Inner Mongolia Mengniu Dairy Industry (Group) Co Ltd (Mengniu), China's leading dairy producer, moved closer to overseas expansion yesterday, when it announced a promotional partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Financial figures were not disclosed, but executives from Mengniu emphasized that domestic operations would continue to be the company's primary focus.

A customer takes a carton of Mengniu milk from a supermarket display in Shanghai. Inner Mongolia Mengniu Dairy Industry (Group) Co Ltd (Mengniu) announced a promotional partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA) yesterday.[China Daily]

Under the partnership, Mengniu will have the opportunity to promote itself on the NBA's Chinese website and NBA programs broadcast over China's 51 TV channels. It can also sponsor sports and entertainment events offered by NBA China, including this year's NBA Jam Vam.

"The partnership will accelerate Mengniu's internationalization process," said Bai Ying, Mengniu's vice-president and general manager of the Normal Temperature Liquid Milk Department.

"This is only a start, and we will maximize the partnership, developing all-round cooperation beyond China," added Bai, who refused to elaborate, but noted "actions speak louder than words".

Partnership talks started about three years ago, Bai said, culminating with Mengniu becoming the first Chinese food and beverage brand to team up with the NBA. The popular world sport brand, which landed in China in 1987, has 19 partnerships of this kind here.

"NBA stands for positive values that Mengniu shares, like health," said Mark Fischer, managing director of NBA Properties Inc Beijing Representative Office. "We are both dedicated to improving the lives of people, especially younger people."

1

2

(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)