Ufcw Local 653

What Ufcw Local 653 does

UFCW Local 653 is a labor union chartered under the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), representing workers across Minnesota and Iowa in retail grocery, meatpacking, food processing, and healthcare industries. Following a 2018 merger with UFCW Local 1161, the entity now operates as UFCW Local 663 and represents more than 17,000 members. It is headquartered in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, with a staff of approximately 16 employees and operates as a 501(c)(5) nonprofit organization. The union is affiliated with UFCW International (approximately 1.3 million members nationally) and the Minnesota AFL-CIO.

The union's core service is collective bargaining and contract enforcement on behalf of its members, with negotiated agreements covering workers at major employers including Hormel Foods, JBS, Quality Pork Processors, Jerry's Foods, Kowalski's Markets, Seward Community Coop, Half Price Books, Cub Foods, and Lunds & Byerlys. Beyond bargaining, the union administers grievance procedures, supports workplace safety initiatives (notably during COVID-19), and runs member benefit programs including scholarships, insurance through Wilson-McShane Corp, and legal services via Louris Marshall O'Brien P.A.

The revenue model is membership-dues-based, functioning as a recurring revenue stream tied to membership size and per-capita remittances to UFCW International. Leadership includes President Rena Wong, Secretary-Treasurer Paul Crandall, and Metro Field Director Chelsa Nelson. Growth has been driven primarily through consolidation (mergers with Local 1161 in 2018 and Local 9 in 2021) and selective organizing campaigns into adjacent verticals.

Name

Ufcw Local 653

Legal name

United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local No. 663

Website

https://ufcw653.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UFCW Local 653 (now UFCW Local 663) is a labor union representing 17,000+ workers across retail grocery, meatpacking, food processing, and healthcare industries in Minnesota and Iowa, providing collective bargaining and member benefits as a UFCW International affiliate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn Center

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Union Membership Dues: UFCW Local 663 generates revenue through membership dues paid by union members. The union conducts dues surveys and collects dues from workers in exchange for representation, collective bargaining, and member benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UFCW Local 653 was a labor union local that, after merging with UFCW Local 1161 in 2018 to form UFCW Local 663, now provides collective bargaining, contract enforcement, grievance handling, and workplace representation to over 17,000 workers in retail grocery, meatpacking and food processing, food preparation and manufacturing, healthcare, and other industries across Minnesota and Iowa. The union sells and distributes member benefit programs including LifeMart, Union Plus, TicketsAtWork, and TEAM, along with Health & Welfare and Pension plans, the Ours Resort retreat, free college tuition, and a Member Action Center.

Product overview

UFCW Local 663 (also referenced as UFCW Local 653) is a labor union representing over 17,000 workers in Minnesota and Iowa. Its core offering is union membership providing collective bargaining, contract enforcement, and worker representation. The union offers a portfolio of member benefit programs including LifeMart, Union Plus, TicketsAtWork, and TEAM, as well as Health & Welfare and Pension plans administered through Wilson-McShane Corporation. Additional benefits include the Ours Resort Lake Superior retreat, free college tuition programs, and educational grants. Member services include a Steward Program for workplace advocacy and a Member Action Center for contract questions and enforcement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UFCW Local 663 Union Membership
• Member Benefits Programs (LifeMart, Union Plus, TicketsAtWork, TEAM)
• Health & Welfare and Pension Plans
• Ours Resort
• Free Classes & Scholarships
• Member Action Center (MAC)

Quantifiable outcome

• Workers at Jerry's Foods won backpay for missed minimum hours back to March 2023
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUFCW Local 663 is part of the UFCW International Union with 1.3 million members. The international union provides national resources, political advocacy, organizing support, and collective bargaining assistance to local unions across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.
• Minnesota AFL-CIOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUFCW Local 663 participates in the Minnesota AFL-CIO labor federation, marching together in events like the Twin Cities Pride Parade and collaborating on legislative advocacy for workers.
• Louris Marshall O'Brien, P.A.supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm representing UFCW Local 663 members in the class action lawsuit against Hormel Foods for Earned Sick and Safe Time violations.
• Wilson-McShane CorporationsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAdministers UFCW Local 663's Health & Welfare and Pension benefits programs, including fund office services for member address updates and benefit inquiries at www.663benefits.com.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• UFCW Local 7: A Colorado and Wyoming-based UFCW local union representing grocery, meatpacking, and retail workers in similar industries to UFCW Local 663. It operates under the same international union, serves an overlapping industry mix, and runs similar collective bargaining and organizing programs.
• UNITE HERE: A labor union representing workers in hotels, gaming, food service, and related industries. Comparable to UFCW Local 663 in its service-sector collective bargaining model, dues-based revenue, and focus on organizing low-wage workers across multiple industries.
• International Brotherhood of Teamsters: A major U.S. labor union representing workers across logistics, food processing, warehousing, and grocery. Overlaps with UFCW Local 663 in meatpacking and grocery representation and competes for organizing rights in similar industries, particularly in food distribution.
• Service Employees International Union (SEIU): One of the largest labor unions in North America, representing healthcare, property services, and public sector workers. Comparable to UFCW Local 663 in its service-sector organizing focus, dues-based revenue model, and reliance on collective bargaining and member benefit programs.
• UFCW Local 75: An Ohio-based UFCW local union representing grocery, retail, and food processing workers with a comparable mix of large grocery employers (e.g., Kroger). Operates under the same UFCW International Union structure as UFCW Local 663 and serves as a direct functional peer in the Midwest/Great Lakes region.
• Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM): A labor union representing workers in food processing, manufacturing, and related industries. Overlaps with UFCW Local 663's meatpacking and food processing membership and operates a comparable dues-funded local bargaining model in similar Midwestern manufacturing geographies.

Emerging players

• United Steelworkers (USW): A large industrial union that has expanded beyond steel into broader manufacturing and service sectors. While primarily industrial, it competes for representation rights in some food processing and manufacturing facilities that could otherwise be organized by UFCW Local 663.

Broad incumbents

• AFL-CIO: The largest U.S. labor federation, of which UFCW Local 663 is an affiliate via the Minnesota AFL-CIO. It coordinates political advocacy, organizing campaigns, and labor policy across affiliated unions, providing a comparable broader ecosystem in which Local 663 operates.
• UFCW International Union: The parent international union of UFCW Local 663 with 1.3 million members across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. It provides national resources, organizing support, and political advocacy, and is the umbrella organization that comparable labor locals like Local 663 fall under.

Others

• Minnesota AFL-CIO: The state-level federation of the AFL-CIO in Minnesota, in which UFCW Local 663 is an active participant. It organizes joint events, political advocacy, and coalition campaigns relevant to Local 663's operations, functioning as an ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UFCW663
• Facebookfacebook.com/ufcwlocal663
• Instagraminstagram.com/ufcwlocal663
• TikToktiktok.com/@ufcwlocal663
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ufcw-local-653

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles26 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Ufcw Local 653