SALT LAKE AREA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION

What SALT LAKE AREA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION does

The Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association (SLARA), operating as a DBA of the Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association, is a private membership-based trade association headquartered at PO Box 3442, Salt Lake City, Utah, serving independent restaurants and bars in the Salt Lake Area of Utah. It was founded in 2015 and operates with 1-10 employees, generating revenue from annual membership dues, a multi-tier sponsor network, and donations. The association's defined mission is to represent, educate, and promote Utah's independent restaurant and bar owners through legislative advocacy (especially regarding the state's liquor laws), networking, marketing exposure, and member discounts.

SLARA's core offering is an Annual SLARA Membership, priced at $350 per year for the first location and $150 per year for each additional location under the same branding, sourced primarily via direct outreach and online enrollment through slara.org. Functional benefits include legislative representation, networking events, two newsletters (an Events Newsletter and a monthly Industry Newsletter), and discounted access to a curated vendor stack spanning food safety training (Easy Food Handlers, ServSafe), music licensing (BMI), HR/payroll (ADP), insurance (Arthur J. Gallagher), restaurant supplies (Imperial Dade), and wine/spirits services (Vinelore). The organization also accepts donations earmarked for full-time lobbyists focused on progressive alcohol legislation reform.

The business model is a non-profit-grade subscription trade association: recurring annual member dues form the core cash engine, supplemented by multi-tier sponsorship revenue (Nicholas and Company as Premier Founding Sponsor; Visit Salt Lake and Salt Lake County as Innovator sponsors; ADP and Arthur J. Gallagher as Leader sponsors; plus roughly a dozen Expert sponsors) and donation-funded lobbying activity. The technology footprint is intentionally minimal - SLARA is not a software or platform business; its go-to-market relies on a Squarespace-hosted website, email newsletters, organic social media, PR/earned media, and in-person networking events. Customer concentration is spread across many small independent operators (named logos include Proper, Bambara, Bar X, Blue Iguana, Bodega, Bohemian Brewery, Bourbon House, Caffe Nero, Trio, Carson Kitchen, Copper Common, The Copper Onion, Pago, Squatters, Red Rock Brewing, and Bout Time Pub, the last being a 13+ location operator).

Name

SALT LAKE AREA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION

Legal name

Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association

Website

https://slara.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association (SLARA) is a private, 2015-founded Utah trade association that represents independent restaurants and bars in the Salt Lake Area through legislative advocacy (notably on alcohol policy), tiered annual memberships ($350/$150), networking, and a multi-tier sponsor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: SLARA generates revenue through annual membership fees charged to independent restaurants and bars. Membership tiers are based on number of locations: $350/year for first location, $150/year for each additional location of the same name/branding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SLARA is a membership-based trade association representing independent restaurants and bars in the Salt Lake area of Utah. It sells an Annual Membership ($350/year for first location, $150/year per additional location) that delivers legislative advocacy — especially full-time lobbying on Utah alcohol/liquor laws — along with industry newsletters, networking events, member discounts on services, and access to a sponsor network of vendors serving the hospitality industry.

Product overview

SLARA (Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association) is a professional membership organization, not a technology product company. Its primary offering is an Annual SLARA Membership program that provides independent restaurant and bar owners with legislative advocacy, industry networking, marketing resources, and member discounts. The organization also offers two newsletter subscription services (Events Newsletter and Industry Newsletter) to keep members informed about Utah dining events and restaurant industry trends. SLARA does not operate a software-as-a-service platform or technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual SLARA Membership
• Events Newsletter Subscription
• Industry Newsletter Subscription

Named customers16 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

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.

• Nicholas and CompanycoreOthersPremier Founding Sponsor. From 1939 through today, Nicholas and Company has delivered the highest quality products, services, and solutions to customers in foodservice. Servicing eight states across the Intermountain West with access to over 36,000 stocked products.
• Visit Salt LakecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovator sponsor. Visit Salt Lake is responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as a convention and travel destination, improving the area's economy by attracting conventions, leisure travelers and visitors.
• Salt Lake CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovator sponsor. Salt Lake County is committed to ensuring residents are safe and healthy, supporting economic development, public health, affordable housing, and social services.
• BMIminorOthersExpert sponsor providing music licensing services with member discounts available.
• Easy Food HandlersminorOthersExpert sponsor providing food and alcohol training including ServSafe Manager Certification with member discounts.
• Respro Food Safety ConsultingminorOthersExpert sponsor providing food safety consulting services.
• Easy Alcohol PermitminorOthersExpert sponsor assisting with alcohol permit services for restaurants and bars.
• ADPminorOthersLeader sponsor providing payroll and HR solutions with member services.
• Arthur J. Gallagher (AJG)minorOthersLeader sponsor providing insurance and risk management services.
• Big Mouth MarketingminorOthersExpert sponsor providing marketing services.
• At The GatewayminorOthersExpert sponsor - local venue partner.
• Imperial DademinorOthersExpert sponsor - restaurant supplies and equipment distributor.
• VineloreminorOthersExpert sponsor - wine and spirits related services.
• 2020e ConsultingminorOthersExpert sponsor providing consulting services.
• Johnny Utah'sminorOthersExpert sponsor - restaurant/bar partner.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Texas Restaurant Association: Large state-level restaurant trade association providing advocacy, education, and member benefits to Texas operators. Directly comparable business model to SLARA's state/regional association structure.
• California Restaurant Association: State-level restaurant trade association serving California operators with advocacy, education, and member services. Same business model and target member type as SLARA but at much larger scale.
• Independent Restaurant Coalition: National coalition formed during the pandemic to advocate specifically for independent restaurants. Directly comparable mission to SLARA's focus on protecting and promoting independent operators.
• American Beverage Licensees: National trade association representing beverage alcohol retailers including bars and restaurants on regulatory and legislative issues. Directly comparable advocacy mission on alcohol policy reform, similar to SLARA's core lobbying focus.
• New York State Restaurant Association: State-level trade association serving New York restaurants with advocacy, education, and member benefits. Same business model and member type as SLARA but operating in a much larger market.
• Utah Restaurant Association: Statewide Utah restaurant trade association serving operators across the state. Most direct competitor to SLARA — both target Utah restaurants and bars with advocacy, networking, and member benefits.

Broad incumbents

• National Restaurant Association: The largest U.S. restaurant industry trade association, providing national advocacy, training (ServSafe), research, and member services. Directly comparable to SLARA in advocacy and membership-based services model but operates at national scale.
• Distilled Spirits Council of the United States: National trade association representing distilled spirits producers and importers, with active lobbying on alcohol regulation. Adjacent advocacy mission on alcohol legislation that overlaps with SLARA's lobbying focus.

Regional players

• Wine Institute: California-based public policy advocacy association representing California wineries. Operates alcohol-policy advocacy at scale comparable to SLARA's alcohol-lobbying focus but in a different segment of the beverage industry.
• Beer Institute: National trade association for the U.S. brewing industry with focus on federal alcohol regulation. Comparable alcohol-policy advocacy mission to SLARA's Utah-focused lobbying work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/salt-lake-area-restaurant-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 SALT LAKE AREA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION