Walmart opens first owned-and-operated case-ready beef facility
Dive Brief:
Walmart on Friday opened its inaugural owned-and-operated case-ready beef facility. Plans for the Olathe, Kansas, facility were first announced back in 2023, with the state's governor saying at the time that Walmart would invest $257 million in the plant. This latest move by Walmart furthers its effort to grow a resilient end-to-end supply chain and underscores how it's investing more in U.S.-made and sourced goods.
Dive Insight:
The newly debuted case-ready beef facility spans more than 300,000 square feet and is a significant step in Walmart's ongoing work to create an Angus beef supply chain - a goal Walmart announced in 2019.
The facility will process and package fresh beef into case-ready cuts that are "ready for retail" and then shipped directly to Walmart distribution centers to serve stores across the Midwest, according to the announcement.
The beef will be sourced directly from Sustainable Beef LLC, based in North Platte, Nebraska, which Walmart made an equity investment in in 2022 as part of its work establishing an Angus beef supply chain.
Walmart's new facility creates more than 600 jobs for the surrounding communities.
"This is the first case-ready facility fully owned and operated by Walmart, and that milestone ensures we're able to bring more consistency, more transparency and more value to our customers," John Laney, executive vice president of food at Walmart U.S., said in the announcement.
Walmart undertook a similar effort in March 2024 when it announced plans to open its third owned-and-operated milk-processing facility in 2026. Like the beef facility, this center aims to improve transparency and supply chain resiliency, according to Walmart.
Across the board, Walmart is continuing to beef up its supply chain and distribution network. In April, the retailer opened a 1 million-square-foot Sam's Club distribution center in Florida and, a month later, purchased a 1 million-square-foot distribution center in Utah.
The opening of the beef facility also continues Walmart's commitment to U.S. manufacturing and its pledge to invest $350 billion in U.S.-made products by 2031, according to the press release.
Copyright 2025 Industry Dive. All rights reserved.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
3 hours ago
- Forbes
The End Of Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy — AI-Driven Retail Unbundling
Amazon - Walmart - Bestbuy - are on fire. How OpenAI and Perplexity will change online retail as we ... More know it. The days of big online retail as we know it are over. Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and many others will all need to reinvent themselves as e-commerce changes. Once again, the homepage is dead. What will this mean for the big brands? What are the opportunities for small players? Retail Unbundling OpenAI, Gemini, Perplexity, and Grok are not just changing how people search — they're redefining how people shop. Gone are the days when your homepage served as the front door to your retail universe. Today, answers and product links come more and more directly from AI-powered assistants powered by LLMs (Large Language Models). In my research I show that the traffic from LLMs is 9x as valuable as traditional search traffic. As soon as these LLMs will know your credit card information, they will shop for you. The future is all about agentic e-commerce. For the traditional retailer, this means the customer's path to your product no longer runs through your digital storefront. Take DayDream, a startup that just launched a personal shopping agent. When AI becomes the curator, the advisor, and the shopping guide—what happens to the digital mall? Yes, they are going to die. I see three dominant strategies to survive the unbundling of e-commerce. Daydream launched the personal AI fashion agent. What Retail Can Learn from Media's Unbundling Like so often during times of change, we can learn from the past. When was the last time that technology unbundle a market? Yes, news media in the world of the social internet. What happened a decade ago? When HTML and social media transformed the media industry, the homepage lost its power. Readers no longer started their journey on Instead, they landed on a single article—discovered via Facebook, Twitter, or Google. The article became the atomic unit of value. The media brands receded. Many scaled down, and only top outlets like The New York Times or The Economist managed to build up a new business. The winners — beyond the platforms that drove this unbundling — were the creators, the journalists. While the front pages of news websites died, platforms like Substack and Medium thrived, offering journalists and creators a direct-to-consumer surface. A surface that was found by the Googles and Facebooks of this world. Retail is now entering the same cycle of disruption and again we will see the homepage die, the creator / producer win and the aggregators thrive. The End Of Amazon, BestBuy, Walmart As We Know Them Amazon, BestBuy, Walmart — these giants have long served as the 'homepages' of shopping. Customers typed in the URL, searched for a product, and navigated their ecosystem. But as AI becomes the new interface, that direct entry point is weakening much as the media homepage died. Why would a shopper visit bestbuy when they can simply ask an AI: 'What's the best washing machine for a small apartment with eco features?' The LLM won't show the