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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.

Brazil is one of the largest importers of food supplies into the U.S. According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the largest categories imported from Brazil are unroasted coffee ($934 million), fruit and vegetable juices ($501 million), and red meats ($281 million).

<p>By Kathy Chiao, Specialist, Marketing, SQFI<br /> <img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/globe---south-america---brazil.tmb-large-350-.jpg?sfvrsn=a8ed516e_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="Globe - South America - Brazil" title="Globe - South America - Brazil" style="float: right; margin: 10px;" /></p> <p>News headlines that include words such as &ldquo;recall,&rdquo; &ldquo;foodborne illness,&rdquo; and &ldquo;contamination&rdquo; get the attention of consumers. That&rsquo;s why it is crucial for retailers, food production and manufacturing facilities to elevate their food safety management systems to protect their brands, their buyers, and their bottom lines. With many retailers in the U.S. sourcing their products from Latin America, they must ensure that the supply chain meets the highest food safety standards.&nbsp; </p> <h5>Why Brazil?</h5> <p>Brazil is one of the largest importers of food supplies into the U.S. According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the largest categories imported from Brazil are unroasted<em> </em>coffee ($934 million), fruit and vegetable juices ($501 million), and red meats ($281 million).<em> </em>As a result, both U.S retailers with supply chain facilities in Brazil and Brazilian-based exporters are demanding high quality products for consumers. This puts Brazilian food producers and manufacturers under increasing pressure to adopt more robust food safety practices. Many of these food suppliers are turning to food safety Certification Program Owners (CPO) for solutions.&nbsp; </p> <p>As the largest CPO in North America, the <a href="https://www.sqfi.com/">Safe Quality Food Institute</a> (SQFI) seeks to assist retailers and food suppliers alike by expanding its resources into Brazil.<em> </em>At the Consumer Forum in Sao Paolo, SQFI&rsquo;s representative in Brazil, Palova Marquez, introduced the <a href="https://www.sqfi.com/what-is-the-sqf-program/sqf-fundamentals-program/">SQF Fundamentals Program</a> to retailers and suppliers as a solution to their food safety challenges. </p> <h5>The Business Case</h5> <p>To date, only a very small percentage of all food producers and manufacturers in Brazil have some form of food safety certification as a part of their operations. This leaves a vast majority of the market in need of a food safety management system to take their businesses to the next level. Created as a stepwise approach to assist small to medium sized food facilities, the <a href="https://www.sqfi.com/what-is-the-sqf-program/sqf-fundamentals-program/">SQF Fundamentals Program</a> is a fitting solution for food suppliers in Brazil, a country where most of its food production and manufacture facilities are classified as small businesses, with many of these businesses having less than four employees. Following the steps of the <a href="https://www.sqfi.com/what-is-the-sqf-program/sqf-fundamentals-program/">SQF Fundamentals Program</a> will give small, Brazilian businesses the ability to create a robust food safety management system or improve on existing food safety practices, allowing food suppliers to get their products into the international market.</p> <h5>Collaboration Is Key</h5> <p>In order to maintain and improve the safety and quality of food products, it is very important to foster an open dialogue between suppliers and retailers. Transparent discussions of the challenges facing the food industry allows for the creation of viable solutions to overcome these hurdles. </p> <p><a href="https://www.sqfi.com/what-is-the-sqf-program/sqf-fundamentals-program/" class="button-secondary">SQF Fundamentals Program</a></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.

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OMEGA Members Receive a 3.4% discount

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