It’s BBQ Season! Light Up the Grill!

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.

Grilling displays are popping up in stores all across the country, and for good reason. The grocery industry is positioned to win the grilling basket throughout the entire year. Barbecue cuts of meat are growing 10 times faster than the total fresh meat category as a whole.

By: Lucas Darnell, Director of Membership, Food Marketing Institute <img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/lucas-darnell-fmi-resident-pitmaster.tmb-small.jpg?sfvrsn=8fcf466e_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="Lucas Darnell FMI Resident Pitmaster" title="Lucas Darnell FMI Resident Pitmaster" style="float: right; margin: 10px;" /> As May turns the corner into June, folks around the country clean their grills and start their fires. Its barbecue season! The weather draws us outside for family meals, get-togethers and good times. But grilling season also is important to the grocery industry—a great opportunity to increase basket size. The numbers speak for themselves. According to Smithfield, Inc., 96 percent of consumers say they enjoy barbecue. The demand for BBQ continues to grow as evident by the increase use and purchase of grills and smokers, rise in online searches for grilling recipes and the expanding number of television programs focused on cooking outdoors. Grilling displays are popping up in stores all across the country, and for good reason. The grocery industry is positioned to win the grilling basket throughout the entire year. Barbecue cuts of meat are growing 10 times faster than the total fresh meat category as a whole.   As we get into the summer holidays such as Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day, food retailers have great leverage to cross promote products and increase basket size. Those are the top three grilling occasions for the year. According to Kingsford, 63 percent of the U.S. population is active grillers, and 63 percent of grill owners cook outside year round. As pitmaster of <a href="http://oldvirginiasmoke.com/">Old Virginia Smoke Competition BBQ Team</a>, my wife and I cook outside almost every weekend. There’s nothing like cooking outside, over live fire to make people smile and bring them together. <h5>Here are some tips for a great summer BBQ season to share with shoppers:</h5> <ul> <li>Purchase a good meat thermometer and know <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/safe-minimum-internal-temperature-chart/ct_index">USDA safe minimum internal temperatures</a>. Keeping everyone safe is paramount!</li> <li>Keep your grill clean. All that baked on stuff isn’t flavor. Clean fire plus clean grill equals great food.</li> <li>Keep the area around your grill clear and keep the kids away. No one likes burned hands.</li> <li>Have the fire extinguisher nearby, just in case.</li> </ul> So fire up the charcoal and make this summer YOUR STORE’S successful grilling season.

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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.