Choc-makers keen to fill Cadbury’s void
An Oamaru lolly maker is ready to step up when Cadbury’s Dunedin chocolate factory closes next year.
Amanda Banfield, area vicepresident of Cadbury’s parent company Mondelez International, said the equipment used to make iconic Kiwi products such as Jaffas, Pineapple Lumps and chocolate fish would be transferred to one of its Australian sites.
But she said at least one potential New Zealand manufacturer was capable of taking over production if they could meet Mondelez’ taste and quality standards.
Oamaru’s Rainbow Confectionery already has the necessary equipment and general manager Brent Baillie said he’s raring to take over the popular lolly lines.
‘‘We want consumers to get Kiwi-made products and we’d love to make them.’’
He said it was all very well for a Dunedin City Council-initiated working party to sit around and talk with the local Chamber of Commerce and unions ‘‘but if they’re not talking with Rainbow they’ve got no show’’.
‘‘Cadbury will know about us. We’re competitors but not their biggest competitors, which are the chocolate block makers like Whittaker’s and Nestle and imported products,’’ Baillie said.
‘‘We’re the only manufacturer in New Zealand with the ability to make Jaffas and the other iconic products because we have the equipment, so it’s a major market we could definitely fill without much hassle. We just need the agreement.
‘‘Cadbury will continue to warehouse, distribute and merchandise.
"It's a major market we could definitely fill without much hassle."
It’s a matter of whether Kiwis have any say, or it’s imported cheap competitive products that don’t support local jobs and retention of profits.’’
Sarah Adams, the product development manager of Christchurch manufacturer Queen Anne Chocolates, said her company had started an internal review to see what investment would be needed to meet additional demand if an opportunity eventuated.
The wider ramifications of the factory closure will be assessed in an economic impact report and the head of the Dunedin City Council’s economic development arm said they would be substantial.
Enterprise Dunedin director John Christie said it was hard to know how many jobs outside of the 300 factory employees might be affected, and it depended how much individual suppliers relied on work from Mondelez.
‘‘It’s fair to expect there will be quite an effect on Dunedin and the wider region,’’ Christie said.
‘‘There’s the logistics chain involved in getting their goods to market, customs brokers, insurance companies, suppliers of products … even the city council with its rates will be affected.’’
The council confirmed it receives about $248,000 a year in rates from Mondelez, which has undertaken to help find a buyer for its site.