products made, processed, distributed or harvested on the island.

The initiative is aimed at helping local entrepreneurs grow their businesses while expanding the availability of Puerto Rican products in Walmart stores. Registration opened Monday and will run through Oct. at walmartpr.com/nosotros/opencall.

Selected participants will meet with Walmart buyers on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15 at the company’s headquarters in Canóvanas, where they will have the opportunity to present products that could replace imported goods and join the retailer’s supplier network.

Coral Cummings, director of corporate affairs at Walmart Puerto Rico, said the program supports the company’s commitment to helping Puerto Rican families save money and live better while also strengthening the local economy.

“This program not only allows us to bring a wider variety of quality products at low prices to our shelves, but by replacing imported products with locally sourced alternatives, we also help drive job creation and business activity, strengthening the local economy and contributing to a better quality of life in the communities we serve,” Cummings said.

Cummings encouraged entrepreneurs, including agricultural producers, to apply for the program and explore opportunities to grow with Walmart Puerto Rico. She said some suppliers could also have the chance to export part of their production to Walmart stores in the United States.

Jennifer Garland, senior director of merchandising at Walmart Puerto Rico, said supporting local businesses creates a multiplier effect for the island’s economic development. She noted that the company offers training and guidance to help entrepreneurs prepare proposals that meet retail requirements and position their products for success.

Once products reach Walmart shelves, the company promotes them through marketing efforts that include the “Made Here, For You” seal. Through previous editions of Open Call PR, Walmart Puerto Rico has added hundreds of local suppliers and surpassed goals for increasing annual investments in Puerto Rican products.