Lastly, an argument can be made that Wal-Mart is also pursuing a
vertical integration strategy. Wal-Mart has developed its own name brand to
sell products called Sam’s Choice. This puts Wal-Mart into the business of
making things like soda, cereal, and dog food. While they still don’t grow
their own crops or raise their own livestock, it is still a form of vertical
integration. Also, Wal-Mart works heavily with its suppliers. This symbiotic
relationship can be see as vertical integration due to the level at which WalMart
analyzes its suppliers and improves their manufacturing processes, etc.