Implementing a Strong Omnichannel Strategy to Avoid Supply Chain Waste

Promoting and Advancing Petroleum Marketing, Retail Grocery, and Convenience Stores in West Virginia

Driving Local Business and Community Growth Across West Virginia

Our Purpose and Commitment

OMEGA is a West Virginia-based organization dedicated to supporting and advancing the business interests of the state’s petroleum marketing, retail grocery, and convenience store industries.

As a network of over 225 locally owned businesses, OMEGA actively promotes cooperation, advocates for favorable legislation, and provides education and resources to its members. With over 50,000 employees, OMEGA members significantly contribute to the state’s economy, generating more than 10% of all state taxes and supporting local communities through scholarships, charitable donations, and civic involvement.

OMEGA is committed to fostering industry growth while serving West Virginians with essential services like fuel, food, and convenience.

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Join a Community that Champions, Connects, and Elevates!

Your Essential Connection in West Virginia

OMEGA offers three types of membership: Convenience Store Members, Petroleum Marketer Members, and Grocer Members, all of which play a vital role in providing fuel, food, and essentials across West Virginia. As a liaison with state and national agencies, OMEGA works closely with organizations like NACS, PMAA, FMI, and the N.G.A. to advocate on behalf of its members.

We keep members informed through newsletters, legislative updates, an online resource hub, and educational seminars. Additional member benefits include access to the Encova Workers’ Compensation Discount Program and participation in our annual Trade Expo and fundraising efforts for children’s charities. OMEGA is here to support, advocate, and enhance the success of our industry members.

Today’s retailers need a strong omnichannel strategy in place to meet rapidly changing consumer needs resulting from the pandemic. As more people choose to take advantage of ecommerce for delivery of their essential food items, retailers must ensure that they have forecasting and replenishment capabilities that give them end-to-end supply chain visibility.

<p>By Doug Baker, Vice President, Industry Relations, FMI</p> <div class="mg-image--circular" style="float: right; margin: 10px;"><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/istock-1213684940.tmb-large-350-.jpg?sfvrsn=b92f17cc_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="iStock-1213684940" title="iStock-1213684940" /></div> <p>According to FMI’s latest <a href="https://www.fmi.org/our-research/research-reports/food-retailing-industry-speaks"><em>The Food Retailing Industry Speaks</em></a><em> </em>report, the COVID-19 pandemic drove 51% of retailers to encourage customers to order online, and 24% offered more SKUs online. Not surprisingly, 92% of food retailers with an ecommerce channel predicted that their online sales would increase in 2020, and strategic ecommerce experimentation was planned to increase significantly, from 67% in 2019 to 83% in 2020. </p> <p>It’s no surprise that grocery retailers of all sizes are looking to improve their ecommerce strategy and make thoughtful investments in new technology. <em>Speaks</em> finds approximately 75% of retailers with fewer than 10 stores and 85-90% of retailers with more than 100 stores are actively experimenting with accommodating for new technologies to improve both efficiency and the customer experience. </p> <p>Today’s retailers need a strong omnichannel strategy in place to meet rapidly changing consumer needs resulting from the pandemic. As more people choose to take advantage of ecommerce for delivery of their essential food items, retailers must ensure that they have forecasting and replenishment capabilities that give them end-to-end supply chain visibility. </p> <h5>Make Strategic Ecommerce Decisions</h5> <p>To be successful with ecommerce, grocery retailers need to make strategic decisions about:</p> <ul> <li>Whether to use a centralized or decentralized fulfilment model.</li> <li>Whether to use dark stores, distribution centers, and/or open stores for picking and packing online orders.</li> <li>How to ensure that inventory will be appropriately allocated to each channel, both online and offline.</li> </ul> <h5>Take Advantage of Automation</h5> <p>Retailers also need to take advantage of technology that can deliver automated, data-driven, channel-specific forecast and replenishment capabilities that take into consideration all external factors that can impact demand. Such forecast and replenishment capabilities can ensure that fresh and ultra-fresh foods will be available in appropriate quantities to fulfill online orders (which are likely to differ from purchases made by in-store shoppers) while minimizing waste.</p> <h5>Rethink Availability vs. Waste in Your Grocery Supply Chain</h5> <p>It’s important to remember that automation should not mean creating a black box. Rather, it should mean lightening the load on planners so they can focus on areas where their expertise really makes a difference — most notably, managing exceptions. A good retail planning system allows you to audit it. If there’s a problem, say the spike in spoilage that some grocers experience on a particular day of the week, you should be able to locate the root cause, such as systematically inconsistent demand.</p> <p>Other issues worth being aware of include over-large batch or inventory sizes and display space-driven spoilage, where too large an area has been allocated to a fresh item and minimum display requirements lead to stock exceeding demand.</p> <p>For more information on technology in food retail, see these resources developed in partnership with FMI member, RELEX Solution:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Report:</strong> <a href="https://www.fmi.org/forms/store/ProductFormPublic/its-time-to-rethink-availability"><em>It’s Time to Rethink Availability vs. Waste in Your Grocery Supply Chain</em></a> </li> <li><strong>Webinar:</strong> <a href="https://www.fmi.org/forms/meeting/Microsite/Relex">Effectively Manage the Intricacies of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Grocery Retail.</a> </li> </ul>

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Supporting West Virginia Communities

OMEGA members play a vital role in West Virginia, supporting communities through substantial tax contributions and a wide-reaching presence across the state. With over 55% of the population living in border counties, our members are dedicated to serving both local and regional needs. Beyond business, we’re proud to give back, having contributed over $3.1 million to children’s charities since 2003, reflecting our commitment to making a positive difference.