Sprite is putting itself courtside for Australian basketball, signing on as the Official Soft Drink Partner of the NBL and WNBL. The multi-year partnership kicks off in the 2026/27 season and will run across Australia’s top men’s and women’s basketball competitions, from regular season games to HoopsFest and the Finals Series. The deal also extends to NBL Next Stars, connecting Sprite with emerging players using the league as a pathway to the professional game and, for many, the NBA. The local partnership follows Sprite’s return as the NBA’s Official Global Soft Drink Partner in 2026, along with a new multi-season deal with EuroLeague Basketball for 2026/27. It brings the brand’s long-running basketball connection back into focus after a history with the sport that ran from 1986 to 2015, including a long stint as title sponsor of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Sprite Marketing Director Gemma Versteeg said, “Sprite and basketball have been intertwined for decades. Bringing that story to the local NBL and WNBL is a natural next step. Australian basketball is fast, growing and unapologetically itself, which is exactly what Sprite stands for. “We’re here to own the freshest moments in the game and give fans something worth talking about.” Starting with the dunk The brand will roll out The Freshest Dunks, a season-long platform celebrating standout dunks across the NBL and WNBL. The best dunks of every round will be cut for social, broadcast in-arena and pushed across screens as part of the match-day experience. Promotions, giveaways and courtside hydration will also play a big role across the partnership. NBL Group Chief Executive Officer David Stevenson said, “Sprite has been a global supporter of elite basketball for a long time, and it’s great to see our connection growing in Australia and New Zealand alongside the continued growth of the NBL and WNBL. “Partners like Sprite continue to fuel that trajectory, and I want to personally thank Ahmed and the team at Coca-Cola Australia and New Zealand for backing our players, our fans and the future of elite basketball. “There are so many genuine fan moments this partnership will bring to life across both leagues, from massive dunks to back-breaking shots, and all the celebrations that follow; when we’ve seen fans caught up in the action and trying not to spill their Sprite with the excitement. “We are thrilled to be growing this partnership and look forward to bringing Sprite, the NBL and WNBL closer to fans across Australia and New Zealand.” The WNBL will be part of the same push, with Sprite set to amplify players and standout moments through social and content as the women’s league continues building its audience. Lauren Jackson, Chief Strategy and Basketball Partnerships Officer of the WNBL, said, “The WNBL is growing faster than ever, with bigger crowds, more people watching our games and a new generation of fans connecting with our players. “Partnerships like this are important because they help us celebrate the moments that make basketball so exciting and put our athletes in front of even more Australians. “Sprite brings a fresh energy that fits perfectly with where the WNBL is heading, and we’re excited to see our players and their standout moments amplified across the season.” Source: Ogilvy PR Find more food culture updates on Crumb Wire.

Box Divvy is taking its cheaper-produce model into Queensland as grocery pressure keeps pushing families to look beyond the supermarket aisle. The community food network will open its first five Queensland Hubs in Browns Plains, Kingston, Regents Park, Zillmere and Banyo, less than a year after expanding into Victoria. The launch adds Queensland to a network of more than 400 neighbourhood Hubs supporting almost 16,000 families across NSW, the ACT and Victoria. For Martina Rewha, who will run the Regents Park Hub, the model arrived at the right time. With a large family to feed, Rewha had already been looking for a way to buy better quality fruit and vegetables at a lower price. She had considered buying directly from markets and splitting larger orders with family and friends before discovering Box Divvy. “I just thought there must be a way we could get better quality fruit and vegetables, know where our produce was coming from and make it a bit cheaper for everyone,” Rewha said. “Then I discovered Box Divvy and realised it was basically what I’d been thinking about doing myself, but the whole model and supply network was already there. The produce is delivered to my house and I pack everyone’s individual orders ready for them to collect.” A Queensland price comparison conducted on August 17 found a basket of 21 fresh produce items cost $86.37 through Box Divvy, compared with $142.62 from an online supermarket. According to Box Divvy, that made its basket 39 per cent cheaper, with the Hubster fee included. Rewha already has 25 members signed up to her Regents Park Hub, largely through word of mouth and local community groups. “I’m so excited. It shows there are other families around here looking for the same thing,” Rewha said. Box Divvy started as a small street co-op run by husband-and-wife team Jayne Travers-Drapes and Anton van den Berg. It has since grown into a community-run food network connecting households with fresh produce, pantry staples and ethical suppliers through local Hubs. Members order online each week and collect from a Hub run by someone in their neighbourhood. There are no membership fees, but members are expected to place regular orders. The model is designed to reduce the time produce spends sitting in storage or moving through the supply chain before it reaches households. Members can also see where their food comes from, what suppliers are paid and how money is distributed through the supply chain. Co-founder Jayne Travers-Drapes said, “More and more Australians are looking beyond price alone and asking bigger questions about their food. Where did it come from? Who grew it? How much waste was created along the way? And who benefits from the dollars they spend? “Box Divvy gives people answers to those questions while helping create a food system that is fresher, fairer and more transparent.” The Queensland launch will be supported by Suncoast Fresh, which will handle fulfilment and delivery to the Hubs. Founded in Noosa in 2008, Suncoast Fresh now supplies customers across South East Queensland and Northern NSW, working directly with more than 40 local farms. The expansion comes as more households look for ways to manage grocery costs while still buying fresh produce. Box Divvy says recent research found food insecurity among its members dropped from 51 per cent to 28 per cent after joining, while fruit and vegetable consumption increased significantly. Co-founder Anton van den Berg said, “Box Divvy is about more than food. It’s about rebuilding the social fabric of communities. Our Hubs also create opportunities for people to earn additional income, support Australian growers and reconnect with their neighbours. In an increasingly disconnected world, those local connections matter more than ever.” Box Divvy is also looking for more Queenslanders interested in becoming Hubsters and earning additional income by running a Hub in their local community. Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Nespresso is sending coffee drinkers into the clouds at a new pop-up inside its Pitt Street boutique. Cloud World will take over The Nespresso Lab in Sydney from August 27, with free tastings, limited-edition drinks created in collaboration with expert mixologists from Sydney’s Maybe Sammy and a Saturday martini hour inspired by Nespresso’s new Vertuo World campaign featuring Dua Lipa. The experience centres on the brand’s Vertuo range and the new Vertuo Up machine, with guests able to try different blends, test coffee recipes and take home recipe cards. Nespresso Coffee Ambassador Monique Dean said, “We’re excited to welcome coffee lovers to Cloud World and see how easy it is to create elevated coffee recipes at home with Vertuo Up. “Coffee is increasingly becoming the base ingredient for some of the most imaginative and viral recipes online due to its versatility and rich, intense flavour. With Vertuo, it’s easy to get creative with more than 30 blends to explore and a consistent, high-quality extraction every time. No guesswork, just great taste.” The event series opens with Australian chef and television personality Khanh Ong hosting a one-night-only launch event on Thursday, August 27. Across two complimentary ticketed sessions, Ong will unveil a signature creation inspired by Vietnamese coffee traditions, available for that night only. After the launch, Cloud World will open for walk-ins from Thursday to Saturday, running from 10 am to 2 pm, until October 10 at The Nespresso Lab inside the Pitt Street Boutique. Nespresso coffee experts will also guide tastings to help guests find their preferred origin and roast, before turning selected coffees into limited-edition menu creations. The menu includes the Vacanza Queen Cloud Latte, a rich and bright serve aimed at Mont Blanc fans, and the Sicilian Wedding Lemonade, finished with cherry cold foam. Nespresso Martini Hour will run every Saturday in September from 3 pm to 7 pm. The complimentary ticketed sessions will feature: Vacanza Queen Cloud Latte – A rich and bright coffee serve aimed at Mont Blanc fans. Sicilian Wedding Lemonade – A celebratory coffee drink finished with cherry cold foam. Pop Star Martini – A salted maple twist on an Espresso Martini, served during Nespresso Martini Hour every Saturday in September. The Cloud World staging will also include pink fairy floss served through a window in the wall, because the coffee pop-up is clearly not trying to be subtle. Every registered guest attending ticketed Cloud World events where Two Good Co pairings are served will also trigger a Nespresso donation of one Two Good Co meal to a women’s refuge supporting women who have experienced homelessness and domestic violence. Entry to ticketed events is free, but bookings are required via the Nespresso website. Tickets for the week ahead go live every Monday at 12 pm, with limited capacity, and ticketed events are strictly for guests aged 18 and over. Source: Emotive Find more food culture updates on Crumb Wire.

Haigh’s Chocolates is opening its first Brisbane store this week, bringing the South Australian chocolate maker to Westfield Mt Gravatt. The store officially opens on Friday, August 28, on Level 2 next to MECCA, giving Queensland shoppers access to Haigh’s full retail experience, including artisan chocolates and complimentary in-store tastings. It is the first Brisbane store for Australia’s oldest family-owned chocolate maker, which has built a strong Queensland customer base online before moving into physical retail in the state. Haigh’s Chocolates Chief Executive Peter Millard said, “Since announcing that we were coming to Brisbane, we have had so many Haigh’s fans and online customers reaching out, asking where they can visit and when we will be open. That kind of anticipation tells you how much this moment means to them. “Queensland has been one of our strongest online markets for years so opening our first store at Westfield Mt Gravatt marks the start of establishing our bricks and mortar experience here, with Chermside and Carindale to follow in November. “The priority now is to deliver an amazing in-store experience that lives up to that excitement, giving the same exceptional personal service Haigh’s is renowned for.” Westfield Mt Gravatt is the first of three Brisbane openings planned for Haigh’s this year, with Chermside and Carindale stores set to follow in November. Westfield Mt Gravatt Centre Manager Kel Walsh said, “We’re delighted to welcome Haigh’s Chocolates to Westfield Mt Gravatt and celebrate the brand’s first store in Brisbane. “As one of Australia’s iconic chocolate makers, Haigh’s is a much-loved brand, and we’ve seen strong anticipation from customers ahead of the opening. We look forward to introducing more Brisbane customers to the premium quality and exceptional service that has made Haigh’s a favourite for generations.” Opening day will come with a few chocolate incentives. The first 50 customers to visit and make a purchase at the Mt Gravatt store will receive a free Milk Chocolate Midi Frog. Customers who spend $75 or more in-store will also receive a complimentary packet of Milk Chocolate Speckles, available from August 28 to September 4. Haigh’s Chocolates Mt Gravatt opens Friday, August 28 at Westfield Mt Gravatt. Source: Callie Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.