“Established in 1921, the WAFC is focused on providing educational opportunities for food industry associates.”

Established in 1921, the Western Association of Food Chains is a non-profit organization comprised of retailers and wholesalers in the Western United States representing over 7,500 supermarkets and $200 billion dollars in annual sales.

The WAFC’s primary mission is to provide educational opportunities for food industry associates and ensure employees have the skills they need for success in a retail leadership career.

The WAFC’s most far reaching educational program is the Retail Management Certificate, an accredited community college program that provides the core skills and knowledge to move into a management role in the retail industry.

Two other education programs have been initiated by WAFC, in partnership with the University of Southern California (USC). The first program is the Food Industry Management Program, established in 1958 at the University of Southern California. It is a highly regarded exclusive leadership program in the USC Marshall School of Business. The second is the Food Industry Executive Program, a four-day intense session that was established in 1974 and is open to everyone.

In addition to their educational offerings, the WAFC also hosts an annual convention each spring that brings together top executives from companies of all sectors of the food industry to learn, network, and do business.

All of the WAFC’s education efforts are guided by their board of directors, which includes many of the food industry’s top leaders. WAFC company employees are strongly encouraged to earn the Retail Management certificate and receive special benefits upon completion.

See a full list of WAFC Companies.

To learn more about the WAFC visit www.wafc.com.