How does badminton link to beer and chocolate? Denmark came up with an answer today! This week the 2016 Yonex Denmark Open presented by Danisa is being used as platform for business relations. A group of Asian journalists visited local businesses together with their Danish hosts.
Asian journalists joined the ‘walk the talk’ when they visited local businesses in Fyn as part of their stay in Denmark during the annual badminton tournament Yonex Denmark Open presented by Danisa.
“It’s an excellent platform, sporting events, for promoting the nation and businesses. It’s a win-win for both the sport and business,” says Rajes Paul, Malaysian journalist from The Star. Journalist Min Yang from China’s Guangzhou Daily adds: “The Danish Open is a good example on how sporting events can promote, say, beer and chocolate and also the Danish culture. Us journalists from Asia will communicate the initiatives in Denmark during Denmark Open. And Asian businesses will learn about Danish products while visiting the tournament.”
Exciting announcement today
The Brewery Bryggeriet Vestfyen have just signed an agreement with the Chinese food giant COFCO about the distribution of the brands VESTFYEN and STØCKEL together with the craft beer series WILLEMOES. Export Director Bo Nørgaard Pedersen advises that the brewery is already present on the market in China, as the Viking series “FREJDAHL” developed in cooperation with Jim Lyngvild has a designated distribution agreement with the company NORDLINES in Tianjin.
“I’m very happy. We are now exporting a
modern version of the old traditional Danish beer to China” says Jim Lyngvild
when welcoming his guests to his epic reconstruction of an ancient Viking
castle. Vestfyen and Mr. Lyngvild met their Chinese agent and distributor of
Frejdahl in connection with the Yonex Denmark Open 2015 and he underlines that
the sporting event was the kick off.
What Vestfyen and Lyngvild already have
accomplished with the beer is also the aim of the Danish high-end chocolate
producer, Henrik Konnerup: “Using sporting events gives us the opportunity to
meet prospective business partners in a relaxed way and to join in an informal
conversation. We are in the process of finalizing a special edition of Hans
Christian Andersen products that specifically target the Chinese market.”
Pleased partners
Jane Jegind, Mayor of Sports, Culture and Urban Development and vice president, Sport Event Fyn, comments on the link between Yonex Denmark Open presented by Danisa and the Chinese market: “In Sport Event Fyn, we have a strategic approach when we try to attract major international sporting events. We are aware of the potential of the events to be platforms for other sectors. We will follow up on the results on these initiatives and in collaboration with Badminton Denmark and Sport Event Denmark we can tell the story worldwide.”
Sport Event Denmark, partner of the tournament together with Sport Event Fyn, is also excited about the extended and very concrete benefits of staging major international sporting events: “The aim of Sport Event Denmark is to promote Denmark as a sport event nation and destination. Major international sporting events are our windows. Yonex Denmark Open has opened such a window towards Asia. Today the visiting journalists got a first-hand meeting with some of the businesses and hopefully they will report back home about the story of how sporting events also provide a platform for new trade,” says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark.
FACTS
An analysis by Sport Event Fyn business events during the Yonex Denmark Open 2015 shows that several companies have realized significant revenues from their activities during the badminton tournament.
Yonex Denmark Open presented by Danisa is a BWF World Super Series Premiere organized by Badminton Denmark and partnered by Sport Event Fyn and Sport Event Denmark.
For more details contact:
Eline Andersen
Senior Kommunikationskonsulent/Senior Communication Manager
T: +45 43 26 21 04
M: +45 51 22 53 85
ea@sporteventdenmark.com
