The Future Is Now: Food Retail Establishments Becoming Health and Wellness Destinations

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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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.

While food trends may change as quickly as your Instagram feed refreshes, health and wellness in food retail continues to grow into a mainstay in food purchase decisions. Food retailers report the top two trends they believe will most positively impact sales and profits are, first, consumers’ desire to place health and wellness as a value over price or brand loyalty (82 percent) and, second, consumers’ desire to use their food choices to manage and avoid health issues (77 percent).

By: Sue Borra, RD, Chief Health and Wellness Officer for FMI and Executive Director of the FMI Foundation <img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/branding-images/heath-and-wellness-2017.png?sfvrsn=44887a6e_0" data-displaymode="Original" alt="Heath and Wellness 2017" title="Heath and Wellness 2017" style="float: right; margin: 10px;" /> While food trends may change as quickly as your Instagram feed refreshes, health and wellness in food retail continues to grow into a mainstay in food purchase decisions. Food retailers report the top two trends they believe will most positively impact sales and profits are, first, consumers’ desire to place health and wellness as a value over price or brand loyalty (82 percent) and, second, consumers’ desire to use their food choices to manage and avoid health issues (77 percent). (<a href="https://www.fmi.org/our-research/research-reports/food-retailing-industry-speaks">FMI Speaks 2017</a>) Food retailers see their role as serving as a key health and wellness partner for the communities they serve, and currently almost 90 percent of supermarkets have established health and wellness programs for customers, employees, or both, up from on 54 percent just three years ago. FMI’s<a href="https://www.fmi.org/forms/store/ProductFormPublic/2017-report-on-retailer-contributions-to-health-wellness"> Report on Retailer Contributions to Health & Wellness 2017</a> identified that 81 percent of respondents view supermarket health and wellness as a significant business growth opportunity and they identify retail registered dietitians as the most effective promotion vehicle of health and wellness activities in their stores. In addition, developing a FMI community of corporate retail dietitians is a priority to assist FMI members in meeting the health and wellness needs of their customers. The<a href="https://www.fmi.org/industry-topics/health-wellness"> FMI Health and Wellness Council</a> is developing a series of white papers to provide best practices and case examples for integrating health and wellness programming into key departments in food retail. The first is focused on fresh food retail departments including meat, seafood, produce, deli, and fresh prepared. This report will delve into key elements of success, profitable partnerships and resources, and the future of health and wellness in fresh. The Council also embraced<a href="https://www.fmi.org/family-meals"> National Family Meals Month™</a> in September as an important health and wellness program for food retailers. Simply focusing attention on the importance offamily meals and offering meal solutions results in improving the nutrition, health and wellbeing of families along with enhancing customer store loyalty. Trust and transparency are at the forefront of the health and wellness emerging issues list with topics like clean labeling, implementing menu labeling, communicating on the new nutrition facts panel and introducing the new<a href="http://www.smartlabel.org/"> SmartLabel™</a> program being top priorities. All these health and wellness efforts by food retailers have resulted in 45 percent of consumers seeing their primary store as their ally in wellness. (<a href="https://www.fmi.org/our-research/research-reports/u-s-grocery-shopper-trends">FMI Trends 2017</a>) This trend will continue to grow as retailers offer more healthy choices in both products and services and consumers will count on their food retailers as a trusted resource.<a href="https://www.fmi.org/industry-topics/health-wellness"> FMI’s Center for Food Retail Health and Wellness</a> delivers resources and tools to help members meet the needs of today’s shopper. <div> </div>

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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.