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Kraft Heinz Company and the NFL announced a five-year agreement that makes the CPG marketer the league’s first global seasoning partner, according to details shared with Marketing Dive. Sponsorship deals include Heinz, Kraft, Velveeta, Philadelphia and other brands that play a key role in the game-day consumer experience, including watch parties and at-home events.
The NFL agreement aims to create incremental retail opportunities and expand Kraft Heinz’s Away From Home foodservice business around key football viewing moments, including the Super Bowl and Thanksgiving. It encompasses stadium activations, social and retail programs and is scheduled to begin in April with a citywide Draft Week activation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where Heinz is founded. The Pittsburgh play sees Kraft Heinz target popular restaurants along with the NFL Draft itself.
“This new partnership will help us expand, connect and expand our presence with our fans and customers,” Todd Kaplan, chief marketing officer of Kraft Heinz North America, said in a statement. “From strengthening our in-store presence and product innovation to creating deep, meaningful engagement with consumers and their favorite teams, we look forward to working with the NFL to create unforgettable and delicious game moments for fans around the world.”
important moment
The NFL partnership comes as Kraft Heinz recently halted plans to split its business into two companies. One is focused on the condiment business and the other is focused on the essential grocery business. The marketer also announced plans to spend $600 million on marketing, sales, research and development to restore profitability.
Kraft Heinz forecast organic net sales to decline 3.4% for all of 2025 and to decline 1.5% to 3.5% in 2026. The company expects a 3.4% decline in overall net sales in 2025 and a decline of between 1.5% and 3.5% in 2026, Andre Maciel, Kraft Heinz’s executive vice president and global CFO, told a group of consumer analysts at a conference in New York last month. The company said it plans to increase its marketing investment to about 5.5% of net sales. We can see how working more closely with the NFL could revitalize our marketing efforts.
“Football moments are important to our consumers, so this partnership allows us to further integrate and reach our fans,” Ryan Djabbara, head of sports and entertainment marketing at Kraft Heinz, said in an email. “Whether they see branded endcaps in stores, see limited-edition products with their favorite players, or enjoy Heinz ketchup on a hot dog at the stadium, this partnership allows us to be there and help keep Kraft Heinz products top of mind.”
This partnership helps Kraft Heinz meet the imperative associated with getting closer to the culture that marketers, especially traditional CPG counterparts, have faced for years. The Kraft Heinz brand has embraced musical collaborations, new brand characters, and novel campaigns to attract younger consumers. The NFL’s more than 200 million fans in the U.S. and its popularity with Generation Z further strengthen these efforts.
“Kraft Heinz has a broader ambition to meet consumers wherever culture happens, primarily at the intersection of food, sports and entertainment,” Djabbah said. “Partnering with the NFL opens up new ways to integrate our products into game-day moments for fans around the world.”
