In a country where cricket tends to dominate the sports pages, an unexpected beneficiary of this recent change is the rugby world, as a biscuit manufacturer is helping the game grow by providing money for youth programs, sponsorships for international sports, and overall support for Sri Lanka Rugby.
Maliban Biscuits is an integral part of Sri Lanka‘s history, known as one of the nation’s most successful and recognizable brands. The biscuit company’s continued support has provided a new surge of momentum to the rugby world by offering financial aid to Sri Lankan rugby players and providing youth programs and international sporting organizations and events to help develop the future of rugby in this country.
One of the most recent examples of the company’s ongoing commitment to rugby was the presentation of LKR 3M (approximately USD 10,000) to the national rugby team of Sri Lanka (known as Tuskers) for their previous performances and contributions to the international rugby community in elevating the profile of Sri Lankan rugby.
However, this award is larger than just a cheque for the players to hold up at the ceremony.
Although rugby is not as commercially popular as cricket, it has become ingrained in the culture and community surrounding schools on the island of Sri Lanka. Because of this, rugby has been able to produce a large group of loyal supporters as well as several passionate players from the region that is considered to have the potential to join and excel on the international sport-playing scene. Sri Lanka has faced challenges related to financial resources, visibility, and the creation of sustainable development pathways.
Enter Maliba.
They have invested in the national rugby team, but more importantly, they are the key sponsor of the New Zealand U85kg Rugby Tour in Sri Lanka in 2026 – an unusual but well-thought-out international partnership that will result in the exposure of New Zealand‘s future rugby stars and the opportunity for the local rugby players and school rugby athletes to interact directly with New Zealand’s rugby professionals.
This is important.
Sports economists have shown that investing in youth sport creates far-reaching benefits beyond the sport itself, including improvements in education performance, increased leadership skill sets, enhanced social mobility, and improved public health. For a developing nation, organized sport can serve as a tool for national development.
Maliban is well aware of this fact.
“Our dedication does not only extend to the game itself but also to improving the lives of young people in Sri Lanka,” said Maliban’s senior management, emphasizing their intention of building an ongoing athlete development strategy instead of concentrating on marketing achievements through higher-profile sponsorships.
Maliban’s participation in rugby is a dramatic shift for a company known primarily for snacks consumed during tea. Maliban, whose origins date back over 70 years, has achieved its reputation as one of the most reputable brands in Sri Lanka. The company’s name is associated with family values, tradition, and pride in one’s country. Maliban is now establishing itself as a significant player within a new industry: sport-driven social impact.
The amount of corporate interest in social investment strategies has also risen globally.
All the major brands are starting to realize that giving away money (i.e., sponsoring the team) does not equal providing a benefit to the community, and therefore a significant amount of sponsorship dollars will not necessarily translate into an increase in their brand visibility, but rather to their own social legacy.
The rugby example may ultimately become an example of how a corporation can be a strong corporate citizen and completely alter an entire sporting industry (sporting ecosystem). For young Sri Lankan rugby players that wish to compete on an international level, such an initiative could equal better coaching and facilities, and ultimately more opportunities for them to play internationally.
For the Maliban brand, the reason it matters even more is to demonstrate that sometimes the most effective way to shape the future of a country is in the boardroom; however, other times it’s on a muddy rugby field.
