Mississippi Hospitality & Restaurant Association

What Mississippi Hospitality & Restaurant Association does

The Mississippi Hospitality & Restaurant Association (MHRA) is a private nonprofit trade association founded in 1954 and headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi. It serves as the statewide advocacy and member services body for the restaurant and hospitality industry in Mississippi, offering three membership tiers—Restaurant & Hospitality, Associate, and Lodging—with annual dues ranging from $250 to over $1,700 depending on business size and segment. The organization operates with a lean staff of three full-time employees (Pat Fontaine, Megan Carmean-Penna, Tad Wilkes).

MHRA's core offerings include discounted ServSafe food safety training and certification (delivering an estimated 95% of Mississippi's food safety instruction), the ProStart career and technical education program operating in over 50 Mississippi high schools, government affairs representation at state and federal levels, and access to a network of endorsed provider discounts on insurance, group purchasing, music licensing, and business resources. The organization also operates the Mississippi Seafood Labeling compliance program and publishes an annual Buyer's Guide directory. Recent legislative achievements include the Third Party Delivery Company Logo/Menu Legislation and a Wine and Spirits Privilege Fee Reduction.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring membership dues, supplemented by ServSafe training fees and affiliate or referral commissions from endorsed partners such as HUB International, UnitedHealthcare, Dining Alliance, and BMI/SESAC. Membership acquisition occurs through direct phone sales, a self-service online portal, and member referrals, with the dual-membership affiliation with the National Restaurant Association serving as a key value differentiator that extends federal advocacy reach and unified access to industry resources.

Name

Mississippi Hospitality & Restaurant Association

Legal name

Mississippi Hospitality & Restaurant Association

Website

https://msra.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Mississippi Hospitality & Restaurant Association is a nonprofit trade association founded in 1954 that serves Mississippi's restaurant and lodging industry through legislative advocacy, ServSafe training, ProStart education, and endorsed partner discounts on insurance, purchasing, and licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Jackson

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: Annual membership dues based on business type and projected sales volume. Restaurant membership scales from $350 (under $1M sales) to $1,700+ (over $10M), with per-location fees for multi-location operators. Associate membership at $250-$450. Lodging membership at $275-$450.
2. ServSafe Training: Food safety training and certification courses with member discounts. ServSafe certificates are recognized nationwide.
3. Endorsed Partner Programs: Revenue through endorsed provider partnerships including insurance (HUB International, UnitedHealthcare), music licensing (BMI, SESAC), group purchasing (Dining Alliance, ODP Business Solutions), and restaurant resources (RestaurantOwner.com).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mississippi Hospitality & Restaurant Association (MHRA) is a nonprofit statewide trade association that sells annual memberships and delivers advocacy, training, and member-benefit services to Mississippi's hospitality and restaurant industries. Members receive government affairs representation, discounted ServSafe food safety certification, ProStart workforce education, scholarships, and access to endorsed-provider discounts on insurance, music licensing, group purchasing, and business resources.

