Dr Jim O’Malley, who is having a crack at raising the money to set up a factory on part of the Cadbury site, has reason to empathise with laid-off workers.
It's D-Day for Kiwi favourites Pineapple Lumps, Jaffas, Buzz Bars and Pinky Bars, as production of the sweets is set to go to Australia if a local buyer can't be found.
Mondelez International has decided not to seek a ratepayer handout for the Cadbury Chocolate Carnival after its plan to do so sparked public indignation.
An Otago/Southland manufacturer is being sought to make "iconic" Kiwi confectionery brands, Mondelez said yesterday after announcing the closure of the Dunedin Cadbury factory.
As expected, the axe has fallen. Multinational Mondelez, a $30 billion revenue company with 107,000 staff, is ending chocolate manufacturing in Dunedin.
Prime Minister Bill English says the closure of the Cadbury factory in Dunedin will be a "huge thing" for affected workers, who may prove to be more "resilient" than expected.
Speakers at a Dunedin rally striving to keep the Cadbury factory open have urged owner Mondelez International to remember the human faces of their staff, and not just focus on profits.