Walmart to Procure US$10bn Annually From India by 2027

Walmart has announced that it will triple its exports of goods from India to US$10bn each year by 2027, in a major endorsement of India’s continuing rise as a global hub of manufacturing. Walmart’s new export commitment is expected to provide a significant boost to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in India, alongside ongoing efforts such as its Flipkart Samarth and Walmart Vriddhi supplier development programs. The expansion in sourcing will include helping develop hundreds of new suppliers in categories such as food, pharmaceuticals, consumables, health & wellness and general merchandise, along with apparel, homeware and other key Indian export categories.

Value Chain Creation

Doug McMillon, President and Chief Executive Officer at Walmart, said: “As an international retailer that brings value to customers and communities worldwide, Walmart understands that local entrepreneurs and manufacturers are vital to the success of the global retail sector. We see huge potential for Indian suppliers to grow their businesses by leveraging the unique scale and global distribution opportunity Walmart provides. By significantly accelerating our annual India exports in the coming years, we are supporting the Make in India initiative and helping more local businesses reach international customers while creating jobs and prosperity at home in India. It is also a way for Walmart to bring more high-quality, India-made goods to millions of customers all across the world.”

• Walmart will source US$10bn of goods a year by 2027
• The supplier development program aims to empower 50,000 Indian companies
• This investment is intended to create a sustainable value chain

Walmart has sourced goods from India for more than 20 years, supporting local suppliers to help upgrade their operations and meet international standards, develop new product lines and build new capabilities in packaging, marketing, supply chain management and more. Walmart brings global market intelligence and demand forecasts that help suppliers with strategic planning. This support has contributed to the global success of hundreds of companies, including Welspun, LT Foods and Aniket Metals, plus fast-growing export businesses like Global Green Company and many more.

Export Skills

At the grassroots level, Walmart’s supplier development program Vriddhi, launched a year ago, is bringing export skills and knowledge to MSMEs to prepare them to succeed as suppliers to Walmart, Flipkart and other companies in India and around the world. The goal is to empower 50,000 MSMEs to Make in India for domestic and global supply chains over five years.

India is already one of Walmart’s top sourcing markets, with annual exports worth about US$3bn. India-made apparel, homeware, jewellery, hardlines and other popular products currently reach customers in 14 markets, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America and the United Kingdom, via Walmart’s Global Sourcing office in Bangalore, which opened in 2002. As the sourcing hub ramps up over the next few years, the local team will be empowered to make an even greater impact for even more local businesses in a wider range of sectors.

Each week, over 265 million customers visit approximately 11,400 stores under 55 banners in 26 countries and eCommerce websites under the Walmart brand. With the fiscal year 2020 revenue of US$524bn, the company now employs over 2.2 million people worldwide.