Global retail major Walmart on Thursday expanded its supplier development programme Vriddhi to Uttar Pradesh, by launching an e-Institute in Agra to provide small businesses in Uttar Pradesh skills and competencies.
This will help the small businesses grow in a post-pandemic environment through online and offline channels such as Flipkart’s marketplace and Walmart’s international supply chain, the company said in a statement.
With the new e-Institute, Walmart is expanding its Vriddhi Supplier Development Program to empower 50,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across India, it added.
Walmart opened its first Vriddhi e-Institute in Haryana in October 2020.
Vriddhi will accelerate the roll-out of e-Institutes to other cities in India this year. They will provide 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, it added.
The programme 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.
UP Minister for MSME, Investment and Export, Sidharth Nath Singh said, “This programme will not only boost the Make-in-India effort, it will also provide further impetus to our ODOP (One District One Product) programme.”
It will also help MSMEs grow their business aspirations and reach, including export-readiness, through digital pathways, he added.
Walmart International Executive VP (International Strategy, Development and Asia Region) Leigh Hopkins said, “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.”
He added that growing MSME businesses create employment opportunities in local communities and put them at the heart of Make in India.
Flipkart Wholesale Senior VP and Head Adarsh Menon 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 world-class training that can empower them to meet their aspirations.”
