Old Dutch Foods and the CFL are teaming up on a large-scale snacking partnership as the chip brand enters its first season as a league sponsor.

“CFL Pick ’em” gives fans the chance to play for daily and weekly prize packs, including a grand prize trip to the Grey Cup, for correctly picking the week’s games. The contest partnership is coming to grocery with large display assets to coincide with the upcoming CFL season.

“It’s vitally important we bring it to life in-aisle,” says Scott Kelemen, senior national director of brand and strategy at Old Dutch. He tells strategy it’s key to highlight prominent partnerships Old Dutch has had, whether it’s now with the CFL, or in years gone by with the Toronto Blue Jays or the Canadian Hockey League.

“We always make sure we plan the opportunity for large displays we can get into retailers across the country with strong presence of our branding and the ability to activate our promotions,” Kelemen says.

There are listings “across the country” and messaging is around being the “Official Crunch of the CFL.” In another contest element, fans will also be able to reflect on the past week’s two biggest plays and submit their vote for the “Crunch of the Week” for a chance to win an Old Dutch Snack Pack.

Display assets hero the brand’s kettle chip offerings, where it competes directly on a more premium side of the snacking aisle with the likes of Frito Lay brand, Miss Vickies.

“The kettle chip market is a strong part of the potato chip market,” Kelemen maintains. People that love kettle chips and a more premium type snack, he says, will respond to this initiative. Old Dutch has also redesigned the packaging to make it clear it’s a kettle chip and to “make it more elegant.”

With the nationwide relaunch of kettle chips – which was previously a Western Canada exclusive – fans can choose from one of our four fan-favourite SKUs featuring the CFL logo on the bag. There’s a QR front and centre atop the package to streamline contest entries.

CFL Pick ‘Em presented by Old Dutch is the latest free-to-play offering on CFL Game Zone, a centralized hub of exclusive league offerings, products and contests.

Old Dutch will also make its way to the stands at two of the CFL’s marquee events this season: Touchdown Atlantic, the East Coast game between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Toronto Argonauts on July 29 in Halifax, and throughout the 2023 Grey Cup Festival, the weeklong countdown to the big game.

Fuse Create is handling digital and social and Oakville’s Promotion Solutions is handling the creative in retail environments.