Meijer Expands Opportunities for Local and Diverse-Owned Businesses with Upcoming General Merchandise and Apparel Supplier Event

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Aug. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Meijer announced today that it's seeking submissions from local and diverse-owned businesses for its latest Supplier Diversity event focusing on general merchandise and apparel. Interested vendors must provide video submissions, describing their brand and products, by Sunday, Sept. 18 to be considered for the opportunity to pitch to Meijer merchants at a live virtual event this fall.  

"While we've made great strides to ensure our vendors represent our customers in terms of both diversity and geography across our stores, we're excited to hold this event that specifically focuses on general merchandise and apparel," said Peter Whitsett, Meijer Executive Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing.

The retailer's latest supplier diversity initiative targets certified minority-, LGBTQ+-, woman-, veteran- and disability-owned businesses based anywhere in the country, as well as local Midwest vendors based within Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

Diverse or locally-owned brands with retail-ready products in the general merchandise or apparel categories can apply here. As part of the application process, vendors must submit brief, 3-minutes-or-less videos that provide background on their business and products. An example video can be found here. The videos can be created on smartphones and don't need to be professionally produced; however, they must include the following information:

• Introduction of themselves and their business
• Detailed descriptions of the products they offer
• Background on their production and supply chain
• Recommended retail price

Qualified businesses can submit videos by Sunday, Sept. 18 for consideration.

Once applications for the event are submitted, Meijer teams will review and select finalists. Finalists will submit additional details via the retailer's partner, RangeMe, and attend a training session before pitching their products live to Meijer merchants at a virtual event this fall. 

While they may not qualify for this event, diverse or local vendors carrying services or products outside of the categories mentioned above are encouraged to submit their information for consideration through the retailer's prospective vendor page. Interested vendors can also learn more about Meijer and its commitment to supplier diversity here.

About Meijer: Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 262 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. A privately-owned and family-operated company since 1934, Meijer pioneered the "one-stop shopping" concept and has evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, pet departments, garden centers, toys and electronics. For additional information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.

SOURCE Meijer