Latest news with #SamWankowski
Cision Canada
11-07-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Walmart Canada sparks opportunities for homegrown businesses at inaugural Canada Growth Summit Français
Walmart Canada Growth Summit attracted entrepreneurs and businesses from coast-to-coast with more than 50 "golden tickets" awarded to Canadian businesses MISSISSAUGA, ON, July 11, 2025 /CNW/ - This week, 120 local Canadian entrepreneurs and businesses from across the country flocked to Walmart Canada's head office for the chance to pitch their products directly to the retailer at the inaugural Walmart Canada Growth Summit. Entrepreneurs and business owners from nearly every province showcased a diverse range of products, reflecting the creativity and ingenuity of Canadian businesses. More than 50 entrepreneurs were presented with "golden tickets" representing a deal. "We're honoured to have hosted 120 incredible Canadian entrepreneurs, innovators and creators at our first Canada Growth Summit this week," said Venessa Yates, president and CEO, Walmart Canada. "These individuals and businesses represent the best of what Canada has to offer—diverse perspectives, bold ideas, and a deep sense of purpose. To Canadian suppliers, this inaugural Summit is our way of saying – we see you, we believe in what you're building, and we want to grow with you." "Products dreamed up and brought to life by local entrepreneurs and businesses began their path to our shelves and online this week following our first Walmart Canada Growth Summit. We're excited to see these items in Canadians' shopping baskets shortly," said Sam Wankowski, chief merchandising officer, Walmart Canada. "Entrepreneurship is at the core of Walmart – and our focus on working with, developing and growing alongside small, local businesses is one of the reasons we're thriving today. We like to think small so we can do big things together – one partner, one store, one item and one customer at a time." "Attending the first Walmart Canada Growth Summit was nothing short of surreal. As a single mom of a child on the Autism spectrum, teacher, and founder of a "small" brand with a big mission, it was incredibly emotional to stand in that room and share our emotional story. I created Creative Beginning to support my son — and now, thanks to Walmart, our inclusive, sensory friendly and educator-backed tools have the opportunity to reach families and children across the country - of ALL needs and abilities," said Christina Collura, Founder of Creative Beginning Inc. - Chalkboard Based Puzzles. "Receiving a golden ticket isn't just a win for our business — it's a life-changing moment for our family and for every child who's ever felt unseen or unsupported. Walmart Canada's belief in small, purpose-driven brands like ours shows they're not just making space on the shelf — they're making space for impact." Walmart Canada's Growth Summit featured keynotes from Walmart Canada executives, supplier development workshops and more than 55 hours' worth of one-on-one pitch meetings with more than 50 Walmart merchants, all designed to support supplier success and help unlock growth opportunities from coast-to-coast. Attendees had a chance to hear from Montreal-based supplier Jake Karls from Mid Day Squares in conversation with Sam Wankowski, Walmart Canada's chief merchandising officer. "As a Walmart Canada supplier, I can tell you firsthand how meaningful this kind of opportunity is," said Jake Karls, co-founder of Mid-Day Squares. "At yesterday's first-ever Canada Growth Summit, 120 suppliers got the chance to pitch their products directly to Walmart merchants, an experience that can truly shift the trajectory of a business. Whether they're starting in four stores or 400, in-store or online, the potential for growth is real. And with the right support, that momentum can help take a business to the next level. Just like it did for us at Mid-Day Squares." "Walmart Canada's Growth Summit is exactly what we need right now: a chance for Canadian businesses to grow, compete, and put more homegrown products on store shelves," said Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario. "By working together, we're protecting good Ontario jobs, creating bigger paycheques, and building a stronger, more self-reliant economy." "We're continuing to grow in Canada, and our newest suppliers from the Canada Growth Summit are going to grow alongside us – whether they appear on our digital or physical shelves," said Joseph Godsey, SVP, chief growth officer, Walmart Canada. "As an omnichannel retailer, our goal is to make it easy for our customers to find what they need, when they need it – no matter how they choose to shop with us. This is just the start of our future together – and it's bright." Walmart Canada's first Growth Summit is part of Walmart's global Growth Summit series, following similar events in the United States, Chile, India, Mexico and Africa. Since 1994, Walmart Canada has worked with local suppliers, purchasing billions of dollars' worth of goods from Canadian suppliers. More than 10,000 locally-made products are available in-store and online today. About Walmart Canada Walmart Canada is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada's flagship online store, is visited by more than 1.5 million customers daily. With more than 100,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada's largest employers and is ranked one of the country's top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada's extensive philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart Canada has raised and donated more than $850 million to Canadian charities. Additional information can be found at and on Walmart Canada's social media pages – Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Cision Canada
