The Melitta Group and the English record-breaking champions Manchester United have agreed a long-term partnership. Melitta will become the club’s first official coffee partner and in future will work closely with the club on various communication and marketing projects. The exclusive partnership covers the United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany.
The collaboration between Melitta and Manchester United goes well beyond a classic sponsoring partnership. As well as the media presence and numerous rights and services, which Melitta will activate on its own platforms, the partnership will be particularly visible at the Old Trafford stadium, Manchester United’s home ground. Here over 200 Melitta fully automatic coffee machines and coffee vending machines will be set up in the executive club boxes and catering areas. Melitta have also played a major role in the refurbishment of the Red Café, where Melitta products will be sold. This means that nearly half a million people who visit Old Trafford each year can enjoy Melitta’s delicious coffee specialties.
“It is a great honour for us to work so closely in a trusting relationship with the most successful football club in the world. On over 360 days of the year our products will be used in a football stadium with one of the richest traditions worldwide, under really competitive conditions” said Volker Stühmeier, a member of Melitta’s Chief Corporate Management. “Over 200 Melitta coffee machines and fully automatic coffee machines have been positioned in the boxes and VIP areas, in addition we will provide over six tonnes of coffee beans per year as well as large volumes of porcelain, accessories and both disposable and non-disposable materials. This is the basis on which we can present ourselves as specialists for professional hot beverage preparation in both individual and system catering. Old Trafford is a top class showcase for Melitta.”
Richard Arnold, Manchester United’s Group Managing Director, said: “Like Manchester United, Melitta is a company with a long tradition. The history of the family company began with Melitta Bentz inventing the coffee filter over 100 years ago. To this day, this traditional method of making coffee is used at home, in restaurants and in offices all around the world. We are very proud to be entering into a partnership with this well-known coffee brand and look forward to working together with Melitta to provide an incomparable experience to hundreds of thousands of guests when they visit the stadium at Old Trafford.”
Football is the most popular sport in the world and Manchester United with its over 650 million followers attracts more attention than any other club. Manchester United games can be seen regularly in 205 countries and is followed by over 130 million people on the club´s social media.
Just like the Melitta brand, Manchester United stands for excellent performance, inspiration and zest for life. Success, dynamism, hard work, passionate commitment and global presence are intimately linked with the “Red Devils”– these are qualities that also characterise Melitta. From this cooperation both partners can expect to see positive effects on their brand.
About Manchester United and Melitta
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 139-year heritage we have won 66 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.
Melitta Group
The internationally operating and family-owned Melitta Group can look back on over 100 years of history. We manufacture branded products for coffee enjoyment, for the storage and preparation of food, and for household cleanliness. In addition, we produce special-grade papers for the wallpaper industry and industrial film for the packaging of food. In those markets in which we operate, our branded goods are market and quality leaders or vying for this position.
Melitta Europe – Coffee Preparation Division
The operating division Melitta Europe – Coffee Preparation Division – develops, produces and markets top-quality products under the Melitta® brand for the brewing of filter coffee, such as filter papers, pour-over cones, filter coffeemakers, coffee grinders and electric kettles, as well as fully automatic coffee machines for preparing coffee specialties at home. The range is rounded out by tea filter products under the Cilia® brand.
Melitta Europe – Coffee Division
The operating division Melitta Europe – Coffee Division – is responsible in particular for Melitta’s European coffee business. The range offers perfect coffee enjoyment for every taste: from filter coffee to instant cappuccino, and from whole beans for automatic coffee machines to pad ranges for single- cup preparation.
Melitta Professional Coffee Solutions
Melitta Professional Coffee Solutions specializes in supplying equipment for professional hot beverage preparation in the system and non-system catering segments. Its core business areas are the development, production and global marketing of fully automatic machines for coffee specialties and filter coffee machines under the Melitta® and Cafina® brands, technical service for its professional customer base, and the sale of coffee, tea, hot chocolate and accessories.
