Minnesota Grocers Association

What Minnesota Grocers Association does

The Minnesota Grocers Association (MGA) is a 501(c)(6) trade association founded in 1899, headquartered at 1360 Energy Park Drive, St. Paul, Minnesota, representing the food industry of Minnesota from farm to fork. It serves over 300 retail, manufacturer, wholesale, broker, allied, and liquor retail member companies operating nearly 1,300 locations statewide and employing more than 150,000 union and non-union Minnesotans. The association is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from member executives and led by President Patrick Garofalo, with a lean operational staff of approximately four to five people.

MGA's core deliverables are membership services rather than products in the conventional sense. Its service portfolio spans advocacy and government relations (Food PAC of MN, Minnesota Food Coalition, Capitol Checkout legislative calls), workforce development (Carts to Careers with State of Minnesota DEED tuition support, Retail Management Certificate through Alexandria Technical & Community College), community programs (Bag Hunger Campaign with Feeding America-aligned partners, GrocersGetGreen, Best Bagger Contest), industry communications (quarterly Minnesota Grocer magazine with 6,000 circulation, monthly Frontline Newsletter, Online Checkout webinar series, Capitol Checkout calls), and recognition programs (Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Hall of Fame). Member-facing operations run on the GrowthZone association management platform.

The revenue model is predominantly subscription-based, with tiered annual membership dues scaled by company size across retailer, manufacturer, allied, broker, wholesaler, and liquor-retailer categories. Secondary revenue streams include magazine advertising, event sponsorships and registration (Annual Conference, golf tournament, Bag Hunger Campaign), and Food PAC contributions. Distribution is direct-to-enterprise via online membership application, member login portal, and event registration. Geographic scope is limited to the United States, with all activity concentrated in Minnesota; there are no subsidiaries beyond the 1992-established Minnesota Grocers Association Foundation, which administers scholarships (over $1,000,000 awarded to date) and workforce programs.

Name

Minnesota Grocers Association

Legal name

Minnesota Grocers Association

Website

https://mngrocers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Minnesota Grocers Association is a 125-year-old nonprofit trade association representing over 300 retail, manufacturing, and wholesale member companies across nearly 1,300 Minnesota locations, delivering advocacy, workforce development, community programs, and industry communications to the state's food industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

Keywords

• Grocery industry association
• Trade association membership
• Food industry advocacy
• Government relations services
• Workforce development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Paul

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 investment based on company size and type. Tiers include retailers (multiple revenue brackets from under $500,000 to over $1 billion), associate brokers, associate manufacturers (multiple tiers), associate allied companies, associate wholesalers, and liquor retailers. This is the primary revenue stream supporting association operations.
2. Magazine Advertising: The quarterly Minnesota Grocer magazine has a circulation of 6,000 per issue and reaches top Minnesota decision-makers. The magazine offers advertising opportunities to reach the grocery industry's key decision-makers.
3. Event Sponsorships and Registration: Revenue generated from the Annual Conference, golf tournament, scholarship fundraiser events, and Bag Hunger Campaign sponsorship opportunities.
4. Food PAC Contributions: The Food PAC of MN accepts contributions from member companies to support pro-food industry political candidates. Contributions over $200 are disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Minnesota Grocers Association is a nonprofit trade association that represents Minnesota's food industry through membership-based services including state government advocacy, industry communications, networking events, workforce development, scholarships, and community campaigns. It serves retail grocers, wholesalers, manufacturers, brokers, allied companies, and convenience store operators across Minnesota. MGA delivers these services through tiered annual membership plus affiliated programs such as the Bag Hunger Campaign, MGA Foundation, Food PAC, and Minnesota Food Coalition.

