KIKU Hellas PAOK UEFA Europa League football

KIKU Hellas, the Greek arm of trademarked apple marketer KIKU, is reaching an international audience after securing a major perimeter advertising deal at the stadium of Super League Greece football club PAOK Saloniki.

The club apple, which is produced in several countries across Europe, South Africa, New Zealand, Chile and the US, has a proud history of sponsoring sporting clubs, events and activities.

According to George Poultsidis, president of KIKU Hellas, teaming up with the two-times Greek football champions was very much a lo'gical step.

'The number of fans is 1.2m, the number of friends on Facebook more than 117,000,' he told Eurofruit. 'Greek people love the KIKU apple, which is very attractive ruby red, crunchy and juicy. And they love the young, fresh brand.'

Jürgen Braun, chief executive of parent company KIKU, said he believed the commercial partnership with PAOK would help not only in terms of promoting the apple to Greek consumers but also in raising its international profile.

Having won the Greek championship in 2009/10 and finishing third last season, PAOK are currently playing in the uefa Europa League, where they are currently up against Russian side Rubin Kazan, English club Tottenham Hotspur and the Irish team Shamrock Rovers.

During the coming months, KIKU will promote sales of an estimated production of 17,000 tonnes of kiku apples in Europe by supporting a range of interesting activities such as slacklining and various winter sports, including ice climbing and biathlon.