Report: Huski Chocolate to lead IndyCar sponsorship with new vodka cocktail

Swedish premium chocolate milk brand sponsors countryman Marcus Ericsson in US series.
  • ‘Huski Ice Spritz’ to be introduced from Indy 500
  • Huski Enterprises has sponsored Marcus Ericsson since 2020
  • Vodka drink to be available in 15 states from September

Huski Enterprises, parent company of Huski Chocolate, is set to introduce a new ready-to-drink vodka cocktail which will lead its IndyCar sponsorship from the Indianapolis 500.

‘Huski Ice Spritz’ will replace Huski Chocolate, which has sponsored Swedish driver Marcus Ericsson since 2020. Although, Huski Chocolate has never been available outside Sweden and Norway, making the decision to sponsor a North American racing team a confusing one.

“One thing about us is thanks to IndyCar and a lot of other things, we’re a very strong brand and people recognize Huski. Huski to me was never just a one-product company; it is a brand, so now we’re bring it out to a ready-to-drink cocktail,” Huski's president and chief executive Mika Manninen, told the Sports Business Journal (SBJ).

SBJ reports that Huski Enterprises abandoned plans to introduce Huski Chocolate in the US following the Covid pandemic, but its new vodka drink is going to be made available in 15 states by September.

While it is unclear exactly which states these will be, Manninen said the focus will be on the Midwest and other US states that host IndyCar races.

Advertising will be heavily focused on digital media, as Manninen revealed to SBJ that the company does not have the required funds for a dedicated campaign on linear channels.

He also told SBJ that Ericsson and his team, Chip Ganassi Racing, have provided “fabulous” visibility to Huski, which has been the primary focus of the campaign due to the inability to convert it into sales.

SBJ revealed that, while Huski Chocolate’s spend with Ganassi is unclear, full-season deals in IndyCar can sit at around US$10 million.

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