Staff told not to aid campaign

Soon-to-be-redundant factory workers were advised not to invest in a crowd-funding campaign to keep some Cadbury products manufactured in New Zealand.

Management from food giant Mondelez, including international managing director Australia and New Zealand Amanda Banfield, were in Dunedin last week. A source said workers were told not to support the Own The Factory campaign, which had raised almost $5.8 million by yesterday.

A Mondelez spokesman confirmed Cadbury staff ‘‘expressed some confusion as to whether or not (the crowd-funded initiative) constitutes an investment or a donation’’.

‘‘We have responded by suggesting to the team they consider their options before making any financial commitments.’’

He confirmed Banfield talked with the Dunedin factory leadership team, and also walked around the plant and talked to workers.

The Dunedin-based volunteer group wants to keep production of Cadbury’s famous Kiwi brands – including Jaffas, Buzz Bars, Pineapple Lumps and Pinky Bars – in the country.

The spokesman confirmed two New Zealand manufacturers had joined the crowd-funded initiative in expressing interest in production. However, the Own The Factory campaign may struggle with Mondelez signalling it was after an established player.

‘‘Given the challenges posed by the scale of this volume, as well as the obvious food safety, quality, and taste matching requirements ... we will be assessing all three interested parties,’’ he said.

Mondelez will stop manufacturing Cadbury products in Dunedin in March 2018, with the loss of 350 jobs.