homepage — it will show the best answer, wherever that answer lives. This shift renders the traditional e-commerce retailer vulnerable. Amazon, BestBuy, Walmart and their peers risk becoming invisible unless they evolve. The Three Strategies For E-Commerce Retailer Just like once media companies had to reinvent their business and focus — online retail has a few potential strategies: Price will always be a factor. LLMs will query retailers — likely via agent protocols such as MCP (Model Context Protocol) — about the price. If the best price wins, then companies like Walmart with substantial purchasing power will come out ahead. Being the cheapest is a strategy. It leads to razor-thin margins, but it works for a few players at massive scale. Shops will still need to deliver. Speed and reliability matter. Amazon, while its homepage might fade, will win through logistics dominance, speed, and convenience. They've built the most efficient delivery machine on Earth. This third strategy is just emerging. Much as in media we saw content drove clicks, we will see content wins as well in retail. Retailers will win if they deliver expert advice. Don't think Best Buy — think Tom's Guide, which offers trusted technology advice. Don't think Walmart — think REI, the leader in outdoor equipment. Offer real advice, curated selections, and personalized shopping experiences. This is where AI opens doors. In my work, I see many retailers that want to become part of the LLM conversation. I wrote about Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and what brands need to know in this Forbes article. The key idea: LLMs will get trained on authentic and novel content. This is also sometimes called Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) or LLMO (LLM-Optimization). Brands with unique and novel takes on authentic questions will be remembered by the LLM. This is the future for new brands. Just as the media industry saw the rise of specialized bloggers like Ben Thompson — who sells niche knowledge — we'll see retail brands focusing on knowledge that general LLMs don't yet have. Best advice for vitamins beyond the usual? Deep expertise in hardware installation? Leading voices in fashion? That's where the opportunity lies. If big brands want to seize this opportunity, they'll need to become multi-brand platforms. Launching specialized micro-brands, each built around a customer niche and powered by AI-driven personalization. Picture the new world of e-commerce. This is retail, reimagined not for a homepage, but for a world where every page is a landing page. Expert Knowledge - The Winner Of Retail Unbundling Just as the media landscape now thrives with niche creators, so too will e-commerce. Big changes lie ahead. Two and a half years ago — when the LLM hype had just started — I predicted in my podcast that the future would be 'indie.' That's exactly what we're now seeing with retail brands. The winners will be those who embrace specialization, personalization, and advisory power. Not everyone needs to be Amazon, Walmart or Best Buy. But everyone needs a plan for the age of AI discovery.
Business Insider
5 hours ago
- Business Insider
I spent thousands building my influencer brand. Now I have nothing to show for it.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lisa Jean-Francois, a mom and content creator in her 40s from Boston, MA, about leaving the influencer industry. It's been edited for length and clarity. When I started posting content in 2012, it was drugstore makeup and inexpensive fashion. I thought, "I can show people how to style themselves without breaking the bank." I didn't start making money right away, but after I had my first child, I knew I wanted to take content creating a bit more seriously. Within a year of dedicating my time to my personal blog and content, my traffic grew and just kept growing. Almost three years later, I took a chance and started creating content full-time. Over the course of my career, there were times I made a good amount of money on brand deals in the fashion and beauty space. Once I switched my content from fashion and lifestyle to parenting, my audience and income disappeared. The industry has really changed. It has shifted. I spent so much time and money building my brand When I started posting online 13 years ago, I had just gotten married and moved from New York to Massachusetts. I hadn't started a family or a job yet, and so I started watching YouTube tutorials to learn how to do my makeup. I spent thousands of dollars building my network. I remember flying to LA, New York, and beauty conferences. I would do desk-side chats with editors of different magazines and brands. I put in a lot of work offline with the networking and the community. I then joined an ad network called Mediavine and was making thousands of dollars a month. Then the real money came between 2018 and 2022. I started getting a lot more brand deals in the beauty and fashion space, and some in the lifestyle space. I did deals with Walmart, Lee Jeans, Dunkin Donuts, Cantu, and more. There were periods where I was just a full-time creator, and then I added consulting and in-house gigs, and then I went back to being a full-time creator until 2023. Once I switched to parenting content, it was like starting over When I switched my handle from @Lisaalamode to @Consciouslylisa_, in 2022, I lost my brand equity. I changed my content because I didn't feel in alignment with who my online persona was anymore. I