New Tools in the Fight Against Food Waste

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

Driving Local Business and Community Growth Across West Virginia

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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.

This week, experts in measuring and reporting food loss and waste from the World Resources Institute (WRI) and ReFED shared new resources companies can use as they start or continue to set targets, measurements and actions in the effort to minimize food loss and waste.

<p>By Marjorie DePuy, Senior Director, Supply Chain and Sustainability, FMI <img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/photos-for-staff-use/center-aisle-carts-baskets/20161208-fmi-1329r-web.tmb-small.jpg?sfvrsn=8d236c6e_2" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="20161208-FMI-1329r-WEB" title="20161208-FMI-1329r-WEB" style="float: right; margin: 10px;" /></p> <p>As a society, we waste somewhere between 25-40% of the food that is grown, processed and transported. As we work to lower that number, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the measurements and action required, much less the information and reporting.</p> <p>This week, experts in measuring and reporting food loss and waste from the <a href="https://www.wri.org/">World Resources Institute</a> (WRI) and <a href="https://www.refed.com/?sort=economic-value-per-ton">ReFED</a> shared new resources companies can use as they start or continue to set targets, measurements and actions in the effort to minimize food loss and waste.</p> <h5>Measurement and Management Tools</h5> <p>WRI’s <a href="https://flwprotocol.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Overcoming-resistance-to-food-loss-and-waste-measurement_2019-Dec-17.pdf">Overcoming Resistance to the Measurement of Food Loss and Waste</a> guidance gives practical information and resources to overcome common obstacles to implementing measurement and management policies for food waste. The <a href="https://flwprotocol.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/FLW-Protocol_Excluding-Weight-of-Packaging_Guidance_2019Dec17.pdf">Approaches for Excluding the Weight of Packaging from the Weight of Food Loss and Waste (FLW)</a> details approaches and guidance to selecting proper practices for food waste measurement.</p> <h5>Food Loss Mapping</h5> <p>WRI ‘s <a href="https://thefoodwasteatlas.org/home">Food Waste Atlas</a>, launched last year, gives users details, by product category and region, about food loss and waste. Updates to the Atlas include improved search speed/functionality, 200K more data points and more search filters. Coming soon is an online data submission form to make sharing data easier.</p> <h5>Calculation Tools</h5> <p>The <a href="https://www.refed.com/content-hub/refeds-insights-engine-fueling-an-actionable-and-data-driven-path-to-fight-food-waste/">ReFED Insights Engine</a> gives additional support to companies looking to make the conversion from financial Point of Sale (POS) data to weight estimates, which most reporting frameworks for food waste require. ReFED has worked in partnership with Nielsen on calculators that incorporate publicly available data as well as proprietary data across 250 categories. The algorithms were developed to convert POS data to common weight measurement. The data behind the Insights Engine represents over 85% of U.S. grocery retail sales and includes random weight items sold by count or each. The data and methodology will be available early January 2020.</p> <h5>Consumer Guidance</h5> <p>Speaking of tools, this is a good time of year to remind customers about the <a href="https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep-food-safe/foodkeeper-app">FoodKeeper mobile app</a>. Created through the work of FMI, the Cornell University Department of Food Science and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), this free, shopper-friendly tool helps shoppers know how best to store food and maintain freshness and quality, avoiding food waste at home.</p> <p>Armed with these tools, may 2020 be the year that households across the country and our entire food supply chain prevent food waste and improve recovery and recycling of excess food.</p>

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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.