It’s been a non-stop winning streak for Shaquille O’Neal, and Big Chicken is right there with him. From dominating the paint to conquering the candy aisle, Shaquille O’Neal’s business empire is on a roll, hitting a 10 million bag milestone and launching a Slurpee sensation. Just last November, his Frosted Flakes Shake cracked the top #10 on the Fast Food Club list—something that made sense, considering he grew up on Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes.
That childhood nostalgia turned into a real partnership in 2021 when Kellogg’s dropped a limited-edition crispy cinnamon basketball cereal with Shaq himself. By 2024, they teamed up again through Big Chicken. But now, Shaq’s got another reason to celebrate, and this one is even bigger.
Just hours ago, Big Chicken hit an insane milestone—10 million bags of Shaq-A-Licious candy sold. And if you know Shaq, you know he doesn’t do small celebrations. “Ten million faces sold ahhhh,” he shouted, hyping up his Big Chicken crew. Then he took things to another level, showing off a custom trophy case stacked with his success.
“I even got my own trophy case, check it out. You see, it’s my trophy case. That’s the first million bag, second million bag, third million bag, fourth, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten million bags sold… Love you, Hershey’s.”
And just like that, Shaq’s moving on to his next massive collab—this time with $3.2 trillion brand 7-Eleven. The creation? The Shaq-A-Licious Slurpee. Inspired by his oversized XL Gummies, the drink takes the classic frozen Slurpee and gives it the full “Shaq-i-fied” treatment. “Combining the refreshing, tangy flavor of the Sour Pineapple Slurpee drink with the oversized fun of O’Neal’s Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies,” Hershey’s announced.
USA Today
So, what exactly is the Shaq-A-Licious Slurpee? According to the company, it’s based on the popular Sour Pineapple flavor from his Shaq-A-Licious sour line. Since fans couldn’t get enough of the Sour Pineapple XL Gummies, it was a no-brainer to turn it into a Slurpee.
And really, it makes perfect sense. As Hershey’s put it, “As the self-proclaimed ‘biggest kid in the candy store,’ Shaq has brought his playful spirit to this one-of-a-kind treat.” But with March Madness around the corner, don’t think for a second that Shaq and Big Chicken are done. There’s always something bigger coming.
Shaquille O’Neal’s March Madness just got sweeter
March Madness is already special for Shaquille O’Neal, but this year, it’s hitting even closer to home. After his youngest daughter, Me’Arah, and the Florida Gators pulled off a thrilling 86-84 win over UNLV, the four-time NBA champ wasted no time celebrating. The Big Aristotle treated the team to a feast at Big Chicken—because what better way to cap off a win than with some legendary burgers? But while the food was savory, Shaq is also cooking up something sweet.
Turns out, Shaq-A-Licious is stepping onto the March Madness court in a big way. “The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is full of fun and energy, that aligns perfectly with the Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies brand,” said Dan Mohnshine, VP of U.S. CMG Marketing at Hershey. “With Shaq-A-Licious joining our other Hershey’s brands as NCAA partners, we’re ready to score big sweet and salty game day moments.”
But the Lakers legend isn’t stopping there. Thanks to Hershey’s multi-year partnership with the NCAA, CBS Sports, and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, Shaq and his XL Gummy brand are set to take over the Final Four. The Reese’s College All-Star Game on April 4 will be the ultimate stage, with Shaq in the building to keep the energy high.
But there’s more—Hershey’s is also teaming up with Operation Homefront, a San Antonio-based NGO supporting military families. For Shaq, who grew up in a military family in San Antonio, this partnership is personal. March Madness might be about basketball, but for Shaq, it’s also about giving back.
With his candy brand soaring, a Slurpee sensation brewing, and a March Madness takeover underway, Shaquille O’Neal continues to prove that his business prowess is as formidable as his on-court legacy. Big Aristotle’s entrepreneurial journey is far from over, and fans can expect even more ‘Shaq-i-fied’ creations in the years to come.
The post After Success With Hershey’s, Shaquille O’Neal Disregards Big Chicken for Another $3.2 Trillion Brand Collab appeared first on EssentiallySports.