This Girl Walks Into a Bar Receives Fast Pass at Walmart's Road to Open Call

This Girl Walks Into a Bar Co-Founders Jordan Catapano and Jocelyn Dunn joined fellow SoCal entrepreneurs at Walmart’s 12th annual Road to Open Call on Thursday, April 3rd, at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. The event was hosted by the National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship in conjunction with IW Group.

The sister team presented their Margarita Mix, Bloody Mary Mix, and Pineapple Mint Mojito Mix to Walmart executives who were meeting with small businesses that grow, assemble, or make their products in the United States. Catapano and Dunn founded their brand in 2021 and produce organic, alcohol-free mixers in Oxnard, CA for distribution in the Southern California territory. Although their e-commerce division reaches a national audience through partnerships with Walmart Marketplace, Amazon Prime, Airgoods, and Faire, the team is eager to see their product land on more physical shelves like Walmart stores across the country. 

If selected, the pitch series is an opportunity to receive a "fast pass" to advance to a final round at the Walmart headquarters in Bentonville, AR this fall, and to bypass a longer product submission process. “We were so excited for the chance to introduce our brand to the team at Walmart. When we were handed a fast pass at the end of the pitch, we were a bit speechless,” Catapano said. Dunn added, “We figured this was another chance to talk about something we’re passionate about. Receiving a ticket to the next round was the icing on the cake.” 

This Girl Walks Into a Bar Margarita Mix became a fan favorite to Southern California locals through their bartending company’s direct-delivery service. Unfortunately, that business was destroyed in the Palisades Fire along with Catapano’s home. The Co-Founders credit the  Los Angeles Strong Comms Coalition for this opportunity, and for their unwavering support of local companies affected by the Palisades and Altadena Fires. “Losing one business has made us hyper-focused on the success of our mixer company, and the chance to be considered for the largest retailer in the world is a special moment.” Catapano says she is more determined than ever to make their products available to people 365 days a year through retail partnerships. 

About This Girl Walks Into a Bar: Mixers + Snacks, LLC

This Girl Walks Into a Bar: Mixers + Snacks LLC (2021) is headquartered in Los Angeles and co-founded by sisters Jordan Catapano and Jocelyn Dunn. The name is a nod to the classic bar joke and represents their all-female owned businesses. Operations include distributing non-alcoholic cocktail mixers to on and off-premise venues. The company’s mission is to create high-quality, responsibly sourced, and delicious organic mixers and snacks.