Hope it isn't mate. Awful logo, don't want yellow on our home kit do we? It's the only solid rumor i've heard though regarding sponsorship.
Club signs partnership deal with BFS Group Limited. Sunderland AFC has announced that BFS Group Limited will become the club’s new principal partner from season 2013-14. BFS Group is the main UK operation of The Bidvest Group Limited, which is headquartered in South Africa. The Bidvest Group is a global business operating across a range of sectors with over 105,000 employees across four continents. It also operates the largest global foodservice business outside North America and has significant presence in the UK market. BFS Group and Bidvest is the ideal partner for Sunderland AFC, with both organisations sharing a strong heritage in supporting the communities they serve, both in the UK and abroad, championing sport for all and promoting health and wellbeing. For Sunderland AFC, the partnership also aims to build on its growing affiliation with the African continent, kick started by its ground-breaking link up with the Invest in Africa initiative and recent collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The partnership includes sponsoring the players’ shirts, perimeter advertising and involvement from the players in local community events in the UK. The Bidvest Group also owns Bidvest Wits, one of the largest football clubs on the African continent and Sunderland AFC will be able to share coaching and business expertise with the South African club. Sunderland AFC chief executive Margaret Byrne said: “We are absolutely delighted to be entering into a partnership with The BFS Group and Bidvest. The groups’ credentials in terms of community support are akin to our own and this takes our club to a whole new level in terms of its international commercial activity. “Whilst Sunderland will always be a club defined by its proud regional history and heritage, in order for the club to continue to move forward, building our reputation and presence internationally becomes a key focus. “I am sure this will be a very fruitful partnership for both parties.” Bidvest’s Brian Joffe said: “Sunderland AFC is the perfect partner for us in the UK where we deliver food and drink to over 50,000 businesses each week. “The support that Sunderland AFC offers to their local community, setting up the Foundation of Light and now supporting development of initiatives further afield mirrors the Bidvest spirit of investing time and funds back into the markets we operate in.” Sunderland AFC has quickly established itself as one of the most recognised English clubs across Africa in recent seasons. Its ground-breaking link-up with Invest in Africa in January 2012 afforded a springboard to the not-for-profit initiative to promote Africa as a leading investment destination and actively challenge misconceptions about investing on the continent. The club also recently announced a partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, a first in world football.
Bidvest was ranked 37th on Business Week’s list of the world’s top 40 companies and is also ranked in the Forbes Global 2000 list. Bidvest is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, South Africa, with a current market capitalisation of approximately £6 billion placing it amongst the largest companies in South Africa. It operates on four continents across a range of sectors including freight, financial services, foodservice and automotive, employing over 105, 000 people worldwide. Bidvest’s strategy is to invest in companies operating in the areas of service, distribution and trading. Entrepreneurship, decentralised management, accountability and communication are the key elements of its philosophy. Bidvest’s largest division is its Foodservice division which distributes a range of food and allied products of all temperatures to customers in
Was 3663 responsible for those giant shop vending machine in the streets that got trashed anywhere they were set up? Think I'm wrong but they sound familiar.
I really hope its not 3663 as they sponser the mags.......notts county as well as sum rugby team i never heard of and no doubt we would get sum stick of the unwashed up the road!
