AFC Bournemouth’s latest signing is a mineral water company.
Avant has launched a six-figure partnership with the Premier League club to promote drinking water over sugary sports drinks.
The three-year deal includes co-branded water bottles with a penny from each sale donated to the Community Sports Trust or the club’s charity.
The bottles will be available on matchdays and in local convenience stores.
The partnership will 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, said: “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.”
According to government figures, 26 per cent of the nation are now classed as obese and almost a quarter of children under five have tooth decay (37 per cent in Bournemouth).
Avant natural mineral water has seen 30 per cent growth in the last three years with listings in WHSmith and Bestway .
The wider bottled water category saw a 7.1% increase in volume in 2024 according to The Grocer’s data published in partnership with NIQ.