HOUSTON – When Candice Wheat started making soap with goat’s milk in her Sugar Land kitchen in 2018, she never imagined the hobby would take her to Bentonville, Arkansas to pitch her products to Walmart executives.
Wheat responded to Walmart’s Open Call earlier this year. For the last 10 years, the retailer has hosted the open call where small business owners get the chance to meet face-to-face with Walmart merchants. The company said this is one way it supports United States manufacturing. Thousands of small business owners apply. Only a small percentage get the chance to pitch their product at the company’s headquarters. Wheat’s company, The Lavish Goat, has 10 employees that make bath products in Houston. She is preparing to make a Shark Tank-like presentation showcasing her aromatherapy shower steamers on Oct. 24.
You can show your support by sharing Wheat’s story on social media using the hashtags “WalmartOpenCall” and “TheLavishGoat.” And we’ll be rooting for Wheat back here at home!