16-06-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Walmart Canada has lowered the price on hundreds of key staple items to help Canadians save money and live better Français
Every Day Low Prices can save families, on average, more than $450 per year on their weekly shop at Walmart Canada – the equivalent of over two weeks of groceries MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 16, 2025 /CNW/ - With the rising cost of living top of mind for most Canadian families, Walmart Canada has lowered the every day low price of hundreds of staple items to help Canadians save money and live better, with more to come. Since February, Walmart Canada has lowered the price on hundreds of items, including some fresh fruits and vegetables, bathroom tissue, water, cheese, ground beef and shampoo. This is part of Walmart Canada's mission to provide Every Day Low Prices (EDLP) so customers can rely on consistent, low pricing across the items they're searching for, saving them time and money on their total basket. With Every Day Low Prices, a Canadian family of four can save, on average, more than $450 per year when they do their weekly shop at Walmart as compared to any other major grocery store. * This is the equivalent of more than two weeks of groceries! "Since 1994, we've been helping Canadians save money and live better with every day low prices. At a time when Canadians are feeling more financially stretched than ever, we've lowered the price of hundreds of key items across our stores and website," said Venessa Yates, president and CEO, Walmart Canada. "We want Canadians to know we're working hard to help them save, especially at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet. We know we might not win every day on every single item, but customers can trust that on their total grocery shop they will save money at Walmart." "We know our customers work hard for every dollar, so we're laser-focused on bringing them the lowest price that we can on their basket every time they shop with us," said Sam Wankowski, chief merchandising officer, Walmart Canada. "That's the core of our Every Day Low Price philosophy – and it helps customers complete their weekly shop within their budget. In addition to the everyday prices we're lowering, our customers will continue to benefit from thousands of Rollback offers in-store and on each week." The meaning of EDLP Sam Walton famously said, "If we work together, we'll lower the cost of living for everyone... we'll give the world an opportunity to see what it's like to save and have a better life." On top of these investments in price, Walmart Canada associates continually look for opportunities to find cost savings (Every Day Low Cost) and pass those along to its customers through Every Day Low Prices. EDLP is part of our commitment to helping Canadians save money so they can live better. But what does that actually mean for customers? It means customers can consistently and dependably find low prices at Walmart in stores and online, on the products they're looking for at the quality they'd expect. And when customers shop with us, we're working hard to have consistent stock of these items to save them time - so they can complete their shop without having to go elsewhere. Through it all, Walmart is working to keep prices low so that when customers do their weekly shop with us, they save money. Rollback offers are one of the ways EDLP comes to life at Walmart, lowering our every day low prices even further. Early June marked the start of Walmart Canada's Summer Rollback campaign, featuring over 8,000 new Rollback offers in-store and online. Customers can save on categories like apparel, electronics, health and wellness, and more. Even more ways to save with EDLP at Walmart Canada Along with relying on Walmart Canada's every day low prices to save more on their weekly shop, as the #1 place to save on groceries, Canadians have additional opportunities to save when they shop with Walmart: - Canadians can save even more when they purchase key Walmart Brand essentials, which are on average 33% cheaper than the national brand equivalent sold at Walmart. - Delivery Pass offers subscribers unlimited, free same-day delivery of products at Walmart's every day low prices. - Customers can save money on everyday essentials like baby care, pet care and more through Subscribe to Save, which offers savings of 5% to 20% and convenient automatic deliveries with free shipping and no annual fee for repeat orders. About Walmart Canada Walmart Canada is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada's flagship online store, is visited by more than 1.5 million customers daily. With more than 100,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada's largest employers and is ranked one of the country's top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada's extensive philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart Canada has raised and donated more than $850 million to Canadian charities. Additional information can be found at and on Walmart Canada's social media pages – Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn. SOURCE Wal-Mart Canada Corp.
