Nestle shoots to score younger generation with NBA deal

By Ozan Ergenay and Richa Naidu Oct 7 (Reuters) Nestle is making its biggest-ever international sponsorship play through an NBA deal with its cocoa and malt drinks business, the latest consumer goods maker to turn to sports to reach increasingly health-conscious younger consumers. Rivals like PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and Hellmann s condiment maker Unilever have in recent years raced to strike marketing deals with sports leagues and ​events that have strong Gen Z and Gen Alpha followings. These shoppers tend to be more geared to fitness and nutrition, making ‌them ideal targets for an industry keen to re-brand its products as healthy amid the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and movements like Make America Healthy Again . There is a strong link and an absolute alignment with (the health) mission of the company, said Ali Abbas, who heads Nestle s cocoa and malted beverages business that owns Milo, Nesquik and Nescau. He added there was also a strong link between the deal and the Swiss food