Food Lion, CIAA Renew Corporate Partnership Agreement

Food Lion has renewed a three-year corporate partnership agreement with the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), making the 24-year alliance one of the longest for the conference. The agreement reaffirms Food Lion’s status as the official Supermarket Partner of the CIAA and the title sponsor for the CIAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, slated for Feb. 27-March 3, 2018, in Charlotte, N.C.

As part of the agreement, the Southeast regional grocer hosts such fan events as Food Lion Day at the Spectrum Center, an all-day affair featuring interactive games, premium giveaways and the company’s scholarship check presentations during the tournament.

Characterizing the partnership as “a way to show our support to the communities in our footprint surrounding the 12 CIAA schools,” Food Lion Director of Diversity Millette Granville said that the grocer’s “partnership with the CIAA is a strategic alliance that supports their commitment to education, men's and women’s athletics, and diversity and inclusion. We look forward to adding events for CIAA fans and our customers.”

Praising Food Lion’s “support and belief in our mission” as “steadfast,” CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams observed, “Collaborating with corporate sponsors like Food Lion enables us to make an impact in the lives of our student-athletes and within the communities [that] our 12 member institutions and the 14 championships call home.”

Salisbury, N.C.-based Food Lion has more than 1,000 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 63,000 associates. The banner is a company of Delhaize America, a U.S. division of Zaandam, Netherlands-based Royal Ahold Delhaize Group.

Founded in 1912, Charlotte-based CIAA is the first African-American athletic conference, and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The championships it conducts are attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country.