Ohio Grocers Association

What Ohio Grocers Association does

Ohio Grocers Association (OGA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1899 and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. It serves approximately 400 members across Ohio's grocery industry, including retail grocers, wholesalers, brokers, and associates, with a small staff of roughly 10 employees. Named members include regional operators such as Buehler's, Dave's Market, and MDI, indicating a mix of independent and mid-sized chain retailers alongside wholesale and broker segments.

OGA's core products and services are organized around three pillars: legislative advocacy, member programming, and partner services. On the advocacy side, OGA tracks more than 40 statehouse bills annually and provides direct legislative testimony, including President Kristin Mullins' March 2025 testimony on tobacco tax policy. Member programming includes the annual OGA Celebration event, compliance resources such as the OGA SuperPoster, and the Environmental Task Force (in operation since 2007) which addresses sustainability issues relevant to grocery operations. The partner service ecosystem integrates vendors including Federated Insurance, Sedgwick, USEBS, NextEra, and ACS, offering members access to insurance, claims management, energy, and HR/payroll services.

OGA's business model is built on tiered membership dues (with retailer dues scaled by Ohio sales volume and separate tiers for wholesalers and associates), event sponsorships, and newsletter advertising reaching over 1,200 recipients. In June 2026, OGA extended its footprint via a partnership with the Midwest Retail & Grocery Alliance, signaling a strategic move beyond a purely Ohio-centric remit toward a broader Midwest coalition.

Name

Ohio Grocers Association

Legal name

Ohio Grocers Association

Website

https://ohiogrocers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ohio Grocers Association is a 1899-founded non-profit trade association based in Columbus, OH, serving approximately 400 Ohio grocers, wholesalers, brokers, and associates through legislative advocacy, member events, compliance resources, and partner service programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: OGA generates revenue primarily through annual membership dues from retailers, brokers, associates, wholesalers, and service providers. Dues are calculated based on annual Ohio sales volume, with tiered pricing structures for each membership category. Membership runs January through December, with annual billing sent by October 1st. Mid-year signups receive prorated dues.
2. Event Sponsorships: OGA generates revenue through event sponsorships including their Annual Celebration and Golf Classic. Sponsorships range from Copper ($500-$999) to Platinum ($5,000+) tiers, providing various levels of visibility and recognition at industry events.
3. Advertising and Marketing: OGA offers advertising opportunities across multiple channels including the Weekly Checkout e-newsletter (1,200+ recipients), website banner advertising, and bundled advertising packages combining print, digital, and social media platforms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Ohio Grocers Association (OGA) is a not-for-profit trade association founded in 1899 that represents approximately 400 grocers, wholesalers, brokers, and associates across Ohio's food industry. It provides legislative and regulatory advocacy, networking events, education, compliance resources, and member-benefit programs (insurance, workers' compensation, energy, and marketing services) on behalf of the state's grocery industry.

Product overview

Ohio Grocers Association (OGA) operates as a non-profit trade association established in 1899, representing approximately 400 grocers, wholesalers, brokers, and associates in Ohio's food industry. The organization offers a membership platform providing advocacy, industry education, compliance resources (SuperPosters), and member discounts on services. Core offerings include the OGA Membership Programs with multiple tiers, the Weekly Checkout newsletter, Ohio Grocers Foundation (scholarships and tuition reimbursement), and member events (Annual Celebration, Golf Classic). Partner services available through membership include Sedgwick workers' compensation, Federated Insurance, US Employee Benefits Services, NextEra energy program, and American Coupon Services. The organization also provides marketing opportunities through its digital and print platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ohio Grocers Foundation (OGF): The educational and philanthropic arm of the Ohio Grocers Association that provides tuition reimbursement, scholarships, and training for the grocery industry.

