Meeting Food Safety Standards: Not Impossible for Emerging Companies

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.

As an emerging brand, you’re almost ready to move your product to the next stage of assembly. You worked hard to guarantee its greatness and ensure the packaging catches the consumer’s eye. Production is set to ramp up now that you landed the partner who’s providing capital, market access, and the business advice you need. That new potential partner asks a question you think is easy to answer, “Is your product safe?”

By: Julie Pryor, Director, Emerging Brands, Food Marketing Institute, and Sarah Malenich, Director, Sales & Marketing, Safe Quality Food Institute <img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/homepage-curation-tiles/fundamentals-manufacturing-caramel---fmi-photo-tile_medium.tmb-large-350-.png?sfvrsn=5af7456e_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="Fundamentals Manufacturing Caramel - FMI photo tile_medium" title="Fundamentals Manufacturing Caramel - FMI photo tile_medium" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;" />As an emerging brand, you’re almost ready to move your product to the next stage of assembly. You worked hard to guarantee its greatness  and ensure the packaging catches the consumer’s eye. Production is set to ramp up now that you landed the partner who’s providing capital, market access, and the business advice you need. That new potential partner asks a question you think is easy to answer, “Is your product safe?” Without hesitation, you reply, “Of course, it is!” Their response: “Prove it.” <h4>Food Safety Challenges Facing Emerging Brands</h4> As an emerging company, production processes tend to be  small, utilize shared facilities or even outsource production. Burgeoning brand leaders don’t have the resources to throw at the problem or the expertise in-house. To meet federal regulations and growing consumer demands for accessible product information, food must be traceable forward and backward through the supply chain. An outbreak of E. coli or salmonella beyond your production facility will lead food retailers to look for indications of comprise in the supply chain. You’ve got to be able to quickly verify it wasn’t your production process. And if it is you, it’s important to have policies and practices in place to immediately halt production, notify retailers and begin proper damage control. This is a known challenge for small and medium-sized food producers as well as manufacturers, but it doesn’t have to be a set-back.  <h4>A customized solution to fit your small or mid-sized company’s food safety circumstances.</h4> The Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI) has created its <a href="https://www.sqfi.com/fundamentals/?utm_source=Fundamentals%20Web%20Page%20-%20Homepage%20thumbnail%20graphic&utm_medium=Banner&utm_campaign=Fundamentals18&utm_content=Fundamentals18">Fundamentals program</a>to help you protect your brand from the risk of recall and satisfy your buyer’s requirements. The New <a href="https://www.sqfi.com/fundamentals/?utm_source=Fundamentals%20Web%20Page%20-%20Homepage%20thumbnail%20graphic&utm_medium=Banner&utm_campaign=Fundamentals18&utm_content=Fundamentals18">SQF Fundamentals</a>program leads you step by step through the process of integrating food safety standards into your existing practices and eventually to globally accepted food safety certification. Regardless of your situation, there is a way for you to benefit. There are separate Fundamentals programs for manufacturers and primary producers. There is a basic program and an intermediate program, which focuses on documenting your food safety standards. SQFI established a three-pronged approach to expertly address the learning and access needs for varying audiences: <ul> <li>Online - easily accessible via laptop, self-paced and no need for travel</li> <li>Instructor-led - allowing face-to-face knowledge sharing among peers and immediate expert advice</li> <li>Paper-based - self-directed and low-cost</li> </ul> Join us for a <a href="https://www.sqfi.com/events/introducing-the-new-sqf-fundamentals-program-partnering-the-global-markets-programme-and-the-sqf-code/">free webinar on the SQF Fundamentals program</a> at noon EST on Tuesday, July 24. Verifying the safety of your products and the supply chain through which they flow is vital, but there is a path for emerging companies to take through the process. Providing learning, connections and mentoring, the FMI Emerge subscription-based program can be found at <a href="file:///Volumes/fmifs/Share/EmergingBrands/Content/Blogs/www.moreshelfspace.org">www.moreshelfspace.org</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.