Rwandan coffee is set to reach Premier League fans after the East African nation signed a reported $26 million-a-year sponsorship agreement with Aston Villa, making the club's latest commercial partnership a platform for promoting not only tourism but also one of Rwanda's most valuable agricultural exports.
Under the multi-year deal, Visit Rwanda becomes Aston Villa's Principal Partner, Official Tourism Partner and Official Coffee Provider, with the country's branding appearing on the front of the men's, women's and academy teams' shirts.
The agreement, described by the club as the most significant sponsorship in its history, further expands Rwanda's strategy of using elite European football to boost tourism, attract investment and open new markets for its specialty coffee.
The club described the agreement as the most important sponsorship deal in Aston Villa's history, underscoring the commercial significance of the partnership.
Aston Villa signed the deal after replacing gambling firm Betano as its front-of-shirt sponsor, following the Premier League's decision to phase out gambling sponsorships on the front of matchday shirts.
