Membership
Membership in Vermont Grocers' Association is an investment in the future strength of your business and the Vermont Food Industry. Your involvement and participation put you in the good company of others in the industry, combining forces to reach common goals.
Click here for a copy of the VGA membership brochure.
How to join
Retail Membership
Open to all retailers of food products and beverages. Current members include supermarkets, food coops, beverage stores, convenience stores, general and country stores, as well as drug stores that sell food products. Annual dues for retail members start at $92.50 (increases are based on initial store volume and number of locations in Vermont)
Apply online 
or PDF Application 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associate Membership -
Open to manufacturers, wholesalers, brokers, service providers and others connected with the food industry. Annual dues for associate members is $245 (reduced rate of $185 for those firms with less than $500,000 in sales).
Apply online
or PDF Application
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VHSG Participating Businesses - Transitional Membership Special - $120
VGA is pleased to welcome businesses who are participating in the VHSG health plan with BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont. The transitional membership of $120 will cover your membership through December 2010 and is open to retail food stores as well as other businesses participating in VHSG.
Apply online
or PDF Application
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Easily pay your Membership Dues Online
New to our web site, you can now easily pay your membership dues ONLINE with our secure automated system.
For more information and/or an application to join the Vermont Grocers' Association, please contact our organization's office. You can also get more information via email with questions about various VGA Membership Benefit Programs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Services Provided to Members
Legislative Representation
Full-time VGA representation promotes your best interests to state government and our elected officials in Washington. VGA makes sure representatives hear "our side" of any issues relative to legislation being considered that concerns the Food Industry of Vermont.
Credit-Debit Card Processing
VGA members have access to one of the industry's most competitively priced processing services for your customer credit and debit card transactions.
Payroll Processing
PayData is a Vermont company offering a easy and economical payroll service to VGA member companies. Services include payroll checks, tax filings, reports, new hire reporting and more. PayData offers VGA members a discount on their regular fees .
Insurance
Group plans are available for health and dental insurance.Members of the Vermont Grocers' Association are now eligible for health insurance through the Vermont Health Services Group. VHSG is a significantly larger pool of BCBSVT subscribers and consists of small businesses, much like VGA members. If you have questions or you would like to enroll in the VGA/VHSG group, Thomas Insurance at 1-800-639-5130 or email. Be sure to mention you are a member of the Vermont Grocers' Association when enrolling in the plan. Thomas Insurance is VGA's preferred broker for group health insurance offerings (The VHSG plan is also open to other brokers as well).
BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont
VHSG Plan Offerings
VHSG Enrollment Form
Delta Dental Insurance Program
VGA has teamed up with Northeast Delta Dental to offer two competitively priced dental plans. Both are offered on a voluntary basis and do not have minimum enrollments.
Acadia Business Insurance Program
Vt. Grocers' Association and Acadia Insurance Company provide an all lines of insurance program including but not limited to: Property, General Liability, Business Owners, Auto, Umbrella Liability and Workers Compensation. Participating members have earned dividends for the past four out of five years including 15% last year.
Coupon Redemption
This VGA service allows retailers to obtain reimbursement for manufacturers coupons by submitting them to our affiliate, Grocers Coupon Service without the necessity of sorting.
Newsletter
VGA's publication "The Grocery Slip" keeps members abreast of regulatory and legislative issues as well as news about the food industry. Retail members may use the classified ad section at no charge.
Phone Savings
The association has a discounted phone program for your long distance calls through BCN Telecom. For more information, please call Jodi at the association office, 1-800-842-8503.
Education and Training
VGA brings professional seminars and workshops to Vermont each year on topics like merchandising, theft control, employee relations and more - "meeting the needs of both retail and associate members." In addition, we offer free loan of video training tapes to members.
Online Training
The association also offers a full array of online courses through Learn Something, including loss prevention, food safety, combat meth, business skills, computer courses and more.
VGA Annual Directory
The annual yearbooks, published each spring, lists all retail and associate members, includes buying information on suppliers serving Vermont and important regulatory information, serving as a valuable reference guide. Copies are complimentary to all VGA members. Advertising information.
Convention and Expo
Vermont's largest food industry event is VGA's Annual Convention & Merchandising Exp. The program, held each fall, includes exhibits, educational seminars, contests, entertainment and more. A great networking opportunity for all members.
Credit Union
The Green Mountain Credit Union is open to all members, their employees and immediate families. Each deposit account is federally insured by NCUA up to $100,000. Offering savings and loan options, checking, direct deposit, money orders and payroll deduction programs.
Scholarships
Each year, VGA awards scholarships to help members' employees and/or their children further their education.
Other Services
VGA offers a number of other programs and services, including answers to your questions. The association is constantly evaluating new programs to better serve its members!
Many More Benefits Await You as a Member!