PARADISE Beverages marketing manager Joe Rodan believes the Fiji Bitter Nawaka 7s has been a breeding ground for many national reps over the years.
According to Rodan, Fiji Bitter's 26-year relationship with the Nawaka 7s was because of the development work carried out by the tournament organisers.
He said the company had spent millions of dollars sponsoring grassroots level sports.
"Our policy is to develop grassroots level rugby and that's what we have done," Rodan said.
"If you look at all our sponsorships to rugby it is all grassroots level be it the Marist 7s, the Savusavu 7s, the Wairiki 7s. We believe that is where the development is."
"You need to identify players at the grassroots level in order to take them through to the next level. No one is doing that at the moment."
"It has been stated in the media with players complaining about the Fiji Rugby Union not doing enough for the development of rugby and that is where we come in.
"We have spent a lot of money over the years in developing rugby in the country."
"We have had a lot of Fiji reps that have come out of the Nawaka 7s. Our current Fiji 7s coach is from Nawaka. We are happy with the development and with the returns we are getting from the Nawaka 7s."
"We have supported Nawaka 7s for 26 years, the Marist 7s for 37 years and that was the first 7s tournament and we were the first sponsors. It is Fiji Bitter giving something back to the community."
"Fiji Bitter is an iconic brand and the sport of 7s rugby is big in Fiji.
"We were world champions twice. We would like to see that continuing."
Paradise Beverages handed a cheque for $25,000 to the Nawaka Rugby Club executives during the official launch of the Nawaka 7s at the Tokatoka Resort in Nadi on Thursday.