WESTERN GROCERS EMPLOYEE BENEFITS TRUST

In 1979 with the help of United Grocers Insurance, a group of visionary grocers banded together to create a non-profit health trust to better provide employee health insurance benefits. They used a Federally approved 501(c)(9) plan that allows a group of employers who have a common thread join together to pool their experience and funding for health insurance. The common thread was the grocery industry and the sponsor was United Grocers. The Trust originally obtained licenses to serve Oregon and Washington food industry employers. Over the years the Trust has grown steadily. In the beginning, Associated Grocers and URM were both participants in the Trust. Ultimately they branched off with their own plans. In 2000 Unified Grocers replaced United Grocers as the plan sponsor. In 2009 the Associated Grocers plan (Pacific Benefits) opted to rejoin the Trust. Pacific Benefits had incorporated hardware store owners in their plan, so this new category of eligible employers was adopted by the Trust. In 2010 the Trust became admitted in Alaska to serve Food and Hardware employers in that region thus expanding the Trusts operational territory. In 2011 the team administering the Trust joined Cypress Benefit Administrators in order to expand their capabilities and better control expenses, while maintaining the same personal touch. Many of the original members are still in business and participating in the Trust today!