Cision Canada
29-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
From rooftop greenhouse to store in an hour: Walmart Canada and Lufa Farms launch local produce collaboration in Montreal Français
MONTREAL, May 29, 2025 /CNW/ - Walmart Canada and Lufa Farms are now selling hyperlocal produce from Lufa Farms' 127,000 square-foot hydroponic greenhouse atop the Marché Central Walmart Supercentre in the store below. This marks the first time produce from Montreal's Lufa Farms will be sold through a retailer and the first time Walmart Canada will sell produce from a store's rooftop greenhouse. Harvested on demand each morning, the rotating crops of tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers will be available for sale in-store in as fast as an hour after being picked. "Rooftops are one of the most underused spaces in cities – and yet they're perfect for growing food," said Mohamed Hage, founder and CEO of Lufa Farms. "Walmart has a huge network of rooftops across the country, and by transforming just one of them into a greenhouse, we're showing what's possible: fresh, local vegetables grown sustainably and sold just downstairs, the same day they're harvested. This is how we can reimagine the future of food in cities." "Across the country, we're proud to work with local farmers and producers to bring their products to Walmart Canada's shelves. This collaboration with Lufa Farms brings that approach even closer to home by offering our customers the opportunity to purchase hyperlocal produce grown in the greenhouse above our Marché Central store," said Sam Wankowski, chief merchandising officer, Walmart Canada. "Our customers will be delighted by the local crops that are grown with more sustainable farming practices and then harvested on-demand each day - available at our every day low prices." "We are invested in Quebec and are proud to employ more than 14,000 associates across this province. Last year alone, Walmart purchased more than $3.8 billion worth of products from more than 460 Quebec suppliers, and we're excited to add Lufa Farms to this list," says Cyrille Ballereau, vice president, operations, Walmart Canada. "It's a proud moment to see us collaborating so closely with another local Quebec supplier to bring this innovative program to market." The project is rooted in Lufa Farms' commitment to fresh, local, responsible farming and Walmart Canada's continued focus on working with local suppliers to deliver innovative and more sustainable options for customers. According to Lufa Farms, their state-of-the-art rooftop greenhouse uses half the energy of a conventional ground-level greenhouse, recycles up to 90 per cent of its water, and relies on energy-efficient LED lighting - all while making use of underutilized urban space. Customers in Walmart's Marché Central Supercentre can now purchase boxes of this rooftop produce grown and harvested by Lufa Farms each day, while quantities last. About Lufa Farms Lufa Farms' mission is to create a better food system by growing food sustainably on city rooftops and partnering with hundreds of farmers and food makers, to provide customers with fresh, local, responsible food via their online Marketplace. For more information about Lufa Farms, please visit their website. About Walmart Canada Walmart Canada is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada's flagship online store, is visited by more than 1.5 million customers daily. With more than 100,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada's largest employers and is ranked one of the country's top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada's extensive philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart Canada has raised and donated more than $850 million to Canadian charities. Additional information can be found at and on Walmart Canada's social media pages – Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
From rooftop greenhouse to store in an hour: Walmart Canada and Lufa Farms launch local produce collaboration in Montreal
MONTREAL, May 29, 2025 /CNW/ - Walmart Canada and Lufa Farms are now selling hyperlocal produce from Lufa Farms' 127,000 square-foot hydroponic greenhouse atop the Marché Central Walmart Supercentre in the store below. This marks the first time produce from Montreal's Lufa Farms will be sold through a retailer and the first time Walmart Canada will sell produce from a store's rooftop greenhouse. Harvested on demand each morning, the rotating crops of tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers will be available for sale in-store in as fast as an hour after being picked. "Rooftops are one of the most underused spaces in cities – and yet they're perfect for growing food," said Mohamed Hage, founder and CEO of Lufa Farms. "Walmart has a huge network of rooftops across the country, and by transforming just one of them into a greenhouse, we're showing what's possible: fresh, local vegetables grown sustainably and sold just downstairs, the same day they're harvested. This is how we can reimagine the future of food in cities." "Across the country, we're proud to work with local farmers and producers to bring their products to Walmart Canada's shelves. This collaboration with Lufa Farms brings that approach even closer to home by offering our customers the opportunity to purchase hyperlocal produce grown in the greenhouse above our Marché Central store," said Sam Wankowski, chief merchandising officer, Walmart Canada. "Our customers will be delighted by the local crops that are grown with more sustainable farming practices and then harvested on-demand each day - available at our every day low prices." "We are invested in Quebec and are proud to employ more than 14,000 associates across this province. Last year alone, Walmart purchased more than $3.8 billion worth of products from more than 460 Quebec suppliers, and we're excited to add Lufa Farms to this list," says Cyrille Ballereau, vice president, operations, Walmart Canada. "It's a proud moment to see us collaborating so closely with another local Quebec supplier to bring this innovative program to market." The project is rooted in Lufa Farms' commitment to fresh, local, responsible farming and Walmart Canada's continued focus on working with local suppliers to deliver innovative and more sustainable options for customers. According to Lufa Farms, their state-of-the-art rooftop greenhouse uses half the energy of a conventional ground-level greenhouse, recycles up to 90 per cent of its water, and relies on energy-efficient LED lighting - all while making use of underutilized urban space. Customers in Walmart's Marché Central Supercentre can now purchase boxes of this rooftop produce grown and harvested by Lufa Farms each day, while quantities last. About Lufa FarmsLufa Farms' mission is to create a better food system by growing food sustainably on city rooftops and partnering with hundreds of farmers and food makers, to provide customers with fresh, local, responsible food via their online Marketplace. For more information about Lufa Farms, please visit their website. About Walmart CanadaWalmart Canada is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada's flagship online store, is visited by more than 1.5 million customers daily. With more than 100,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada's largest employers and is ranked one of the country's top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada's extensive philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart Canada has raised and donated more than $850 million to Canadian charities. Additional information can be found at and on Walmart Canada's social media pages – Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn. SOURCE Wal-Mart Canada Corp. View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
