Concha Y Toro Extend Deal With United

Manchester United’s long-standing Official Wine Partner, Concha y Toro, is renewing its global agreement with the club.

The new three-year term secures Chile’s leading wine producer as holding one of the longest-standing partnerships currently held with United, dating back to 2010 and now renewed until 2019.

Concha y Toro has built the partnership, the first global agreement between a wine brand and an English club, around its iconic Casillero del Diablo brand, with the flagship wine available across Old Trafford’s hospitality suites. Over this six-year period, the exposure and popularity of the brand has gone from strength to strength.

The legend of Casillero del Diablo began more than 100 years ago, when Don Melchor de Concha y Toro, founder of the winery, reserved an exclusive batch of the best wines for himself. To keep strangers away from this special private reserve, he spread the rumour that the Devil lived in his cellar, giving birth to the Casillero del Diablo tag.

The club’s first-ever wine partner has worked hard to engage with Manchester United fans and Casillero del Diablo consumers throughout this period. It has organised events such as three ‘Devil’s matches’, bringing Manchester United Soccer Schools to the USA and Chile and hosting United legends including Sir Bobby Charlton and Bryan Robson on wine-tasting tours of Chile, important events for the trade.

The launch of the limited-edition Manchester United Legendary Wine Collection has also enjoyed great success since its launch in 2014, selling around 300,000 bottles.

As a global partner, Concha y Toro has also been highly active in working with Manchester United internationally, partnering with the club on its previous four summer tours in Asia and the USA and organising activities with fans in around 40 countries. Greater exposure as a result of the partnership, including visibility on digital perimeter boards at Old Trafford and TV adverts, has helped Concha y Toro develop its offering to cater for new markets around the world.

As part of the renewed agreement, the partnership aims to boost further growth and success, following the development of new objectives and new ideas.

Manchester United Group Managing Director Richard Arnold comments: "Long-standing relationships are very important to us and Casillero del Diablo is at the heart of our family of global partners, and a natural part of our fabric too. As it has become a familiar part of the Old Trafford and Manchester United experience; its success and growth has helped people around the world see its true quality and helped put Chilean wine on the map.

"With a rich heritage, a clear identity, popularity around the world and a commitment to quality, we have shared a lot of common ground and this will be the bedrock of our success moving forward."

Concha y Toro’s Corporate Marketing Director Global Brands Cristobal Goycoolea comments: "Casillero del Diablo and Manchester United share the pillars of history, tradition and values, and these three characteristics have made this alliance a true global success. We are very proud to renew our contract, and it motivates us to continue working the way we always have."

Photo caption - left to right: David De Gea, Ander Herrera, Sebastian Aguirre (Marketing Director Premium Brands, Concha y Toro), Emiliano Ibañez (Premium Wines Brand Manager, Concha y Toro), Cristóbal Goycoolea (Marketing Director Global Brands, Concha y Toro), Juan Mata, Michael Carrick.