Rice had profited by becoming an early investor in a business called Walmart, founded by Sam Walton. Over time, as Walmart grew into a household name, Rice began thinking of ways to partner with Walmart. In 1986, Rice was able to meet with Sam Walton, in order to discuss creating a line of private label soft drinks for Walmart.
Rice, who had invested in Walmart early on and saw its growth, sought partnerships with the company.  In 1986, he met with Sam Walton to explore collaborating on a line of private label soft drinks for Walmart.