20,000 Pounds of Premium Meats and Cheeses — How You Can Fight Hunger Here

Go to http://www.dwchicago.com/ and you will see that Jewel and their Deli Supplier are nearly halfway to their goal of donating 20,000 pounds of premium meats and cheeses to the Northern Illinois Food Bank. The program ends at the end of next week.

For every pound of deli meat Jewel shoppers buy during the promotional period, Dietz & Watson is donating a half pound to the food bank.

It's is the company's way of saying "thank you" to Jewel-Osco for making them their new premium service deli supplier and to the communities Jewel serves.

Through Friday, Sept. 13, when you buy 1 pound of their premium deli meats or cheeses at Jewel Osco stores, they’ll donate a half pound to Northern Illinois Food Bank. Just like that.

With a goal of donating 20,000 pounds, Dietz & Watson wants to make an impact in Chicagoland very quickly.

“We believe in good food and good people.” says Ruth "Momma Dietz" Eni, company chairman. “We’re not a faceless corporation writing a check and walking away. We’re a family company. We believe in deeper bonds. So we’re partnering with Jewel Osco and Northern Illinois Food Bank to help.”

Visit a local Jewel-Osco supermarket, and you will see a new selection of premium roast beef, turkey breast, chicken breast, Italian and other traditional deli meats adorning the deli case. They’re here straight from a national deli stronghold - Philadelphia’s own Dietz & Watson, whose mission is to bring truly delicious, healthy and premium meats & cheeses to Chicagoans.

Ask for a sample slice at the deli counter, and you will taste what separates them from other deli meats. A four-generation family owned & operated company, Dietz & Watson has remained true to an unwavering dedication to using only the best ingredients.

“I learned a lot from my father, but one thing always stood out,” said Momma Dietz. “He always said ‘If it’s not good enough for my family, it’s not good enough for anyone,’ so we have always run the business with that philosophy. The food has to be amazingly delicious and healthy.”

Along with the influx of European immigrants to America in the early part of the 20th century came founder Gottlieb Dietz, a German sausage craftsman. Little did he know, he was to build a Philadelphia icon; one that his daughter and the fourth generation of his family still runs today.

What started as a small neighborhood company now manufactures more than 450 items in their Philly headquarters, employing more than 1,000.

The company was a pioneer in the category, introducing their healthy Gourmet Lite line back in 1979 – before “healthy eating” was de rigeur. Today, these lower sodium, low fat deli items are flagships, meeting the National Salt Reduction Initiative’s standards that many food companies are still catching up to (D&W has met them since the ‘70s).

“If it didn’t taste great, we probably would never have made our Healthier Lifestyle line,” says Louis Eni, CEO and grandson of the founder. “When my grandfather talked about quality, the key was in the ingredients, so to this day, none of our products use fillers, MSG, or artificial flavors, and the meats are hand-trimmed, hand-prepared, and hand-seasoned.”

They continually develop new, bold flavors in deli; items like Santa Fe Turkey Breast, Buffalo Chicken Breast and Bacon Lovers’ Turkey Breast wrapped with strips of real bacon. Their latest item is a Chicken Parmigiana deli meat - one of the most unique deli items ever.

Dietz & Watson also remains one of the best-selling hot dog brands on the East Coast, preparing traditional skinless franks, New York Style natural casing franks and dozens of others. Their delicacies are sold in all 50 states, in delis, restaurants and supermarkets.

So whether you call it a hoagie, sub, or hero; whether it’s hot dogs or franks—and whether you’re a foodie or counting calories, Dietz & Watson’s old-world values and surprising new flavors will be a welcome sight in Chicagoland.

About Dietz & Watson—Dietz & Watson was founded in 1939 by Gottlieb Dietz, a talented young German sausage maker. His primary goal was to produce the most flavorful, highest-quality deli meats in the marketplace to please even the most discriminating palate. His old-world recipes and commitment to “quality above all” demanded nothing less than the freshest lean beef, ham, pork, turkey breast and chicken breast enhanced with fresh, all-natural spices and seasonings.  Dietz & Watson never uses artificial flavors, colors, fillers, extenders or MSG.  Today, from their headquarters in Philadelphia, the third generation of the family—aided by Gottlieb Dietz’s daughter, Ruth Dietz Eni (Chairman)—continues Dietz’s dedication and commitment in preparing Premium Deli Meats and Artisan Cheeses. They are the grandchildren of company founder Gottlieb Dietz – Louis Eni (President and CEO), Chris Eni (COO) and Cindy Eni Yingling (CFO).  Learn more about the company at www.DietzandWatson.com.

About Jewel-Osco—Established in 1899, Jewel-Osco, owned by New Albertsons, Inc., is working to become the favorite food and drug retailer in every market it serves throughout the Chicagoland area and beyond. The company operates 176 stores in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa, and employs approximately 30,000 associates while continuing to grow. Find more company information at JewelOsco.com and follow their social channels at Facebook.com/JewelOsco, Twitter.com/JewelOsco, and YouTube.com/JewelOsco.

About Northern Illinois Food Bank—For 30 years, Northern Illinois Food Bank has led the northern Illinois community in solving hunger by providing nutritious meals to those in need through innovative programs and partnerships. Since 1983, food manufacturers, local groceries, corporations, foundations, and individuals have come together to donate food and funds, and evaluate and repack food for distribution to 700 network partners serving more than 60,000 hungry neighbors each week across 13 counties. That commitment provided 42 million meals last year to those in need.  Find out how you can Volunteer – Donate – Get Involved atwww.SolveHungerToday.org or follow us on Facebook.