Jewel-Osco Signs On As Bears’ Official Grocery Store

By Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large

Jewel-Osco has signed on as the Bears’ official grocery store, in a one-year (plus a one-year option) high-six-figure deal. The grocer, which has 185 stores in the Chicagoland area, gets LED and scoreboard signage at Soldier Field, along with title sponsorship of the Bears’ annual winter coat drive, which last year collected more than 18,000 coats. Jewel-Osco will also be the Associate Sponsor of Bears Family Night and the Bears Backyard Tailgate. The grocery chain will also take the unusual step of selling licensed Bears apparel in its stores, beginning around training camp in July. Bears Senior Dir of Sales & Marketing Chris Hibbs said pass-through rights for the grocer will be “on a case-by-case basis.” This marks the team’s latest retail sponsor, a category that can be difficult. The Bears also have Staples at the top “Hall of Fame” level; 7-Eleven is also a team sponsor. Hibbs said with the ubiquity of chain drug stores, and Walgreens’ HQs in Chicago, he’s also hoping for a deal in that category.