Produce… the Crown Jewel of the Supermarket Perimeter

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.

Power of Produce 2017 shows a supermarket’s strength lies both in very high shopper conversion among their primary customers and being a store destination among switchers. From Power of Produce 2017, 39 percent of switchers end up visiting a supermarket as their produce store of choice.

By: Rick Stein, Vice President, Fresh, Food Marketing Institute  <img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/crown-jewel.tmb-large-350-.jpg?sfvrsn=796d706e_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="Crown Jewel" title="Crown Jewel" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px;" />With years of experience in fresh retail under my belt, I simply can’t help myself, each time I enter a supermarket my brain automatically takes inventory of “the competition.”  When it comes to produce, I see competition popping up everywhere: extensive displays at airports, mini produce departments at dollar stores, vending machines at convention centers, value-added produce at drug stores and convenience retailers. You can’t ignore it, produce is hot and everyone wants a piece. For retailers, produce is the second-largest fresh department and it sets the tone for the rest of the store. For shoppers, produce is the second most important reason for picking one store over another following price profile. In fact, FMI’s the Power of Produce 2017 finds one-fifth of shoppers have a dual store strategy when they buy center store and fresh produce items, better known as “switchers.” So, who’s winning the battle of produce dollars? That’s supermarkets. Traditional supermarkets are a powerhouse in fresh produce with 64 percent of shoppers naming a supermarket as their primary produce destination, as reported in Power of Produce 2017. The study shows a supermarket’s strength lies both in very high shopper conversion among their primary customers and being a store destination among switchers. From Power of Produce 2017, 39 percent of switchers end up visiting a supermarket as their produce store of choice. In the eyes of customers, supermarkets offer better quality and freshness (67 percent), better variety (36 percent), more convenient locations and good specials (both at 28 percent) in produce. By and large, shoppers have great faith in the quality and safety of produce sold in supermarkets. According to U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2017, shoppers seeking fresh, less processed foods rely on supermarkets as among their most trusted allies, and retailers who inform and connect shoppers with the food they’re purchasing are well positioned to build trust and loyalty with customers. As consumers continue to seek connections with their food and food choices, strong communication between retailers and their customers is a key ingredient to keeping shoppers in your store. For more on the Power of Produce 2017, visit <a href="https://www.fmi.org/industry-topics/fresh-foods">FMI.org/FreshFoods</a>.  Photo Credit: Kurtis Garbutt, 2011, <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kjgarbutt/5470234437/in/photolist-9koo7R-oYPStt-CECjD-CECjJ-9krqeu-9H2iu7-9krquW-pF9Gmk-SV8P5f-6jMM8X-U3G8tw-81Tej7-763HfX-jHkTYg-oPouZq-qgR9XM-6jMEJa-eqW6V-cuDQVJ-eqTAd-oL2hGz-gV5ewu-pAwpcw-cuDNHf-e1D1JA-4yDbUR-eqTAb-91DDXh-cuDRE5-6a99jc-4JGz4g-91Awzt-snZpJ-aoKheC-UWkwVd-7fi71i-eXVkEA-kKWALQ-S7SWko-iCArYY-eRNcR-68Rq6d-y9US9-e1CZZE-cuDNSy-dJychN-8zeUS3-768rgW-oHwFoH-nyB4cf">Flickr</a>.

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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.