Manchester United Signs Sponsorship Deal with Wahaha in China
January 15 2013 - 5:30PM
Business Wire
(NYSE:MANU) The World’s biggest football club, Manchester
United, has today announced a new sponsorship with Chinese soft
drinks manufacturer Wahaha.
The new three year deal will see the popular drinks brand become
the Club’s first Official Soft Drinks Partner in China.
Wahaha has been the largest beverage producer in China for the
past 11 years, with branded products including milk drinks, soft
drinks, energy drinks, bottled water, bottled tea, fruit juice,
porridges and yoghurt beverages.
Founded in 1987, the company’s Founder and CEO, Mr Zong Qinghou,
lead the celebrations for Wahaha’s 25th Anniversary, in Hangzhou at
the opening of the Group’s new shopping mall, just a year after
United Manager, Sir Alex Ferguson celebrated his own 25th
anniversary at the helm of the Club.
With 108 million followers in China the Club’s latest commercial
partnership to be announced this season will enable it to engage
with the country’s growing fan base.
Manchester United’s Commercial Director, Richard Arnold
said:
‘This is the Club’s first sponsorship of its kind in China and
we are delighted to be able to work with a company which, like
Manchester United, is dedicated to innovation and leadership in its
field. Wahaha is one of the most iconic brands in China and one
that has come to symbolise the dynamism and strength of the modern
Chinese economy. What better way to endorse this modern-day success
story than to partner with the number one club in the world’s
biggest sport?
‘Manchester United has a long association with China, visiting
11 times to play friendly matches. The first time was in 1975 and
the most recent visit in August last year. Sir Alex and his team
were overwhelmed with the welcome they received from fans who
packed the stadium in Shanghai. This new collaboration between
United and Wahaha will enable us to engage with our local followers
all year round through great products and activities.’
Zong Qinghou, CEO of Wahaha said:
‘The partnership between China's largest beverage company and
the world's top English football club is an inspiring and huge
development for Wahaha. This year is a milestone year for the
company. The announcement of partnering with Manchester United
represents a perfect opening paragraph in the next chapter of our
history. We will continue to provide high-quality health drinks for
everyone and to fulfill our commitment of ‘Win Happy Health, Wahaha
is always around you.’
About Manchester United
Manchester United is one of the most popular and successful
sports teams in the world, playing one of the most popular
spectator sports on Earth. Through our 135-year heritage we have
won 60 trophies, enabling us to develop the world’s leading sports
brand and a global community of 659 million followers. Our large,
passionate community provides Manchester United with a worldwide
platform to generate significant revenue from multiple sources,
including sponsorship, merchandising, product licensing, new media
& mobile, broadcasting and match day.
About Wahaha
Wahaha was founded in 1987 by Zong Qinghou. Under the leadership
of Mr. Zong, in 2011, Wahaha’s operation revenue reached RMB 67.9
billion, with an annual production capacity of more than 280
million bottles of drinks, and RMB 12.3 billion in taxes. Wahaha
was listed No.69 out of the top 500 Chinese manufacturing companies
and ranked No.12 in China’s private enterprises in terms of
operating income. Out of every eight bottles of drink consumed in a
country with a population of 13 million, one of these bottles is a
Wahaha product. Wahaha owns a national technology center, whose
laboratory has passed the CNAS (China National Accreditation
Service). The company also owns a center for post-doctoral studies
and the Zhejiang key Laboratory of Food and Biological Engineering.
Wahaha successively won the “Most Respectable Chinese Enterprise”
five times and has earned AAA-level Credibility by National
Industrial and Commercial Enterprises Credibility Rating System
several times.
Wahaha has more than 60 branch offices in the country. Wahaha’s
procurement of agricultural products has reached RMB 35 billion
driving the employment of 1.3 million rural labourers.
Wahaha’s spending on social welfare activities has reached RMB
360 million. The “25-year-old” Wahaha relies on the scientific
concept of development to write its own history.
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