Avant Natural mineral water has launched a six-figure partnership with Premier League club, AFC Bournemouth to promote drinking water over sugary sports drinks.
26% of the nation are now classed as obese and almost a quarter of children under five having tooth decay (37% in Bournemouth). And, despite the sugar tax on soft drinks, there remains a huge challenge to encourage people to choose healthier options over sugary sports drinks.
Backed by a six-figure investment, Avant has signed a three-year partnership with Premier League club AFC Bournemouth to promote lower-sugar drinking. The deal includes co-branded water bottles, with a penny from each sale donated to the Community Sports Trust or the club’s charity. The exclusive co-branded water bottles will be available on matchdays and in local convenience stores.
The partnership will also be supported by in-stadium advertising and fan competitions on social media, to drive further awareness and engagement.
Soner Kanal from Avant Water said: “Challenging the role that sugary drinks play in sport is very important. The nation faces huge challenges and drinking more water and less sugar is an accessible way for everyone to improve their health and performance. Signing this partnership is a proud moment for Avant and we’re looking forward to developing our relationship with AFC Bournemouth as well as working closely with its Community Sports Trust. Our localised strategy with this partnership means that we can truly support retailers in and around the area.”Rob Mitchell, Commercial Director at AFC Bournemouth, spoke of his delight following the partnership being secured: “It’s great to be able to bring Avant Water on board as a Proud Partner and the initiatives they’ll be working on with us are really important”.
“Together, we will help ensure that AFC Bournemouth continues to be an environmentally friendly club, and we will look to instil the same beliefs throughout our Community Sports Trust projects.”
Avant natural mineral water has seen 30% growth in the last three years with listings in WHS Smith and Bestway and is set to drive further expansion across retail and out of home channels in 2025. The wider bottled water category saw a 7.1%3 increase in volume in 2024 according to The Grocer’s data published in partnership with NIQ. Brands were up 5.9%3 and own label 8.2%3.
