Why "Getting Into Walmart" Is the Wrong Goal

I had a conversation recently with a founder who is the kind of operator who figures things out.

And yet, when he tried to crack the US market, he got virtually nowhere. BUT, he wanted Walmart as his goal. So they are listed live on Walmart.com and not in Walmart stores. Sounds great? Think again!

When we talked, the first thing he said was: "I'm struggling to get on the shelves."

I've heard some version of that sentence hundreds of times. And every time, my answer is the same:

The shelf isn't your first problem. The market is.

Here's what most first-time exporters get wrong:

They choose their target market based on size, not fit. The US is big, so it must be good. Walmart has 2,500 stores, so it must be the goal. But size cuts both ways — the bigger the retailer, the more proof they want before they let you in. Walmart doesn't need you. They need to see that someone else already wanted you first.

In food specifically, getting one item onto a physical Walmart shelf used to cost $5,000 in Canada. In the US, it's more. And that's before slotting fees, promotional requirements, and the very real risk of a test in 300 stores that goes nowhere.

The math doesn't work until you've built the story.

So what should he do instead?

Here's the advice I gave him — and it applies to almost every food or CPG founder trying to export to North America:

1. Win the category, not the channel. First, his product isn't a mass product — it's a health-forward product. That means Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are far better entry points than Walmart. Their customers have already decided to spend more on better food. You don't have to convince them. You just have to show up.

2. Go where the buyers come to you. Regional health food chains with 10–20 locations are often overlooked. But they move faster, they take more risks on new products, and an order from 15 stores is real revenue — and real proof of concept for the bigger conversation.

3. Don't forget the bulk channel. Sysco and its equivalents are multi-billion-dollar distributors who sell directly to restaurants, hotels, cafes, and institutional food buyers. They are actively looking for quality alternatives to commodity foods. If my client can supply in bulk, that's a parallel path that doesn't require shelf presence at all.

4. Think about the right market, not just the right retailer. The US is hard. That's not pessimism — it's precision. Markets in South America, parts of Africa, Southeast Asia, and even underrated European markets (Poland itself is on track to be one of the continent's strongest by 2030) often have less competition, more responsive distributors, and faster paths to revenue. The goal isn't to avoid the US — it's to build the success story that makes the US take you seriously.

The one thing he said that stuck with me:

"We know the product is good. I just need to find someone who will not only promise, but actually deliver."

That's the real ask. Not a distributor. Not an introduction. Not a strategy deck.

A partner who knows the market, tells you the truth, and gets results.

That's the job.

If you're a manufacturer or brand trying to figure out your first — or next — export market, I'd love to talk.