Products and services

• OGA Industry Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $70,000 awarded in tuition reimbursement dollars to date through the Ohio Grocers Foundation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Midwest Retail & Grocery AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026OGA announced a new partnership with the Midwest Retail & Grocery Alliance on June 30, 2026. This partnership marks an exciting new chapter for OGA while maintaining the organization's strong commitment to advocating for Ohio's grocery industry and delivering valuable resources and services to its members.
• Federated InsurancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederated Insurance is OGA's preferred insurance provider, offering tailored industry-specific products, safety and risk management services, specialized coverages, and complimentary Risk Management Academy attendance for members.
• Sedgwick (Managed Care Ohio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSedgwick MCO is a workers' compensation managed care organization that provides seamless solutions for employee recovery, helps control expenses, and reduces lost workdays. Essential component of OGA's workers' compensation program.
• US Employee Benefits Services (USEBS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSEBS provides OGA members unique benefits and health insurance services including Group Health, Dental, Vision, Cancer, Long Term Care, Critical Illness, Life, Enrollment Services, and other opportunities.
• NextEra AdvisorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNextEra Advisors collaborates with OGA to offer innovative strategies for minimizing risk and managing energy costs. The OGA Energy Program features comprehensive energy solutions including procurement, efficiency improvements, onsite generation, and renewable energy initiatives.
• American Coupon ServicesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmerican Coupon Services (ACS) is the exclusive source for all coupon needs for OGA members, providing coupon redemption services.
• Ohio Bureau of Workers' CompensationcoreOthersThrough Sedgwick, OGA works with the Ohio BWC for workers' compensation programs including settlements, disability relief, and subrogation services.
• Ohio EPAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio Grocers Foundation partners with Ohio EPA on the Ohio Food Scrap Recovery Network environmental initiative.
• Ohio Department of AgricultureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOGF developed the Retail Food Defense Preparedness Guide with grant funding from the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
• Ohio Department of HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOGF developed the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Guide with grant funding from the Ohio Department of Health.
• Ohio Department of Natural ResourcesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOGF developed the Composting and Diversion Guide with grant funding from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
• Youngstown Area GrocersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished complementary Tuition Reimbursement and Scholarship Programs for members' employees and their dependents enrolled in college or continuing education programs.
• National Grocers AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor of OGA 2026 Celebration; national advocacy organization for the grocery industry.
• SpartanNashminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor of OGA 2026 Celebration annual industry event.
• Giant Eagle, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor of OGA 2026 Celebration; major regional grocery chain.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Michigan Retailers Association: State retail trade association serving Michigan grocers and other retailers. Comparable member base (state grocers, wholesalers, brokers), advocacy/government relations focus, and tiered membership structure.
• Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association: State-level grocery and convenience store trade association operating in neighboring Pennsylvania. Closely mirrors OGA's model of legislative advocacy, member tiers, events, and partner programs at a single-state level.
• National Grocers Association: National trade association representing the independent grocery industry. OGA is already a Bronze-sponsor-level partner of NGA, and NGA serves the same member category (retail/wholesale grocers) at the federal level, making it the most directly comparable trade-association peer.
• Midwest Retail & Grocery Alliance: Regional Midwest grocery trade group that entered a formal partnership with OGA in June 2026. Operates the same trade-association model (advocacy, member services, events) at a multi-state Midwest scale, making it OGA's closest structural peer and potential consolidation partner.
• Indiana Grocery & Convenience Store Association: Indiana state-level grocery and convenience trade association. Direct structural peer to OGA with similar advocacy, membership tiers, and event-driven engagement in a neighboring Midwest state.
• Wisconsin Grocers Association: Wisconsin state grocery trade association offering advocacy, education, and member benefits to grocers, wholesalers, and suppliers. Operates an essentially identical model to OGA in a contiguous Midwest state.
• Illinois Food Retailers Association: Illinois-based grocery trade association with advocacy, training, and member-services programs analogous to OGA's. Same vertical (state grocery retail), same revenue model (membership dues + events + partner programs).

Regional players

• Youngstown Area Grocers Association: Sub-state/regional Ohio grocery trade group that partners with OGA on tuition reimbursement and scholarship programs. Same industry, more localized geographic remit; relevant peer due to overlapping programs and shared members.

Broad incumbents

• Food Marketing Institute (FMI): The largest U.S. food retail industry association, serving broad food retailers, wholesalers, and suppliers. Comparable because it sells advocacy, education, and member services to the same customer base as OGA, but at a national scale and with a much wider portfolio.
• National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS): National trade association for convenience and fuel retail, including store formats that overlap with OGA's OHLQ liquor-store segment. Comparable advocacy/education model but with a broader scope and convenience-store focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ohiogrocers
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4aHZf-1ICPWr6Qtarsx40g
• Facebookfacebook.com/OhioGrocers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohio-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 Ohio Grocers Association