Quaker Oats and The Chicago Fire Soccer Club Team up for New Multi-Year Partnership

CHICAGO, Jan. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Quaker Oats Company, a division of PepsiCo, and The Chicago Fire Soccer Club are kicking off a season of food, fitness and fun for the city's soccer fans and families. The club named Quaker as the official Breakfast Foods & Nutritious Snacks Partner of the Chicago Fire, and the centerpiece of the partnership is the new 2012 jersey, which prominently features the famed Quaker logo in a powerful yet classic design. This is only the Fire's second jersey sponsor in the club's 15-year history.

Throughout the partnership, Quaker and the Chicago Fire will team up to reach thousands of families, on-and-off-the-field and demonstrate the importance of eating right and staying fit. As part of this shared commitment, Quaker will provide the Chicago Fire players with nourishing breakfasts and snacks to help them fuel their performance throughout the season. 

"It's an honor to partner with a trusted Chicago-based brand like Quaker Oats that shares the same sense of community as the Chicago Fire," said Chicago Fire owner Andrew Hauptman. "As a sports team, we know the importance of staying active, eating right and hope to inspire others to do the same. Our players are incredibly proud to don the Quaker name as they hit the field during the 2012 season."

For more than 134 years Quaker has had a longstanding tradition of keeping families happy and healthy both nationally and locally in Chicago.

"Quaker Oats has been providing nourishing breakfasts and snacks to families for more than a century. This partnership exemplifies our commitment to promoting a healthy, active lifestyle," said Jose Luis Prado, President, Quaker Foods and Snacks North America. "We are excited to work with the Chicago Fire to make a positive impact in the community and across the country."

In addition to the redesign of the Chicago Fire jerseys, Quaker and the Fire will unveil a variety of exciting activities as the season gets underway. Key partnership highlights include:

• As a trusted food brand, Quaker will connect with more than 6,000 families nationwide and locally in Chicago as the title sponsor of the Chicago Fire Juniors, the Fire's youth player development program and the premier youth program in Major League Soccer.
• Toyota Park will now feature the "Quaker Corner" a new seating section dedicated to an exciting experience for Chicago Fire supporters, where they can show their passion and love for the game, catch great views of the action on the field, enjoy delicious Quaker products and score fun prizes.
• As an official Breakfast Foods Partner of Major League Soccer (MLS), Quaker Oats will also have a presence at MLS First Kick, the MLS All-Star Game and the MLS Cup.

Chicago Fire Season Tickets are available by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE (657-3473) or by heading to the club's official website at Chicago-Fire.com. For more information on Quaker Oats, please visit www.QuakerOats.com, www.Facebook.com/Quaker or follow us on Twitter @Quaker.

About The Quaker Oats Company
The Quaker Oats Company, headquartered in Chicago, is a unit of PepsiCo, Inc., one of the world's largest consumer packaged goods companies. For more than 130 years, Quaker's brands have served as symbols of quality, great taste and nutrition. Holding No. 1 positions in their respective categories, Quaker Oats, Quaker Rice Cakes and Quaker Chewy Granola Bars are consumer favorites. For more information, please visit www.QuakerOats.com, www.Facebook.com/Quaker or follow us on Twitter @Quaker.

About Chicago Fire Soccer Club
The Chicago Fire Soccer Club was founded on October 8, 1997 as a Major League Soccer expansion team. The Fire won the MLS Cup in its inaugural season in 1998 and was crowned the champion of U.S. Soccer's national tournament, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, in 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006. In June 2006, the Fire moved into its world-class home of Toyota Park, located in Bridgeview, IL. For more information on the Chicago Fire, please visit the club's official website at www.Chicago-Fire.com.

SOURCE The Quaker Oats Company