Nestlé and the National Basketball Association (NBA) have announced a new multi-year international marketing partnership that will make MILO®, Nescau® and Nesquik® Official Partners of the NBA.

The agreement, which takes effect on January 1, 2027, spans 21 markets across four continents and represents Nestlé’s largest international brand collaboration to date.

The partnership is aimed at engaging basketball fans and encouraging greater youth participation in the sport through a range of activations across selected NBA youth basketball development programs and platforms.

These will include Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA, NBA Basketball School, Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Coaches Academies, Her Time To Play and NBA 3X, as well as selected NBA events and fan engagement platforms such as NBA Global Games and NBA House.

According to Nestlé, the partnership reflects its strategy of focusing on fewer larger global marketing platforms that can be activated consistently across markets while maintaining local relevance.

Liberato Milo, Senior Vice President and Head of Confectionery & Snacking Strategic Business Unit at Nestlé, said the company's brands have a long history of using sport to connect with consumers and promote active lifestyles.

“For decades, our brands have believed in the power of sport to bring out the best in people,” he said.

He added that the partnership with the NBA would allow Nestlé to connect with consumers at scale while creating locally relevant experiences and inspiring young people and families to become active through basketball.

In Ghana, the partnership is expected to further strengthen MILO’s longstanding involvement in grassroots sports development.

Myron Otoo, Category Manager for Beverages and Dairy at Nestlé Ghana, said the collaboration would create more opportunities for children in Ghana to discover and develop their potential through sport.

“This is an exciting moment to further democratize access to basketball and create more opportunities for children across Ghana to discover and develop their potential through sport,” Otoo said.

He noted that the partnership builds on MILO’s grassroots sports initiatives, including the MILO Under 13 Champions League, which has helped nurture young sporting talent in Ghana over the years.

Otoo said the collaboration would use the power of basketball to inspire the next generation of athletes, promote active and healthy lifestyles, and reinforce the role of sport in developing confidence, character, and grit.

The partnership will also include retail programs and in-market fan experiences, including on-pack promotions featuring NBA branding and opportunities for consumers to win NBA tickets, merchandise, and other prizes.

Julie Morris, NBA Senior Vice President of Commercial Development and Media, said the partnership would help expand access to basketball and connect with fans in new ways.

“ Nestlé is one of the world’s most recognizable brands and has a longstanding connection to consumers across the globe,” Morris said.

“We look forward to leveraging Nestlé’s reach and local market presence to connect with fans in new ways and support the continued growth of basketball around the world.”

The partnership will be activated across 21 markets, including Ghana, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam.

The Philippines will join the partnership from October 2027.