10 Things You Didn't Know About The Food At Walmart
It goes without saying that Walmart is nothing short of a business behemoth. It's the world's largest retailer and also the world's largest grocer, with food and other grocery items accounting for more than half of all U.S. sales. But whether you're a regular shopper or a vocal critic, we bet that there are some things you probably don't know about the food Walmart sells.
Bananas are The Best-Selling Item
Bananas have been the top-selling item at Walmart for years. "Customers love bananas because they're an easy, healthy food to pack and eat and very affordable," company spokesman Brooke Buchanan told Business Insider. "Kids also love bananas, and so a lot of customers are probably thinking of their children." That's presumably why the company sells about one billion pounds of bananas annually around the world, which works out to about 32 pounds every second of the day.
They Donated Food for 100,000 Meals after Hurricane Katrina
The company also donated $20 million in cash and 1,500 truckloads of free merchandise, and promised a job to every one of its displaced workers in the New Orleans area.
They’re the Biggest Seller of Organic Milk in the World
They're also the biggest buyer of organic cotton in the world.
The Company Donates Nearly $1 Billion Per Year
As part of their "Zero-Waste-to-Landfill" program, the company donated 571 million pounds of food (the equivalent of 368 million meals) to local food banks as well as hunger relief organizations like Feeding America in 2013. They also turned 56 million pounds of recovered cooking oil into bio-diesel, soap, or an animal feed supplement. In 2015, the Walmart and the Walmart foundation donated $1.4 billion in cash and in kind.
They Work with More than 1 Million Small and Medium-Sized Farms
Walmart sources $4 billion from 1.2 to 1.4 million small and medium-sized farmers, and funds several farmer training programs.
One out of Every Four Grocery Dollars is Spent at Walmart
The average U.S. family spends more than $4,000 per year at Walmart.
They Sell Some Hilariously Bizarre Food Items
Jelly bean-flavored milk, canned peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Duck Dynasty-branded merchandise, and butter-flavored olive oil are among the more out-there products on Walmart shelves.
Walmarts Can Lead to Regional Weight Gain
A recent study found that "an additional Supercenter per 100,000 residents increases average BMI by 0.24 units and the obesity rate by 2.3 percentage points."
There’s a Website Devoted to Exposing Alleged Animal Cruelty in its Pork Supply Chain
It's Launched Curbside Grocery Pickup
More than 600 Walmart locations are currently offering curbside grocery pickup, which allows customers to order groceries through the app or website and have their items brought right to their car. The company doesn't charge extra for the service, which allows customers to shop at Walmart without even getting out of their car.