Nestlé Signs Global NBA Partnership for Three Brands

Nestlé’s agreement with the National Basketball Association will make Milo, Nescau and Nesquik official NBA partners in the markets covered by the deal. The company described it as its largest international brand partnership so far.

The partnership will include youth programmes, fan events and consumer promotions. Its platforms will include Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA, NBA Basketball School, Coach Academies, Her Time To Play and NBA 3X. NBA Global Games and NBA House will also feature partnership activity.

The initial markets are Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ghana, Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Britain, the United States and Vietnam. The Philippines is scheduled to join in October 2027.

Nestlé plans to use NBA branding on product packaging and at retail locations. Promotions may offer game tickets, official merchandise and other prizes. The company said that global activations will be adapted to the commercial conditions of individual markets.

Liberato Milo, Nestlé’s senior vice-president and head of its Strategic Business Unit for Confectionery and Snacks, said the company wanted to use basketball’s reach to strengthen its relationship with consumers. Milo, Nescau and Nesquik have established links with family and youth audiences and are commonly associated with beverages prepared with or consumed alongside milk, although their products are not identical and are not all dairy products.

The agreement forms part of Nestlé’s effort to direct marketing resources towards fewer global platforms and brands with broad international audiences. The company has not announced new plants, additional production capacity or changes to milk sourcing in connection with the partnership. The collaboration is due to start in January 2027 and will combine youth-focused activities, entertainment and retail promotions across the participating markets.