Center Fruit signs up Angelo Mathews as its Brand Ambassador

Saturday, 14 February 2015 00:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Perfetti Van Melle Lanka (PVML) Team with the newly-appointed Brand Ambassador. Standing from left: PVML Areas Sales Manager Ruwan Weerasooriya, PVML Sales and Marketing Manager Baljit Singh Virdi, Center Fruit Brand Ambassador and Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Captain Angelo Mathews, PVML Country Manager Sumitava Basu, Phoenix O&M Chief Operating Officer Sudesh Sundhara Moorthy, PVML Sales Manager Seysiri Hewage and Phoenix O&M Senior Account Manager Shabeer Ali Perfetti Van Melle Lanka Ltd. (PVML), the leader in the sugar confectionery industry and the pioneer in liquid-filled gums in Sri Lanka, has roped in Angelo Mathews as the Brand Ambassador for its leading brand, Center Fruit. Angelo Mathews will play an active role in promoting the brand in the growing Sri Lankan market. Center Fruit is available across the island in four fruit flavours – strawberry, watermelon, raw mango and sweet mango. Over the years, Center Fruit has become the leading chewing gum brand because of its irresistible taste and the splash of its liquid filling. Commenting on this new association, Sumitava Basu, Country Manager of PVML, said, “Angelo Mathew’s association with Center Fruit synchronizes well with the brand and its objectives. Center Fruit is a brand that is consumed by various segments of the population, be it a six-year-old kid or a 45-year-old professional. Angelo is one of the most admired cricketers in Sri Lanka and an all-rounder with a huge fan base across all ages around the island. For all of us, Angelo stands for excellence and reliability. We therefore saw an ideal fit between Center Fruit and Angelo Mathews and we believe that his association with the brand will help us increase positive awareness about the brand and its many flavours. This exclusive partnership brings one of the greatest athletes of this generation into our organisational portfolio. Angelo Mathews embodies a sense of professionalism and flair that integrates well with our brand image.” PVML plans to do exciting campaigns on Center Fruit featuring Angelo Mathews using multiple media platforms – print, electronic, digital and outdoor. Angelo will be involved in personal engagement with consumers at events and promotions organised by PVML. He will also be the face on the packaging of Center Fruit as well as on its merchandising material. Speaking on the growing Sri Lankan market, Baljit Singh Virdi, Sales and Marketing Manager of PVML, said, “Center Fruit was introduced to the Sri Lankan market in 2009. Within five years, it has become the market leader in chewing gums. We are delighted to have Angelo Mathews as Brand Ambassador for Center Fruit. We have just launched a TV campaign featuring Angelo, focusing on Centre Fruit and him actively engaging with his fans. We at PVML are humbly proud that we were able to successfully add more value to the confectionery market and hope to continue providing our consumers with the best quality products and exciting advertising communication.” Speaking on the occasion, Angelo Mathews said, “I am a regular consumer of Center Fruit. Therefore, when the offer came to me to represent the brand, it seemed the perfect fit for me to endorse the brand. The product is great and the quality is impeccable. I am extremely delighted to partner with the brand and am excited to play an active part in the brand’s journey towards further success in years to come.” PVML is a renowned manufacturer and marketer of several high quality globally renowned sugar confectionery brands like Mentos, Center Fruit, Alpenliebe, Chupa Chups, Happy Dent, etc. PVML’s local manufacturing facility is in Seeduwa. The company has a diverse portfolio of brands across segments (i.e. candies, gums, jellies & chewies), which it sells through various retail channels across the country. As a marketer, PVML has always been known for its iconic, eyeball-grabbing and entertaining advertising. PVML is a fully owned subsidiary of the global confectionery conglomerate Perfetti Van Melle which started from Italy and is now headquartered in Amsterdam (the Netherlands). Perfetti Van Melle is globally present in 150 countries and has 31 manufacturing locations including Sri Lanka. It has 19000 employees worldwide with a total turnover in excess of Euro 2.5 billion.