Product overview

The Mississippi Hospitality & Restaurant Association (MHRA) is a state industry association that provides advocacy, education, and member services for the hospitality and restaurant sector in Mississippi. The organization offers three membership types (Restaurant & Hospitality, Associate, and Lodging) with benefits including discounted ServSafe food safety training, ProStart career education programs for high school students, government affairs advocacy, scholarship programs, and access to endorsed provider discounts on insurance, group purchasing, and business resources. The association also administers the Mississippi Seafood Labeling compliance program and organizes the annual Bill Latham Memorial Golf Tournament for networking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Restaurant & Hospitality Membership Annual statewide membership for Mississippi restaurants and hospitality businesses of all sizes, priced $350–$1,700+ based on projected annual sales (with per-location fees for operators of more than 10 locations). Includes dual National Restaurant Association membership, government affairs representation, member discounts, and educational training access.
• Associate Membership Annual membership for service professionals and institutions supplying products or services to the Mississippi restaurant and hospitality industries. Full Statewide Membership is $450 and Local Membership is $250. Includes networking, statewide advertising, and Marketplace Directory listing.
• Lodging Membership Annual membership for Mississippi lodging operators, including full-service properties with dining ($450), limited-service properties ($275), and bed & breakfasts ($275). Includes National Restaurant Association dual membership, networking opportunities, and member benefits.
• ServSafe Training Food safety training and certification program delivered under the National Restaurant Association's ServSafe brand, recognized in all 50 states. MHRA delivers the program for Mississippi operators and accounts for approximately 95% of food safety instruction in the state. Available at member-discounted pricing.
• ProStart Program Nationwide career and technical education program for high school students pursuing hospitality or restaurant careers. In Mississippi, MHRA supports the program in more than 50 high schools by aligning curriculum, supplying industry mentors, and funding scholarships.
• Government Affairs & Industry Advocacy Advocacy service representing the Mississippi hospitality and restaurant industries at the state and federal government levels, including legislative monitoring, lobbying, and policy engagement. Successfully influenced legislation such as the wine and spirits privilege fee reduction and 2023 third-party delivery company regulations.
• Member Benefits Program Discount program for members providing access to endorsed-provider savings on ServSafe training, RestaurantOwner.com (15% off monthly, 30% off annual), music licensing with BMI (up to 20% off) and SESAC (up to 10% off), health insurance via UnitedHealthcare (up to 5% off for 51+ employees), group insurance via HUB International, group purchasing via Dining Alliance, office supplies via ODP Business Solutions (up to 80% off preferred products), and payment processing via BFAC Merchant Solutions.
• Mississippi Seafood Labeling Compliance Compliance support program for Mississippi restaurants subject to the state's seafood labeling law (effective July 1) requiring 'Domestic' or 'Imported' verbiage for listed seafood and crawfish products including shrimp. Includes signage and documentation resources.
• MHRA Buyer's Guide Online directory featuring MHRA member businesses and service providers at mshospitalitybuyersguide.com, providing member visibility and networking within the Mississippi hospitality industry.
• Scholarship Programs MHRA Education Foundation scholarships supporting students pursuing hospitality careers, including the ProStart Scholarship ($1,000), Tom Cook Memorial Scholarship ($2,000), and Steve Mattison 'Over & Beyond' Scholarship ($500).
• Bill Latham Memorial Golf Tournament Annual four-person scramble golf tournament held in May, serving as a paid networking and engagement event for Mississippi restaurant and hospitality owners and employees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members receive discounts on ServSafe training and certifications
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Restaurant AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual membership partnership where MHRA members automatically receive National Restaurant Association membership. Includes access to NRA research, training programs, and federal government advocacy representation.
• ServSafecoreTechnology or IntegrationMHRA delivers ServSafe food safety training recognized in all 50 states, accounting for 95% of food safety instruction in Mississippi. Members receive discounted pricing on training and certifications.
• RestaurantOwner.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive partnership offering MHRA members 15% off all monthly plans and 30% off all annual plans. Provides restaurant management resources, templates, and training programs.
• UnitedHealthcarecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive association health plans for hospitality businesses with up to 5% savings on medical benefits. Tailored health plans for groups of 2+ eligible employees through the National Restaurant Association legacy program.
• BMIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic licensing service partnership providing MHRA members up to 20% discount on music performance licensing for restaurants and hospitality operations.
• SESACminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic licensing service partnership providing MHRA members up to 10% discount on music performance licensing for restaurants and hospitality operations.
• HUB InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive group insurance program for Mississippi restaurants through world's largest privately held insurance broker. Provides competitive pricing and coverage designed specifically for hospitality businesses.
• VIU by HUBminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInsurance partner providing personalized auto, homeowners, renters, and condo insurance options for MHRA members through brokerage services.
• Dining AlliancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGroup Purchasing Organization providing MHRA members access to purchasing power and rebates not usually available to individual operators. Helps increase profitability through collective buying power.
• ODP Business SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOffice products partnership offering MHRA members up to 80% off preferred products and at least 15% off 3,000 commonly used products.
• BFAC Merchant SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayment processing services partner helping restaurant owners increase profits while decreasing costs. Committed to no junk fees or unnecessary pricing increases.
• Mississippi ProStartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer and technical education program uniting food service/hospitality industry with high school classrooms. MHRA supports through curriculum alignment, industry mentors, and scholarships.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Restaurant Association: The U.S. federal-level restaurant industry trade association that MHRA partners with via dual membership. Comparable as a peer trade body serving the same restaurant operator customer base with overlapping advocacy, training (ServSafe), and research services at a broader geography.
• American Hotel & Lodging Association: U.S. federal-level trade body for the lodging industry. Comparable to MHRA's Lodging Membership tier and complements MHRA's restaurant-side membership; both organizations represent overlapping hospitality operator segments through state-federal affiliated structures.

Regional players

• Louisiana Restaurant Association: State-level hospitality and restaurant trade association for Louisiana. Operates an essentially identical model to MHRA — tiered membership, ServSafe training, advocacy, ProStart, endorsed partners — and represents a direct structural comparable in an adjacent Gulf Coast state.
• Alabama Restaurant & Hospitality Association: Alabama's statewide hospitality trade association. Closest geographic peer to MHRA, with a parallel structure of membership tiers, ServSafe training, state advocacy, and ProStart. Useful as a structural benchmark for MHRA's scale and revenue mix.
• Georgia Restaurant Association: State-level restaurant trade association serving Georgia. Directly comparable business model: tiered membership dues, ServSafe training delivery, state-level government advocacy, endorsed partner program, and ProStart workforce development. Operates in an adjacent Southeast geography rather than competing with MHRA.
• South Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association: Combined restaurant and lodging trade association for South Carolina. Directly mirrors MHRA's blended restaurant/hospitality/lodging membership model and represents the same multi-segment hospitality operator base in an adjacent Southeast geography.
• Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association: Statewide hospitality association serving Tennessee. Comparable combination of restaurant and lodging membership, advocacy, training, and workforce development programs. Operates in a neighboring Southeast market.
• Texas Restaurant Association: Larger statewide restaurant trade association serving Texas. Mirrors MHRA's model (tiered dues, ServSafe, advocacy, ProStart, endorsed partners) at greater scale; a useful benchmark for MHRA's potential upside if it expanded scope.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MSHospRestAssn
• Facebookfacebook.com/MSHospRestAssn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Mississippi Hospitality & Restaurant Association