Huski Chocolate has, among other things, sponsored the Formula 1 team McLaren and Alfa Romeo, the English football club Millwall, Hammarby and the Swedish Indycar driver Marcus Ericsson. In documents from a process in the district court, there is information about an agreement of SEK 219.5 million.
At the same time, the company, which provides chocolate drink machines at ski resorts and sells drinking chocolate in bottles, has had a turnover of only a few million per year.
Reviews of the ExpressFotboll Sthlm and Dagens Industri have shown that it is the real estate company Kvalitena, founded by businessman Mikael Andersson, that was responsible for the sponsor millions.
Quality is now in crisis. The property company has failed to pay interest and repayments on time to its bondholders, who in December demanded immediate repayment of SEK 800 million, according to Business values. Kvalitena’s crown jewel, a property on Strandvägen in Stockholm, is up for sale.
Kvalitena is forced to sell its property on Strandvägen. Photo: Ronny Karlsson/DI
The football club Millwall FC has according to documents that the British business newspaper City A.M. took notice, filed a lawsuit against Choki, the company behind Huski, and against Kvalitena. The club informs DN that for legal reasons they cannot comment on the information.
Motor driver Marcus Ericsson has changed stables and no longer cooperates with Huski.
Hammarby football announced at the turn of the year that the club had agreed with Huski and Kvalitena to break the agreement that would have also applied in 2024.
The club still has claims for “fairly large amounts” on Huski, says CEO Richard von Yxkull Football Sthlm.
He also does not want to specify for DN how big.
– It may take as long as it takes, but they say they will do the right thing for themselves and I hope they do, he says.
Should you have reviewed them more carefully when you wrote the agreement?
– We did, says Richard von Yxkull.
– We have known from day one that Huski is a company that is under construction and that you invest in. We have known that and we have signed an agreement that we are confident with.
Hammarby football now has discussions with several candidates for new main sponsor, he says.
Hammarby handball has been waiting for promised payments in the autumn, and now “the elite operation risks having major problems with liquidity already in the spring”, the club writes in a statement.
– We have managed to handle the situation, and we hope to continue to do so, says CEO Kalle Matsson to DN.
Hammarby handball hopes that Kvalitena will be able to pay for its sponsorship. Photo: Emma Wallskog/Bildbyrån
The club has improved its finances in the long term, but:
– In the short term, it can certainly become a problem, and it can have an impact on how much we can invest for next season.
Hammarby bandy awaits of half a million from Kvalitena, which Bandypuls first reported on. A payment of 250,000 is late.
Kvalitena has promised that the money will be transferred within a couple of weeks, says the association’s chairman Jan Henriksson to DN.
– The dialogue is good, we have no disagreement between the parties. Then it is regrettable that this is happening. We need all our partners to stand by what we agree on.
The association has a contingency plan so that the business does not “stand and fall” with the money from Kvalitena being delayed or not arriving at all.
– This agreement was written during a different period. We would probably never enter into a corresponding agreement today, says Jan Henriksson.
– We are trying to find a better charter, and do better research before entering into agreements with partners.
DN has asked Kvalitena for a comment.
2024-01-12 10:12:18
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