Cadbury and Rugby Australia are proud to announce the iconic and highly trusted brand is strengthening its long-term partnership with Australia's national Women's Rugby team, the Wallaroos.
The new deal will see Cadbury become the 'Principal Partner' of the Wallaroos for the next six years, through Australia's home Rugby World Cup in 2029.
Cadbury has been a major partner of the team since 2021 and has elevated its commitment, with the iconic logo to now feature prominently across the front of the Wallaroos' jerseys.
Cadbury has a long history of supporting Australian sports, both at elite and grassroots levels. The brand has particularly been committed to driving visibility and equality for women in sports through partnerships that aim to inspire the next generation of Australian female athletes and encourage participation in sport.
"We know Australians are passionate about sport on the world stage, and Cadbury's values of creating connections, generosity, and community spirit resonate with our partnership with Australian Rugby and the Wallaroos", said Kathy De Lullo, Director of Marketing Excellence at Mondelēz International, custodians of Cadbury.
"Through our commitment, we want to support the Wallaroos at the elite level and promote visibility and equality for women in sports."
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh said Cadbury's new commitment is a watershed moment for Women's Rugby in Australia.
"Cadbury has been an invaluable partner to Rugby since 2021, and we are proud to announce together, the brand's expanded commitment to Women's Rugby for the next six years," Waugh said. "The 2029 Rugby World Cup promises to be an inspiring moment for the game, and to be able to enjoy the support of such a prominent brand in the lead-up to that major event is a huge boost to the Wallaroos program.
"In February, Rugby Australia announced it will invest more than ever before into its Women's Rugby program in 2024, with higher player payments, a full-time head coach, our first dedicated women's high-performance manager, and an increased Wallaroos schedule.
"We still have work to do; however, we are seeing the flow-on at the community level too - Women's Rugby is the fastest growing area of the game at the grassroots level; we saw a 16% increase in female participation in clubs in 2023.
"This major partnership with Cadbury will be a significant factor as we strive to continue growing our financial commitment to Women's XVs, and especially in driving greater visibility of our athletes and the team."
History of Cadbury's Commitment to Women's Sport: In addition to supporting athletes and sport at the highest levels, Cadbury has had a long-standing commitment to grassroots programs, including the 2022 national Women in Sport program, which funded uniforms designed specifically for female athletes, 2023's Cheer & a Half community grants, which celebrated the generosity of volunteers in local grassroots clubs, and a re-design of the iconic Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate block, which featured four Cadbury Women in Sport ambassadors, filling supermarket aisles with inspiring images of these exceptional athletes.
As the Wallaroos set their sights on the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cups in 2025 and on home soil in 2029, there will be many opportunities to support the success of Australian Women's Rugby.
"Over the last decade, we have invested $50 million into Australia's leading sporting codes. We want to encourage Australians to get more involved in Rugby at a local club, in the stands, or as part of the global competition, and we are seeing pleasing growth in women's participation figures across the board from the elite through to the grassroots. As a leading brand, together with a leading sports code, we are thrilled to boost our partnership with the Wallaroos and are excited about the journey to come," said Darren O'Brien, President Australia, New Zealand and Japan at Mondelēz International.
The partnership between Cadbury and the Wallaroos extends until 2029.