was really burned out, and I didn't want to pretend to live a life that I wasn't living. In hindsight, I was always the mom, and I always took that role very seriously. But truly, I spent a lot more time building this brand and business than I did being a mom to my son. I started sharing about conscious parenting, and even though my followers transferred to my new name, my old handle was deactivated. People unfollowed me, which I didn't take issue with, but I lost a lot of my brand deals. Between 2020 to 2023 were some peak years for people to come in and take over the influencer industry After the branding transition, I had a few contracts with Babyganics in 2023. I also tried getting into travel content, and I got some deals with a tourism board in 2023. Last year, I did some partnerships with Aura, but that was basically it. Changing my content played a big role in the demise of my brand and career, but this industry also exploded during the pandemic. A lot of these kids who had been watching people like me for years have now come of age, and they've learned how to do it all better and faster. They're not encumbered with households and children. They can put in the time that I did in my earlier years. I may have aged out of the industry, although there are plenty of older creators who are doing well. The industry is oversaturated, and the money dried up What brands want from partnerships seems to have changed as well. When I was coming up, these campaigns were predominantly brand awareness campaigns. Your engagement wasn't a huge factor in the way it is now. Engagement is definitely harder to get because the industry is oversaturated with creators now. Mediavine kicked me out in 2023 because I wasn't bringing in the traffic anymore. I had to convince myself that I still have value. I spent a lot of time, energy, money, and resources. Now I feel I have nothing to show for it. The money I make now does not compare to what I made as a beauty and fashion creator At this point, I have two content pillars: fashion and travel, and sensory-friendly activities for autistic families. My kids are autistic, my husband's autistic, and I'm also neurodivergent. It's important for us to find spaces that are inclusive, and I want to continue to share more of that on social media. It's not that it hasn't been well received, but in some ways, it feels like I'm talking to myself. I also launched my jewelry brand, The Consciously Lisa Collection, last November. Any income that I make is solely from that business. There's no comparison to what I made as a creator. I was about to buy a house with the money I was making. I cannot live on the money I make now with my jewelry brand. I'm trying to find a new job, but it's tough There are girls in the industry that I came up with who are millionaires and still doing well. I'm sure I've made a lot of mistakes along the way that have contributed to things being the way they are for me. I'm now going back into the workforce older. Do I have experience? Absolutely. Am I capable? Of course, but I feel I'm not desired in the workforce. They don't want to hire 40-year-old moms. It's just not what it is. Right now, I homeschool, but we can't afford after-school care. So if I can somehow find a work-from-home job that allows me to pick up and drop off the kids, then it'll work. I don't want to go back to work full-time because I like having my autonomy, my schedule, and my ability to really be there for my kids. But I also look forward to a time when my feelings of worthiness aren't tied to something that's so completely out of my control, like algorithms.
Engadget
5 hours ago
- Engadget
How to buy the Switch 2: Nintendo's restock updates from Walmart, Best Buy and more
The Nintendo Switch 2 has been available in the US for more than three weeks — and we finally saw a second wave of availability at retail as June was coming to an end. While it's too early to declare the Switch 2 to be easy to obtain, the fact that Best Buy and Walmart had units to sell online on June 23 and June 25, respectively, is a good sign that attentive shoppers may be able to take advantage of a Switch 2 restock this summer without paying a ridiculous markup. That said, if you're looking to join one of the millions of people who have already snagged the $450 console since it officially went up for sale on June 5, you may need to include in-store pickup or joining a rewards program as an option. The former (with online reservations) seems to be the methodology that Best Buy and Target currently prefer, while Walmart's latest Switch 2 drop offered early access to those with Walmart+ (its membership program). In the meantime, one place not worth checking for the Switch 2 is Amazon. A report today confirmed that its absence from Amazon's online store was the result of an ongoing dispute between the retailer and Nintendo — though there have been signs of a thaw on games and accessories. All that said, if you're still on the hunt, we've rounded up all of the latest information we could find on how to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 and where you can pick one up. Walmart most recently offered the Switch 2 online on June 25, with Walmart+ members getting an hour's head start. Currently, both the Mario Kart World bundle and the standalone console are "available" via third-party retailers, but listed for much higher than their standard $500 and $450 price tags — with limited quantities available. We wouldn't