Company’s Cadbury link severed
AS the happy characters in Cadbury World’s window were hidden away yesterday, so ended the attraction’s relationship with one of the Dunedin companies feeling the ripple of its closure.
Two MCK Design and Print staff members were covering the windows and signs on the Cumberland St former tourist attraction yesterday to remove ongoing confusion about whether it was still open.
This included elaborate displays of puppets and models and was probably the design company’s last job for the confectionery giant.
In an emailed statement, a Mondelez spokesman said the puppets would be packed and stored as part of the site’s decommissioning process.
Mondelez was working with local organisations on how best to ensure the heritage items which remained in Dunedin were accessible to the public, the spokesman said.
MCK Design and Print managing director Graeme McKinstry said Cadbury accounted for about 15% of the business’ work and because of its ‘‘sudden, shock’’ closure it needed to make a parttime staff member redundant.
‘‘And it’s not over. We’re still having to think about how else it’s going to affect us.’’
MCK Design and Print, and the company it stemmed from, worked with Cadbury for a combined 35 years.
There was talk of Cadbury World moving to a different building, which could have been ‘‘very, very good’’ for the company, he said.
‘‘But we were also on hold. We weren’t quite sure what was happening with Cadbury or what our role would be, but we were optimistic.’’
The company did everything from the design of business cards, to large format signs for Cadbury.
He had no bitterness towards Cadbury, which provided a lot of work over the years, but the actions of its parent company Mondelez were ‘‘disappointing’’, Mr McKinstry said.
‘‘I imagine if you were to ask anyone on their board where Dunedin was they wouldn’t have a clue.
‘‘I’m sure we’re not the only company who’s had to make people redundant as a result.’’
Cadbury World closed this month after it was announced the the site would become part of the new Dunedin hospital.