Cadbury has signed on as a major partner of the Tasmania Devils, linking more than a century of chocolate making in the state with the club’s push into national football.
The five-year deal, announced at Cadbury’s Claremont factory, will see the brand feature on the back of the Tasmania Devils guernsey.
Cadbury will become a Foundation Major Partner, supporting the club’s women’s and men’s VFL and VFLW teams in 2026 and 2027, then its AFL and AFLW sides from 2028 to 2030.
Tasmania Football Club chief executive Brendon Gale said the partnership went beyond a typical commercial arrangement.
“To be able to showcase and partner with Cadbury, it goes beyond just normal partnership to what we describe as perhaps a sense of destiny, given the extent to which Cadbury has been a part of Tasmania and the fabric of Tasmanian communities all around the state for many, many years,” Gale said.
Gale, who grew up in a fifth-generation dairy farming family in Elliott, said many Tassie those families supplied for Cadbury.
“I had an uncle that drove the tanker down, you know, daily to Hobart,” he said.
“This goes beyond values alignment. This is a connection to place and it’s a connection to history.”
He said the backing of one of Australia’s most recognised brands was a significant vote of confidence in the club.
“Getting behind and backing us at this formative stage is really, really important,” he said.
Mondelez International President for Japan, Australia and New Zealand, Toby Smith, said conversations began around this time last year.
“Brendan and I had a conversation and the reply was simply yes,” Smith said.
“Cadbury and Tasmania are one in the same, you know, we feel like we’re the soul of Tasmania, so we definitely want to be part of this.”
Smith said the five-year term was a starting point rather than a finish line.
“We’ve got a very clear vision [over] multiple decades and hopefully the Tassie Devils will definitely be part of that,” he said.
He flagged plans for Cadbury products linked to the Devils appearing in supermarkets across Australia.
“We see it as our role to take the Devils across Australia,” Smith said.
Gale dismissed suggestions from national commentators that Tasmania would struggle for corporate support.
“We’ve had no shortage of interest,” he said.
“The challenge has been from us is how do we balance some of those big global national brands with Tasmanian-ness.”
The club confirmed there will be additional major partners announced in time.
Cadbury sources around 100 million litres of fresh Tasmanian milk each year from 48 local family farms, representing around 10% of the state’s milk supply.
Mondelez International employs around 700 people across its Claremont and Burnie sites.
