Tate and Lyle : & Lyle’s Decatur plant, the birthplace of the Chicago Bears, helps commemorate their 100th season

Tate & Lyle, a leading supplier of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, helped the Chicago Bears football team to celebrate their 100^th season in Decatur, Illinois at the team's Return to Decatur celebrations last weekend.

Tate & Lyle's plant in Decatur is where the team was founded. A century ago, then owner Augustus Eugene Staley established an employee football team - the Decatur Staleys, who went on to become the Chicago Bears, one of the original teams in the National Football League (NFL).

As part of the Return to Decatur weekend, which took place on 20 and 21 July, Tate & Lyle gave local Chicago Bears fans the chance to stand in for original Decatur Staleys team players, with a life-size team photo wall.

'The employees of Tate & Lyle in Decatur, IL were very excited and proud to be part of the 100 year celebration of the Bears,' said Jason Doyle, Operations Manager at Tate & Lyle Decatur. 'Understanding the rich heritage of our facility brings tremendous pride and excitement to many that have the opportunity to live, work, and play in the same community, particularly our connection to the Chicago Bears.'

Christine Hood, Tate & Lyle Culinary Technician (pictured), prepared a special birthday cake to mark the occasion, incorporating PROMITOR^® Soluble Fiber, which Tate & Lyle produces in Decatur. 'As a lifelong Bears fan, I was so excited to get the chance to make a cake to celebrate my team's 100^th birthday,' Christine explained. 'I've helped many customers lower sugar and calories and provide extra nutrition in their cakes using our fibers, but making a cake for Bears fans with an ingredient made at the plant where the original team worked before they became NFL superstars made this a very special bake for me.'