Jewel-Osco hires local, sources local, supports hometown causes

Grocery and drugstores, by their very natures, cater to residents. People generally do not travel far to purchase food and other staples. They stay local - in their neighborhoods, if possible.

Jewel-Osco has been part of the Chicagoland community for 120 years, so the company understands the importance of regional loyalty - i.e. hiring local people at all levels and purchasing from local vendors and farmers. That is what their customers expect and it's a practice that shoppers value.

Consequently, Jewel-Osco launched its "Local Is" initiative five years ago to emphasize the fact that the grocery and drug chain has a stake in the lives and livelihoods of Chicago-area residents, including employees, suppliers and shoppers, according to Tina Browen, Marketing Director for Jewel-Osco.

In fact, they are so proud of this practice that four years ago Jewel-Osco began highlighting the stories of selected employees in all corners of the business and now feature them on billboards, in videos and social media posts. Some have served the company for 50 years and work as department managers, truck drivers, cashiers and front-end clerks, and all of them have an interesting story to tell.

"Most of our employees are lifers," Browen said. "They started working here at 16 and never stopped. It is cool to see so many people stay so long."

But Jewel-Osco doesn't simply hire residents. They also try to reach out to local companies to obtain products they can sell in store, providing more choices for shoppers and to help other local firms prosper.

For instance, last year company management reached out to local vendors ranging from farmers to manufacturers to food product firms, inviting them to meet with company officials to show off their products and offer advice as to how to get those items on Jewel-Osco shelves. About 80 of those vendors accepted the invitation and spent time with company officials, Browen said.

As a result, local products ranging from Payton Coffee to Vienna Beef products, bakery goods, Fair Life Dairy, Goode Foods, beans, fruit, veggies and baby food proudly grace the shelves of Jewel-Osco stores throughout the metropolitan area.

Beyond patronizing local food and product producers and hiring residents, Jewel -Osco boosts its hometown by sponsoring virtually every professional sports team in the vicinity and it contributes to scores of local charities and causes including Special Olympics Illinois, Misericordia Heart of Mercy Home, USO of Illinois and Indiana and the three local food banks. Jewel-Osco customers are also invited to personally contribute to a different designated charity each month with the register campaigns.

Finally, individual store managers may also choose to support "Local Is" causes that are near and dear to their specific customers' hearts and may not even be known to shoppers in the next community.