Meet the Judges

Karen Harling brings her expertise to the PR%F Awards

By Debbie Hall

Karen Harling is a senior merchant for spirits at Walmart and is uniquely responsible for assembling a competitive spirits selection for the world’s largest retailer.

She brings over 15 years of retail experience and pivoted to spirits in 2016 to disrupt the traditional offerings and offer innovation to the United States customer.

“I participated in the Ascot Judging panel this year and looking forward to judging in the PR%F Awards,” says Karen.

Since Karen began purchasing spirits for Walmart, she has added single barrel picks and allocated bourbon raffles to the retailer’s assortment. Her goal to leverage Walmart’s impressive foot traffic and a best-in-class selection of spirits to reach consumers means that she wields immense decision-making power within the spirits world.

Karen is responsible for end-to-end category strategy, including Omni presence, modular strategy, assortment decisions, feature plans, big bet items, and merchandising tactics. She defined and implemented new ways of buying in the warehouse, and DSD states that increased share, profit, and price gap. Karen established pricing sessions in Bentonville for its largest distributors and suppliers to negotiate deals that increased profit, turns, and price gap. She ensured compliance with applicable laws related to purchasing activities and cost negotiations. Karen inserted Walmart into the highly allocated whiskey segment with raffles and consistent barrel allocations in multiple states. She doubled Walmart’s holiday gift set program dollars, shares, and units in just three years.

Karen established standards for quarterly JBPs in the complex 3-tier system and grew customer and financial metrics for Walmart spirits sales. Her Walmart Spirits sales have doubled since joining the team, while also growing share and increasing customer conversion.

Born in Springfield, Missouri, Karen moved around the Southeast with her family while growing up. She is now based in Bentonville, Arkansas, the home of Walmart’s headquarters.

“I really wanted to become a buyer because I wanted to control what was for purchase on retail shelves. At Walmart, I designed my career path and incorporated my passion. I wanted to pursue a detail area that was also complicated, and no one has really figured out success for wine and spirits in the retail space,” explains Karen. “I became the buyer for the Walmart Neighborhood Market Stores, and the first item I brought in was White Claw.”

She obtained her bachelor of science in business administration from Capella University and Wine & Spirits Education Trust Level 2 in 2019. Giving back is important to Karen, and she serves on several committees, including:

• Cystic Fibrosis Executive Committee, NWA Chapter: 2023

• ASCOT Judge (American Spirits Council of Tasters): 2023

• San Francisco World Spirits Competition Judge: 2023

• American Heart Assoc. Executive Committee, 2019-Present