Club Launches ‘Stars of Chicago Business’ Initiative to Support Local, Minority Owned Businesses
CHICAGO (July 13, 2021) – The Chicago Red Stars today announced a new partnership with The Black Bread Company, the first ever Black-owned, Chicago-based sliced bread company. This first-of-its-kind partnership is part of the Red Stars’ new Stars of Chicago Business initiative, meant to give complimentary sponsorship opportunities to small, local and minority owned businesses.
“As a women’s sports team working to attract the kind of corporate support that you see the men’s teams receiving, we felt it was important to live by our own words,” said Vicky Lynch, the Red Stars’ Chief Business Officer. “We want to pay it forward and show that same support to Chicago-area, minority-owned companies. The founders of The Black Bread Company are just amazing, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with them.”
The Stars of Chicago Business is a new annual program that allows local businesses to apply for a complimentary partnership package designed to elevate their brand within the Red Stars community. The Black Bread Company was chosen as the first partner through the program because of their inspirational vision, local ties- and exceptional product.
The Black Bread Company was founded by three friends from Chicago’s south side, who noticed a lack of Black-owned sliced bread brand options in grocery stores. Charles Alexander, Mark Edmond, and Jamel Lewis, pulled together their skill sets and learned the intricacies of the bread industry. Now, The Black Bread Company offers two types of loaves of sliced bread and delivers nationwide.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Chicago Red Stars as our first official professional sports sponsorship,” said Co-Founder Charles Alexander. “We believe that this partnership aligns perfectly with our mission of aiding marginalized communities.”
As part of the partnership, the Chicago Red Stars will provide The Black Bread Company with a variety of marketing assets with which to grow its brand awareness and maximize the company’s already bright future. Applications to be considered for the 2022 Stars of Chicago Business program will open during the Red Stars’ offseason.
About the Chicago Red Stars
Established in 2007, the Red Stars were a founding member of the former Women’s Professional Soccer and would later become one of the original eight teams to form the National Women’s Soccer League in 2013. The Red Stars have made the playoffs in six consecutive years from 2015-2020, clinching the team’s first appearance in the NWSL Championship in the 2019 season as well as appearing in the NWSL’s Challenge Cup Final in 2020.
About The Black Bread Company
The owners and founders of The Black Bread Company; Charles Alexander, Mark Edmond, and Jamel Lewis are three best friends, hailing from the Southside of Chicago who have partnered up to start the first Black-owned sliced bread company in the world. They strive to inspire others to believe in the power of their individual contributions to improve the world around them one great idea at a time.
A purchase from The Black Bread Company helps spread the word that working together to express positive Black images, unity and a paradigm shift in generational prosperity and wealth.
For more information about The Black Bread Company, visit www.blackbreadco.com.