Arizona Food Marketing Alliance

What Arizona Food Marketing Alliance does

Arizona Food Marketing Alliance (AFMA) is a nonprofit state trade association founded in 1943 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, that serves as the unified industry body for Arizona's grocery retailers, convenience stores, and food/beverage suppliers. The organization operates a community-led go-to-market model, generating revenue primarily through annual membership dues (from retail and supplier members) and a tiered sponsorship program (Grand Canyon, Superstition, Camelback, Sedona, and Sabino levels). Named retail members include Albertsons, Bashas', Fry's Food Stores, Safeway, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Cardenas Markets, IGA, Circle K, and QuikTrip; supplier and Grand Canyon sponsors include Anheuser-Busch, PepsiCo, Frito-Lay, Shamrock Foods, Swire Coca-Cola, Crescent Crown Distributing, and Blue Bell Creameries.

AFMA's core product is membership services encompassing industry networking (bowling events, golf tournaments), legislative and regulatory advocacy, and member resources, complemented by a bimonthly publication, The Arizona Food Industry Journal, which informs members and legislators of current events, issues, and laws affecting the Arizona food industry. The affiliated Food and Drug Industry Education Foundation (established 1997) administers AFMA Scholarships ($500–$5,000), tuition reimbursement, and promotes credentialing programs including the WAFC Retail Management Certificate Program and the ASU Food Industry Marketing and Management degree delivered through the Morrison School of Agribusiness. The Foundation has cumulatively awarded over $2 million to AFMA members and their dependents since inception.

The business model is subscription-style recurring (annual dues plus multi-year sponsorship commitments), distributed exclusively within Arizona, with a small staff team (1–10 employees) led by President Lisa Bednar and a governance structure that includes an Education Foundation Board of Trustees chaired by Terry Morrison of Crescent Crown Distributing, with Vice Chair Sabrina Dominguez of Bashas'. Operations are funded entirely through member dues, tiered sponsorships, and event participation rather than equity investment, and the organization maintains active bimonthly publishing and recurring annual events through at least 2026.

Name

Arizona Food Marketing Alliance

Legal name

Arizona Food Marketing Alliance

Website

https://afmaaz.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Arizona Food Marketing Alliance is a nonprofit state trade association founded in 1943 in Phoenix that represents Arizona's grocery retailers, convenience stores, and food/beverage suppliers through annual memberships, tiered sponsorships, legislative advocacy, networking events, and a bimonthly industry journal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarship, Financial Aid & FAFSA Support (EDAMAKAF)

Keywords

• Grocery trade association
• Food industry advocacy
• Industry membership services
• Industry networking events
• Workforce scholarships

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: AFMA generates revenue through annual membership dues from retail members (grocers, convenience stores) and supplier members (food and beverage companies). Membership levels vary and provide access to networking events, industry advocacy, educational programs, and member resources.
2. Sponsorship Programs: The organization offers tiered sponsorship opportunities including Grand Canyon Sponsor, Superstition Sponsor, Camelback Sponsor, Sedona Sponsor, and Sabino Sponsor levels. Sponsors receive visibility at events, recognition in communications, and access to industry networking opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AFMA is a nonprofit state trade association that provides membership services to Arizona grocers, convenience stores, and food and beverage suppliers, including industry networking events, legislative advocacy, the bimonthly Arizona Food Industry Journal, and access to scholarships and tuition reimbursement programs for member employees and their dependents through its affiliated Food and Drug Industry Education Foundation.

Product overview

Arizona Food Marketing Alliance (AFMA) is a trade association serving Arizona's grocery industry since 1943. The organization offers a unified portfolio of member services including trade association membership, The Arizona Food Industry Journal (a bimonthly industry publication), and the Food and Drug Industry Education Foundation which administers AFMA Scholarships and Tuition Reimbursement programs for member company employees and dependents. AFMA also facilitates educational advancement through partnerships offering the WAFC Retail Management Certificate Program and ASU's Food Industry Marketing and Management degree. The organization coordinates industry events including bowling tournaments, golf events, scholarship luncheons, and leadership awards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AFMA Membership Trade association membership serving Arizona's grocery industry, connecting grocers, convenience stores, and suppliers with networking events, advocacy, member resources, and access to the Arizona Food Industry Journal and Education Foundation programs.
• The Arizona Food Industry Journal Bimonthly magazine published by AFMA that informs members and legislators of current events, issues, and laws in the Arizona food industry.
• Food and Drug Industry Education Foundation