Product overview

The Minnesota Grocers Association operates as a membership-based trade organization rather than a technology product company. The organization offers a unified platform of membership services including advocacy representation at the State Capitol, industry communications through the quarterly Minnesota Grocer Magazine and monthly Frontline Newsletter, workforce development via Carts to Careers and the MGA Foundation Scholarship Program, and community initiatives including the Bag Hunger Campaign and Best Bagger Contest. The organization also provides member-exclusive access to the Online Checkout Webinar Series, an Annual Conference, legislative engagement through Capitol Checkout calls, political participation via Food PAC of MN and Minnesota Food Coalition, and a searchable Member Directory. These services are delivered through the GrowthZone membership management platform rather than a proprietary technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MGA Membership Program Annual membership program providing tiered membership for retailers, associate brokers, associate manufacturers, associate allied companies, associate wholesalers, and liquor retailers operating in Minnesota's food industry. Core product with tiered revenue-based pricing.
• Carts to Careers (CTC) Workforce development initiative providing tuition support for food industry employees, including the Retail Management Certificate program through Alexandria Technical & Community College, designed to expand the food industry's workforce through education and career advancement.
• Bag Hunger Campaign Annual statewide hunger relief initiative bringing together grocers, vendors, and consumers to support food shelves across Minnesota, with Silver Plate Awards recognizing outstanding participants. Has provided over 47 million meals since 2008.
• Minnesota Grocer Magazine Quarterly trade publication covering Minnesota's grocery business from farm to fork, featuring industry insights, regulations, trends, and technological innovations. Circulation of 6,000 per issue reaching top Minnesota decision-makers. Available to advertising partners.
• Frontline Newsletter Monthly newsletter focused on legislative updates, upcoming events, and timely industry news for MGA members.
• Online Checkout Webinar Series Member-exclusive online webinar series covering regulatory compliance, industry trends, and operational topics in one-hour concise formats, with recordings available for team sharing.
• Annual Conference Annual three-day networking event for MGA members featuring retail decision-makers and supplier companies, with the 2026 edition scheduled for July 26-28, 2026 in Brainerd, MN.
• Food PAC of MN Political Action Committee supporting candidates for elective office who demonstrate commitment to Minnesota's retail food industry. Accepts contributions from member companies with disclosures for contributions over $200.
• Minnesota Food Coalition Independent Expenditure Political Committee created by MGA to educate voters on electing pro-industry candidates without coordinating with candidates or making direct contributions.
• Best Bagger Contest Annual statewide bagging competition culminating in a trip for the winner to the National Grocers Association Best Bagger Championship in Las Vegas. 37th annual contest held in 2025.
• Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year Contest Annual recognition program honoring Minnesota retailers for excellence in promoting locally grown and produced products, conducted in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Minnesota Grown program across 7 regional categories plus People's Choice and Beer/Wine/Spirits awards.
• MGA Foundation Scholarship Program Scholarship program supporting students connected to the Minnesota food industry, including the Piggyback Scholarship Program for member company employees and dependents. Over $1,000,000 in scholarships awarded to date.
• Member Directory Searchable online directory of MGA members with geographic search capabilities by radius for networking and business development.
• Capitol Checkout Bi-weekly legislative update discussions hosted during legislative sessions providing up-to-the-minute information from St. Paul via Microsoft Teams.
• MGA Foundation Golf Event & Scholarship Fundraiser Annual golf tournament fundraiser for the MGA Foundation scholarship program, held at The Refuge Golf Club in Oak Grove, MN.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 47 million meals provided to Minnesota families since 2008 through Bag Hunger Campaign
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers32 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• State of Minnesota (DEED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Minnesota Grocers Association Foundation partners with the State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to fund the Carts to Careers workforce development program. DEED provides grant funding for training programs that expand the food industry's workforce through tuition support for education and career advancement in Minnesota's food industry.
• Alexandria Technical & Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver the Retail Management Certificate (RMC) program - an online, nationally recognized, industry-endorsed 8-course education certificate. The program is accredited and designed to meet the educational requirements of the food industry, with most participants completing in two years or less.
• Minnesota Department of Agriculture (Minnesota Grown Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMGA partners with MDA's Minnesota Grown program to recognize retailers promoting locally grown and produced products through the annual Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year contest. Winners are named across multiple regional categories.
• Feeding America Partner Food BankscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bag Hunger Campaign partners with food shelves and food banks across Minnesota to distribute donations. Since 2008, the campaign has helped provide over 47 million meals to Minnesota families.
• National Grocers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMGA participates in the National Grocers Association Best Bagger Championship, sending state winners to compete at the national level in Las Vegas, NV. Cole Helgeson placed 4th at the 2025 national competition.
• Food CharitiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBag Hunger Campaign winners receive $1,000 donations to donate to food charities of their choice within their districts, strengthening local community ties.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Wisconsin Grocers Association: Direct state-level peer operating in the adjacent Midwest grocery market with comparable member services, government relations, and Bag Hunger-style food assistance programs. Wisconsin's similar independent grocer landscape makes this the closest comparable trade association in structure and scale.
• California Grocers Association: State-level grocery trade association serving California with similar advocacy, education, and community programming structure. Despite the geographic difference, both organizations operate the same trade association model serving retail grocers, wholesalers, and suppliers in their respective states.
• Illinois Retail Merchants Association: State-level retail trade association in Illinois that represents grocers among other retailers with comparable government relations, member services, and educational programming. Functions as a structural analog to MGA in a different Midwestern state.
• Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association: Pennsylvania-based trade association for food retailers and wholesalers offering government affairs, education, and member programming that mirrors MGA's service portfolio. Another state-level peer in a different regional market.
• Ohio Grocers Association: Ohio's state-level grocery trade association representing retail grocers, wholesalers, and suppliers with similar advocacy and education programming. Comparable in mission and membership model to MGA, differing primarily by geography.
• Michigan Retailers Association: Michigan-based retail trade association providing advocacy, member benefits, and education to grocers and other retailers. Closely mirrors MGA's organizational structure and revenue model (dues, events, publications) in an adjacent state market.
• New York State Food Industry Alliance: Trade association representing New York's food retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers with parallel advocacy, member services, and industry events. Functions as an East Coast structural equivalent to MGA's Midwest grocery association model.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS): National trade association for the convenience store industry that overlaps with MGA's convenience store operator member segment (e.g., Holiday Stationstores, Kwik Trip). Serves as a competing association for the c-store portion of MGA's membership base.
• Food Marketing Institute (FMI): The largest food retail trade association in the U.S., representing a broader cross-section of food retailers and wholesalers. FMI overlaps with MGA on education, advocacy, and industry research but operates at national scale, making it both a peer for member services and a competitor for corporate member dues.
• National Grocers Association (NGA): National trade association representing the grocery industry with similar advocacy, education, and event programming. NGA operates the Best Bagger Championship that MGA's state contest feeds into, making it both a complementary partner and a broader incumbent competing for the same member mindshare at the national level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MNGrocers
• Facebookfacebook.com/MNGrocers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mn-grocers-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Minnesota Grocers Association