Hy-Vee Teams With Super Bowl Champ Travis Kelce
Kansas City Chiefs tight end and Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce has joined forces with Midwestern grocer Hy-Vee for the upcoming football season through 2025 for promotional and charitable campaigns supporting Kelce’s 87 & Running foundation, which helps disadvantaged youth. Starting this season, Hy-Vee will donate $1,000 to 87 & Running for every touchdown scored by the athlete.
The retailer will also carry Kelce-branded products, with part of the proceeds benefiting Rocky River, Ohio-based 87 & Running, and support other events incorporating the player’s newly built Ignition Lab at Operation Breakthrough, a Kansas City, Mo.-based co-working space where teens can explore STEM careers, launch their own entrepreneurial ventures and gain real-world experience.
A Hy-Vee spokeswoman told Progressive Grocer that the company was “still working on finalizing” the products that would be available at its stores under the partnership.
“I’m excited to be partnering with Hy-Vee, because from the start they were interested in how they could support my foundation and the work we do in the community,” said Kelce. “I also know how impactful the Hy-Vee brand is. By working together, we’ll be able to connect with a lot of Chiefs’ Kingdom across the Midwest, which is important to me.”
As well as the charitable components, Kelce will appear in Hy-Vee’s promotional materials, including commercials, store appearances and social campaigns.
“When we saw the outreach that Travis was doing in his local community, we knew we wanted to support his efforts,” said Hy-Vee Chairman, CEO and President Randy Edeker. “Not only is Travis talented on the field, he also serves as a true role model and sports icon for the families who visit our stores, making him a great partner for us at Hy-Vee.”
A sponsor of the Kansas City Chiefs, employee-owned Hy-Vee operates more than 280 retail stores across eight Midwestern states. The West Des Moines, Iowa-based company is No. 34 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