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $2 million awarded to AFMA members and their dependents since 1997 for education and professional development
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• America's Cart Services (ACS)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner providing cart services to the grocery industry. ACS presents AFMA Scholarships and is featured prominently in AFMA events and communications.
• Crescent Crown DistributingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner. Chairman Terry Morrison of Crescent Crown Distributing serves as Chairman of the AFMA Education Foundation Board of Trustees.
• Anheuser-BuschcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner in the beverage and beer distribution industry.
• Arizona State LotterycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner. Arizona Lottery is featured in AFMA communications and events.
• Bar-ScoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner in the food processing industry.
• Blue Bell CreameriescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner. Taylor Avery of Blue Bell Creameries serves as a Trustee on the AFMA Education Foundation Board.
• Breakthru Beverage ArizonacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner in beverage distribution.
• Frito-LaycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner in the snack food industry.
• Hensley Beverage Co.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner in beverage distribution.
• Mission FoodscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner in the food manufacturing industry.
• Molson-CoorscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner in the beer and beverage industry.
• PepsiCocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner in the beverage and snack industry.
• RNDC (Republic National Distributing Company)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner in wine and spirits distribution.
• Shamrock FoodscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner in food and beverage distribution.
• Southern Glazer's Wine & SpiritscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner in wine and spirits distribution.
• Swire Coca-ColacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrand Canyon Sponsor level partner. Karen Leipart of Swire Coca-Cola serves as a Trustee on the AFMA Education Foundation Board.
• HeinekensecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerSuperstition Sponsor level partner in the beer industry.
• JarritossecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCamelback Sponsor level partner. Jarritos presents the First Generation College Student scholarship.
• Monster EnergysecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCamelback Sponsor level partner. Mike Smith of Monster Energy serves as a Trustee on the AFMA Education Foundation Board.
• Arizona State University - W.P. Carey School of Business, Morrison School of AgribusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSabino Sponsor level partner. ASU offers the Food Industry Marketing and Management degree program, and AFMA Scholarships are available to students accepted into the program. Dr. Renee Shaw Hughner represents the school on the Foundation Board.
• Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAFC offers the WAFC Retail Management Certificate Program, an 8-course college-level program fully endorsed by WAFC and its member companies. AFMA promotes this nationally-recognized program to Arizona community colleges.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC): WAFC is a regional food industry trade association covering the western U.S. It is a direct peer - AFMA already partners with WAFC to promote its Retail Management Certificate Program in Arizona, and both serve the same supermarket/retail ecosystem.
• National Grocers Association (NGA): NGA is the national trade association representing the independent grocery industry. It is a direct peer serving the same retailer and supplier base that AFMA serves at the state level.
• Food Industry Association (FMI): FMI is the largest U.S. food retail trade association. It is a direct peer representing the same grocer-supplier ecosystem that AFMA serves at the Arizona state level.
• National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS): NACS is the national trade association for the convenience store industry. AFMA explicitly serves convenience store operators like Circle K and QuikTrip, making NACS a direct peer for the convenience-store portion of AFMA's membership.

Regional players

• California Grocers Association (CGA): CGA is a state-level grocery trade association serving California. It is the most directly comparable regional peer to AFMA in terms of structure, mission, and member base (grocers, c-stores, suppliers).
• Texas Retailers Association: Texas Retailers Association is a regional peer trade association serving retailers in Texas. It is comparable to AFMA in operating as a state-level retail industry association with advocacy and member services.
• New York State Association of Convenience Stores (NYSACS): NYSACS is a state-level convenience store trade association. It is a regional peer to AFMA's convenience-store side, with similar structure and member services.

Broad incumbents

• Consumer Brands Association (formerly GMA): Consumer Brands Association is the national trade association for consumer packaged goods manufacturers. AFMA represents many supplier members that are constituents of this broader national body.
• American Beverage Association: American Beverage Association is the national trade association for the non-alcoholic beverage industry. Several major AFMA sponsors (PepsiCo, Swire Coca-Cola, Monster Energy, Jarritos) belong to this broader national body.
• National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA): NBWA is the national trade association for beer distributors. AFMA's Grand Canyon sponsors include major beer distributors (Crescent Crown, Hensley, Southern Glazer's, RNDC, Breakthru), making NBWA a comparable industry body.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arizona-food-marketing-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arizona Food Marketing Alliance