Cooking Up Rewards at the Grocery Store

As shoppers continue to watch their pennies, JEWEL-OSCO stores in the Chicago area are offering a new cookware promotion that puts a twist on one of the original grocery store loyalty programs – trading stamps.

Under the program, which is available at 175 JEWEL-OSCO stores in the Chicago area, customers who shop with their JEWEL-OSCO Preferred Customer Card^® between Aug. 26 and Jan. 12, 2011 will receive a reward sticker for every $10 spent on eligible purchases. As the stickers are collected, customers will be able to place them on saver cards, which can then be redeemed at participating stores for eight different pieces of Thomas Professional Cookware at the cost of only a penny each. The stickers can be redeemed through Jan. 26, 2011.

"In addition to providing savings and discounts on items throughout our stores, we wanted to find another way to thank our loyal customers at a time when many consumers are cooking at home more,” said JEWEL-OSCO President Keith Nielsen. "Our cookware promotion gives customers the opportunity to acquire high-quality essentials for the kitchen, as a reward for shopping at JEWEL-OSCO.”

As part of the promotion, JEWEL-OSCO is partnering with Chef Jason Paskewitz of Gemini Bistro to provide shoppers with valuable cooking tips and recipe ideas for the various cookware pieces.

"When you cook for your family, you create memories that last a lifetime,” Chef Paskewitz said. "Many of the things I love to cook today are inspired by the wonderful foods I grew up with — from simple fish dishes to spaghetti and meatball paninis on garlic bread to everyday classics like roasted chicken with mashed potatoes. The cookware available at JEWEL-OSCO is so easy to maintain; it lets you cook the foods you love like a professional without having to worry about the upkeep.”

JEWEL-OSCO is planning a number of events and activities to engage customers in the new cookware program. In September, the company will launch a "cookware intervention” contest in which customers will have a chance to win one of five free sets of cookware. That same month, JEWEL-OSCO and one of its vendor partners will begin offering a sweepstakes that gives customers the opportunity to win a full set of cookware. In addition, select stores will host cookware demonstrations. Meanwhile, shoppers will find information from company dietitians and moms on JEWEL-OSCO’s Facebook page.

A type of saving that never goes out of style
The new cookware program harkens back to a favorite American pastime of earlier generations. During the 1950s and ’60s, trading stamps were a popular way for grocery stores and other merchants to help drive customer loyalty. Customers would collect stamps from their local supermarkets and paste them in saver books, until they had collected enough stamps to redeem for various gifts.

In fact, in 1953, SUPERVALU® was the first large supermarket chain in the nation to introduce the use of trading stamps from the Gold Bond Trading Stamp Company.¹ Almost overnight, "Gold Bond Stamps” became a household name for Americans. Today, JEWEL-OSCO, which is part of the SUPERVALU family of stores, updates the concept by offering its own store-branded stickers to earn rewards in the form of professional cookware.

A cook’s treat: professional quality cookware
Shoppers can collect their cookware right in the store as soon as they’ve accumulated enough reward stickers. After picking out the piece they want, customers can redeem the cookware as they checkout by presenting their completed saver card, their JEWEL-OSCO Preferred Customer Card and a penny for every piece they choose. They can also purchase the cookware at a discounted price by redeeming half the required stickers and paying a nominal fee, or they can purchase the cookware at the full retail price. There is no limit to the number of pieces a consumer can collect.

Customers can choose from the following eight pieces of Thomas Professional Cookware:

• 7.8-inch non-stick frypan — 1 cent with 50 reward stickers or $5.49 with 25 stickers
• 10.2-inch non-stick frypan — 1 cent with 70 reward stickers or $8.99 with 35 stickers
• 7.8-inch casserole with lid — 1 cent with 80 reward stickers or $9.99 with 40 stickers
• 9.4-inch sauté pan with lid — 1 cent with 90 reward stickers or $11.99 with 45 stickers
• 10.6-inch square grill pan — 1 cent with 90 reward stickers or $11.99 with 45 stickers
• 9.4-inch Dutch oven with lid — 1 cent with 100 reward stickers or $12.99 with 50 stickers
• 11-inch non-stick stir-fry pan with lid — 1 cent with 100 reward stickers or $12.99 with 50 stickers
• 13.7-inch x 10.1-inch roasting pan with rack — 1 cent with 130 reward stickers or $19.99 with 65 reward stickers

Thomas Professional Cookware is made of hard anodized aluminum, an extremely durable, lightweight and stain-resistant material. The anodizing process makes it twice as strong as stainless steel and 10 times harder than traditional aluminum. The pieces feature a non-stick coating, making it easier to prepare healthier meals using less fat or oil and making the pieces easier to clean. All items are certified as dishwasher safe, so cleanup is a snap. The suggested retail prices of the cookware range in value from $29.99 to $89.99.

For more information about the cookware promotion, customers can visit www.jewelosco.com/cookware or call (877) 932-7948.

About Chef Jason Paskewitz
Jason Paskewitz has over a decade of experience creating delicious dishes in some of Chicago’s finest kitchens (N9NE Steakhouse, Wave, Gabriel’s, Four Seasons), as well as being nationally recognized on the Food Network. Paskewitz, a Queens, New York native, has adopted Chicago as his hometown and is passionate about this city. Jason's "Contemporary Chicago Cuisine" is inspired by French, Italian and American preparations. As Executive Chef/Partner of Gemini Bistro in Lincoln Park, Paskewitz brings his charming and hospitable personality to this inviting neighborhood American Bistro.

About JEWEL-OSCO
JEWEL-OSCO, a SUPERVALU company, operates 182 stores in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana. With a market-leading position in Chicago, JEWEL-OSCO stores offer consumers the convenience of combined grocery and pharmacy retail, in addition to services such as fuel centers at select locations. Originally established in 1899, the company and its associates remain committed to the communities they serve. For more information about JEWEL-OSCO, please visit www.jewelosco.com or www.jeweloscopharmacies.com.

About SUPERVALU INC.
SUPERVALU INC. is one of the largest companies in the U.S. grocery channel with estimated annual sales of $38 billion. SUPERVALU serves customers across the United States through a network of approximately 4,270 stores composed of approximately 1,160 traditional retail stores, including 820 in-store pharmacies; 1,190 hard-discount stores, of which 870 are operated by licensee owners; and 1,920 independent stores serviced primarily by the company’s traditional food distribution business. SUPERVALU has approximately 154,000 employees. For more information about SUPERVALU, visit www.supervalu.com.

Editor’s note: Images of the cookware, Chef Jason Paskewitz, the stickers and the saver card are available upon request.

Source:
¹ Carlson Companies, "Company History,” www.carlson.com/our-company/history.php