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Bangalore and Agra, February 25, 2021-Walmart launched a new Vriddhi e-Institute in Agra to provide small businesses in Uttar Pradesh access to skills and competencies to grow in a post-pandemic environment through online and offline channels such as Flipkart’s marketplace and Walmart’s international supply chain.

With the new e-Institute, Walmart is expanding its Vriddhi Supplier Development Program towards empowering 50,000 MSMEs across India for growth. The program provides MSMEs with specific training to leverage modern commerce and get ready for opportunities in Flipkart’s eCommerce marketplace, the supply chain of Flipkart Wholesale and Walmart’s global sourcing operations, as well as the open marketplace.

The Vriddhi e-Institute in Agra will partner with MSMEs from Uttar Pradesh through interactive learning and advanced competency-based training, with personalized feedback and advice. The curriculum is tailored for the unique challenges and opportunities of local businesses and is offered in Hindi and English. In particular, the e-Institute will focus on empowering skilled artisans and entrepreneurs to expand markets for Agra’s prominent footwear manufacturing and stone carving sectors.

Vriddhi works with MSME entrepreneurs wherever they are in their business journey. Uttar Pradesh-based businesses can join the Vriddhi training program to pursue opportunities to sell on Flipkart’s online consumer marketplace and through the nationwide Flipkart Wholesale ecosystem. As Walmart triples its exports from India to $10 billion annually by 2027, businesses with export ambitions can learn how to qualify as a Walmart Global Sourcing supplier, taking “Make in India” products to the world.

Sidharth Nath Singh, Cabinet Minister for MSME, Investment & Export, Textile, NRI, Khadi and Gram Udyog, Government of Uttar Pradesh, said, “We welcome Walmart’s initiative to expand the Vriddhi program to Agra and Uttar Pradesh. MSMEs from our state are recognized for their skilled craftsmanship, and for the variety of high-quality goods they offer in India and internationally. This program will not only boost the Make-in-India effort, it will also provide further impetus to our ODOP (One District One Product) program and MSMEs in growing their business aspirations and reach, including export-readiness, through digital pathways.”

The first Vriddhi e-Institute, opened in Haryana in October 2020, serves MSMEs from the Panipat-Sonipat-Kundli region. Entrepreneurs there are now working through the multi-level training program, with some already onboarded to Flipkart to expand their digital capabilities and sell across India via Flipkart marketplace.
Leigh Hopkins, Executive Vice President, International Strategy, Development and Asia Region, Walmart International, said, “We’ve had encouraging results from our first e-Institute and strong interest from MSMEs in Uttar Pradesh. Walmart and Flipkart are helping artisans and entrepreneurs augment their Indian ingenuity with merchandising and logistics expertise and access to eCommerce customers across India and abroad.”
Leigh Hopkins, Executive Vice President, International Strategy, Development and Asia Region, Walmart International, said, “We’ve had encouraging results from our first e-Institute and strong interest from MSMEs in Uttar Pradesh. Walmart and Flipkart are helping artisans and entrepreneurs augment their Indian ingenuity with merchandising and logistics expertise and access to eCommerce customers across India and abroad. Growing MSME businesses creates employment opportunities in local communities and puts them at the heart of Make in India and Digital India programs.”

Adarsh Menon, Senior Vice President and Head, Flipkart Wholesale, said, “Flipkart is focused on enabling businesses to prosper by helping them sell their products across India. Through Walmart Vriddhi we will now enhance those efforts, as MSMEs and artisans get access to a world-class training that can empower them to meet their aspirations.”

Developed by Walmart and Flipkart in partnership with Vriddhi knowledge manager Swasti, the Vriddhi training program is designed for MSMEs operating in a post-pandemic world of mobile-first digital commerce. It includes training and advice on key aspects of business management, commercial growth, customer-centric services, manufacturing best practices, responsible sourcing and more. Interactive virtual training experiences, one-on-one advisory sessions and other resources are accessed through a mobile app available on iOS and Android, in Hindi and English.
Interactive virtual training experiences, one-on-one advisory sessions and other resources are accessed through a mobile app available on iOS and Android, in Hindi and English.

Vriddhi will accelerate the roll-out of e-Institutes to other cities in India this year, providing tailored training, mentoring and ecosystem support to help local MSMEs prepare for growth as part of the supply chains of Flipkart and Walmart or other channels.

At the same time, Flipkart and Walmart will continue to partner with Indian MSMEs, both through the Flipkart marketplace and Flipkart Wholesale ecosystem and through Walmart’s global sourcing operations. Flipkart also supports artisans and weavers through its Samarth program, with 750,000 skilled craftspeople now selling authentic arts and crafts online to a customer base of more than 300 million people.

About Walmart

Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, nearly 230 million customers and members visit approximately 10,800 stores and clubs under 51 banners in 25 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2021 revenue of $559 billion, Walmart employs over 2.2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at twitter.com/walmart.

