Refrigerated Foods Association (rfa)

What Refrigerated Foods Association (rfa) does

The Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) is a nonprofit trade association founded in 1980 and headquartered in Marietta, Georgia, that serves as the principal industry body for U.S. prepared refrigerated food companies. Its membership is organized into four categories — Manufacturing, Associate, Affiliate, and Academic/Professional — covering food processors, suppliers to the industry, related businesses, and academic or research institutions. Annual membership dues, which are not publicly disclosed, form the core revenue stream, supplemented by event registration, technical resources, and training materials.

RFA does not operate a technology platform. Its service offering is built around member benefits including the Annual Conference (the 44th held in 2024-2025 in Orlando, with the 46th scheduled for February 2027 in San Diego), a Fall Symposium, Technical Webcasts, an International Tour, food safety training DVDs, a Technical Hotline staffed by the Technical Director, and a regulatory white paper on FDA/USDA inspections. Distribution runs through the MemberClicks-powered Member Center portal, a technical e-news, the 'From the Cold Corner' podcast featured in Refrigerated & Frozen Foods Magazine, and in-person events. Members include manufacturers such as Blount Fine Foods (whose executive William Bigelow serves as RFA President), industry suppliers, and academic institutions engaged in refrigerated foods research and teaching.

The association is led by Executive Director Megan Levin (since 2014, with RFA tenure dating to 1992), Deputy Executive Director Katie Small (since 2025), Technical Director Doug Marshall (also managing director of Certified Laboratories, Inc.), Membership Development Specialist Dave Horowitz, and RFA President William Bigelow. RFA participates in the Food & Beverage Issue Alliance (Feeding US) coalition for industry advocacy and references certification frameworks including BRC Global Standards and SQF in its regulatory resources. The organization is privately held as a nonprofit, has no parent company or external funding, and operates with a staff of 1-10.

Name

Refrigerated Foods Association (rfa)

Legal name

Refrigerated Foods Association

Website

https://refrigeratedfoods.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Refrigerated Foods Association is a nonprofit trade association, founded in 1980, that serves prepared refrigerated food manufacturers, suppliers, and academic institutions through membership dues, annual conferences, technical webcasts, food safety training, and regulatory guidance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association Services

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Quality Assurance (QA) Programs & Supplier Quality Management (AFALAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH)

Keywords

• Refrigerated foods association
• Trade association membership
• Food industry networking
• Food safety training
• Refrigerated food manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Marietta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The RFA generates revenue through annual membership dues from four categories: Manufacturing Membership (for food processors), Associate Membership (for suppliers), Affiliate Membership (for related businesses), and Academic/Professional Membership (for institutions). Members pay dues to access technical resources, networking events, and industry representation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) is a nonprofit trade association serving manufacturers and suppliers of prepared refrigerated food products. It provides annual membership with four tiers (Manufacturing, Associate, Affiliate, and Academic/Professional), technical resources on food safety and regulatory compliance, the Annual Conference & Exhibition, Fall Symposium, Technical Webcasts, and International Tour for industry networking and professional development.

Product overview

The Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) is a trade association serving the prepared, refrigerated food industry. RFA does not offer a technology product platform but rather provides membership-based services including annual conferences, technical webcasts, food safety training resources, regulatory support, and industry networking opportunities. The organization publishes technical resources such as white papers on FDA/USDA inspection guidance, shelf life protocols, and food safety best practices for its member companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• RFA 44th Annual Conference brought industry leaders together for networking, learning, and insights

Named customers2 records

Segments3 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 supporting.

• Food & Beverage Issue AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe RFA partners with the Food & Beverage Issue Alliance (Feeding US), a coalition of food industry associations working together on common advocacy and policy issues affecting the food and beverage sector.
• Refrigerated & Frozen Foods MagazinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRFA is featured in Refrigerated & Frozen Foods Magazine, which publishes the 'From the Cold Corner' podcast featuring RFA leadership interviews. The magazine serves as a media partner for industry coverage.
• Food Safety MagazinesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry publication providing food safety news and resources relevant to RFA members.
• Deli Business magazinesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry publication serving the deli/food service sector relevant to RFA members.
• BRC Global StandardssupportingTechnology or IntegrationRFA provides information about BRC Global Standards as part of its regulatory resources for members seeking global food safety certification.
• Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI)supportingTechnology or IntegrationRFA provides information about SQF certification programs as part of its food safety and quality resources for members.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA): Larger umbrella trade association for dairy and adjacent refrigerated food manufacturers. Comparable in advocacy and food safety support role, but broader scope across dairy product categories rather than prepared refrigerated foods specifically.
• FMI – The Food Industry Association: Major food-industry trade association covering grocery retail and supplier ecosystem. Overlaps with RFA on food safety, regulatory, and supply-chain topics for the broader packaged/refrigerated food ecosystem.
• Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA): Trade association serving private-label product manufacturers, including refrigerated foods. Comparable membership-driven association model and industry promotion focus, but broader across product categories.
• Association of Food Industries (AFI): US trade association representing importers, processors, and distributors of food products. Overlaps with RFA on food safety, ingredient quality, and regulatory representation for packaged/refrigerated food manufacturers.
• Institute of Food Technologists (IFT): Scientific society serving food science and technology professionals. Comparable in technical training and food-safety research orientation but broader in scope and more research-focused vs. RFA's trade-association mission.

Direct peers

• American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI): Trade association for frozen food processors and suppliers. Highly comparable mission (industry advocacy, food safety, regulatory affairs) and member base overlaps with refrigerated food manufacturers served by RFA.
• National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA): Another US trade association focused on frozen and refrigerated food manufacturers and retailers. Directly comparable as a sub-vertical membership body for the same industry category RFA serves, with similar conference and promotional programs.

Emerging players

• BRC Global Standards: Global food safety certification scheme referenced as a regulatory resource by RFA. Comparable in food safety/compliance authority but operates a global certification business rather than US-focused trade membership.
• Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI): GFSI-aligned certification body that RFA itself promotes to members for SQF certification. Comparable as a food safety/quality authority but monetizes third-party certification rather than association membership.

Others

• Refrigerated & Frozen Foods Magazine: Industry media publication that hosts RFA leadership on its 'From the Cold Corner' podcast. Acts as a media partner rather than direct competitor, comparable as an adjacent ecosystem participant serving the same refrigerated foods audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=5B4jMM2YTnQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/refrigerated-foods-association-rfa-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Refrigerated Foods Association (rfa)