recommend buying these; instead, wait for the console to be listed at its regular MSRP. Naturally, the world's largest retailer is also selling the console at its brick-and-mortar locations, though the company has noted that quantities are limited and inventory will vary by location. Best Buy made additional consoles available on June 11 around 12PM ET, and again on June 23 after selling out quickly on launch day (June 5). Those restocks lasted for the better part of an hour and required in-store pickup, but the device is now sold out again. Target had the Switch 2 in stores on June 5 and restocked its online inventory for at least a couple of hours starting around 3:30AM ET on June 6. It then had another restock on June 12 around 2:30PM ET, but that appears to have died out in less than an hour. We also noted it showing up in stock in at least one Philadelphia location on June 24. GameStop has advertised in-store availability, though exactly how much stock your local store may have will vary by location. Online, the device has been unavailable for the past week, with the listings for the base console and Mario Kart bundle now pointing to a "Find a Store" page. We saw a $625 bundle that includes Mario Kart World , a microSD Express card and a few other accessories pop up a bit more frequently than the standard SKUs, but it's no longer listed (and it was kind of a raw deal anyway). You may still have some luck at certain membership-based retailers. A Mario Kart World bundle at Costco that includes a 12-month Switch Online subscription has gone in and out of stock since launch day. Sam's Club has had a bundle without the Switch Online sub as well, though it's out of stock now. We also saw the console at BJ's early on June 5, but it's no longer live there. Verizon briefly had the Switch 2 available on launch day, but that's dried up. Only those with Verizon service were able to order, and the process was apparently somewhat rocky. Amazon hasn't had any form of Switch 2 listing on its website, nor has it listed Mario Kart World . A June 30 Bloomberg report confirmed what had been widely rumored for weeks: Nintendo was apparently punishing Amazon for continuing to surface third-party retailers selling trans-shipped games. However, some Switch 2 games have started popping up, so it's possible the console may appear at some point, too. Newegg has listed the Switch 2 on its site for several weeks, but it's given no indication as to when it'll begin sales. While some listings are available via a third-party seller, they're at massively inflated prices. With all of these stores, we've seen the Mario Kart World bundle available in greater quantities online than the base console, which costs $50 less. But given that Mario Kart is the Switch 2's biggest launch game and retails for $80 on its own, that may not be the worst thing. Nintendo, meanwhile, is only offering the Switch 2 via an invite system. This requires you to have been a Switch Online member for at least 12 months and logged at least 50 hours of Switch 1 playtime as of April 2. It can't hurt to sign up if you meet the criteria, but don't expect it to bear fruit immediately — it's taken weeks for many people who registered in April to receive their invite. You can find a list of every Switch 2 retail listing we could find below. Just be aware that this is meant to be a reference, not a rundown of everywhere the device is available right this second. Where to buy Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle: Where to buy Switch 2: Nintendo is selling a number of Switch 2 accessories alongside the console, from its (pricey) Pro Controller to cases to cameras for the new GameChat feature. Most of these became available on June 5. The same goes for games like Mario Kart World and the Switch 2 version of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom . Another big Switch 2 release, Donkey Kong Bananza , won't be available until mid-July but is still up for pre-order now. As of this publication, just about all Switch 2 games are broadly available. Stock for the accessories remains a little spottier, but most devices are still available at multiple retailers. Nintendo's official Switch 2 carrying cases have been the main exceptions, so you may need to look to third-party alternatives if you want some protection for your console right away. Mario Kart World ($80) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Donkey Kong Bananza ($70) Nintendo Amazon Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Costco (membership required) Additional Switch 2 games Nintendo Amazon Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Samsung microSD Express Card (256GB) for Nintendo Switch 2 ($60) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Joy-Con 2 bundle ($95) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Switch 2 Pro Controller ($85) Switch 2 Camera ($55) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Hori Nintendo Switch 2 Piranha Plant Camera ($60) Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip ($40) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Joy-Con 2 Wheels (set of 2) ($25) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Switch 2 All-in-One Carrying Case ($85) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector ($40) Nintendo (invite required) Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Nintendo Switch 2 Dock Set ($120) Nintendo GameCube Controller for Switch 2 ($65) Nintendo (Switch Online required)