About the Flipkart Group

The Flipkart Group is one of India’s leading digital commerce entities and includes group companies Flipkart, Myntra, and Flipkart Wholesale. Started in 2007, Flipkart has enabled millions of consumers, sellers, merchants, and small businesses to be a part of India’s e-commerce revolution, with a registered customer base of over 300 million, offering over 150 million products across 80+ categories. Our efforts to democratise e-commerce in India, drive access and affordability, delight customers, create lakhs of jobs in the ecosystem and empower generations of entrepreneurs and MSMEs have inspired us to innovate on many industry firsts. The recent launch of Flipkart Wholesale, our new digital marketplace, is a testament to our commitment to accelerate the growth of kiranas and MSMEs in India. Flipkart is known for pioneering services such as Cash on Delivery, No Cost EMI and easy returns – customer-centric innovations that have made online shopping more accessible and affordable for millions of Indians. Together with Myntra, which holds a prominent position in the online fashion market, and now Flipkart Wholesale, the Flipkart Group will continue to steer the transformation of commerce in India through technology.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. and NEW DELHI, India, Oct. 27, 2020 — India’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) now have the opportunity to embark on a digitally enhanced entrepreneurial journey through the Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Program. The journey features interactive online training experiences and personalized mentoring, with access to resources and experts to support growth. This supports the goals of Digital India by providing MSMEs with the tools to adopt new technologies to expand their business.

The Walmart Vriddhi Program was launched by Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) in December 2019 with the aim to empower 50,000 Indian MSMEs to “Make in India” for domestic and global supply chains. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, the program was reshaped to emphasize digital experiences, and this allowed it to be rolled out to more MSMEs. In the future, it will offer a mix of digital and in-person training, mentoring and network experiences via physical Vriddhi Institutes when conditions are favorable.

The e-institute-based Vriddhi Program provides MSMEs an easy-to-use interactive learning experience through online modules with a blend of teaching and assessment tools. Participants receive personalized feedback through virtual classrooms, formal assessments and one-on-one advisory sessions. To prepare MSMEs to sell through new online and offline channels in India and abroad, the program will also offer advanced training that includes personalized mentoring and the opportunity to work with service providers and peers.

The Vriddhi entrepreneurial journey equips MSMEs with tailored knowledge of key aspects of business management, enterprise growth, customer-centric services, manufacturing best practices, responsible sourcing and more. In response to the challenges brought about by COVID-19, it has been extended to reinforce the ability of MSME leaders to identify strategic issues, expedite digital adoption and increase efficiencies in their businesses.
Judith McKenna, President and CEO of Walmart International, said, “Walmart Vriddhi opens up opportunities for MSMEs to sell into Walmart’s supply chains or the open marketplace. Wherever they are in their journey and whatever their aspirations for growth, that openness makes the program unique and puts the supplier at the center of everything we do.” Designed by Walmart in partnership with the program’s knowledge manager, Swasti, the curriculum is tailored to the business challenges and growth aspirations of MSMEs in the communities in which it is offered.

“Walmart Vriddhi opens up opportunities for MSMEs to sell into Walmart’s supply chains or the open marketplace. Wherever they are in their journey and whatever their aspirations for growth, that openness makes the program unique and puts the supplier at the center of everything we do,” Judith McKenna, president and CEO of Walmart International, said. “With today’s digital enhancements, we’re helping more entrepreneurs expand their capabilities and build sustainable businesses that add value to their communities.”

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Chief Executive Officer, Flipkart Group added, “As India adjusts to the ‘new normal,’ digital transformation is a path to resilience for businesses. In concert with the government’s Digital India initiative, we want to help Indian MSMEs digitize, so they can react to market trends and challenges with speed and agility, better serve their customers and grow their business. Flipkart and Walmart are working together on Vriddhi and other programs to make a real difference for MSMEs and to contribute to sustained economic growth for India.”

Walmart Vriddhi’s first all-digital e-institute will initially be open to MSMEs in Panipat, Sonipat and Kundli, an area that is a hub of textile, steel and kitchenware production with a strong entrepreneurial heritage and a skilled workforce. Eligible MSMEs can access the digital training experience through a mobile application available on iOS and Android in both English and Hindi.
Vriddhi will progressively roll out e-institutes to other regions in India, providing tailored training, mentoring and ecosystem support.

“The need to work with India’s MSME sector and its workforce to enable holistic measures to support their growth and evolution has never been more pressing than it is today. The multi-level, online training approach that the Vriddhi Program affords is tailored to address the identified needs of the MSMEs and will help them build and adapt their businesses to serve domestic and global supply chains. This will fast track their growth and ensure longevity for their business,” Shiv Kumar, Co-founder and Chief Mentor, Swasti, said.

In recent months, Walmart has actively worked with its various MSME suppliers and Panipat-based businesses to help them cater to the rising demand for essential PPE and hygiene products. Flipkart Samarth has also helped local artisans, weavers and many rural & women entrepreneurs get back to business. Drawing on the extensive eCommerce experience Walmart and Flipkart have in India, as well as in wholesale retail and sourcing for global markets, Swasti has extended advisory support to MSMEs on financial schemes, government programs and business operations, offering best practices for business realignment and continuity during these challenging times.

About Walmart

Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, over 265 million customers and members visit approximately 11,500 stores under 56 banners in 27 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2020 revenue of $524 billion, Walmart employs over 2.2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at twitter.com/walmart.