Cadbury sweet-maker not found yet

Mondelez said it would work with Dunedin to find a third-party manufacturer for Kiwi brands such as Jaffas to keep some production local. Photo / File

Little progress appears to have been made in securing a local manufacturer to make ''iconic'' Cadbury sweets after the Dunedin factory closes.

A Cadbury working party comprising city leaders and Mondelez International met on April 7. The company released a statement yesterday after two weeks of confused communication about who was responsible for making the statement.

It said the meeting was ''constructive'' and there would be another one next month. ''A number of questions were raised and we will come back to the group with further information to help identify either existing manufacturers, or investors that may be interested in establishing a new operation here in Dunedin.''

The Otago Daily Times asked Mondelez if it now preferred the new operator to be Dunedin-based. It responded saying there would be more information after the next meeting.

Last month, Mondelez said it would work with the city to find a third-party manufacturer for Kiwi brands such as Pineapple Lumps, Buzz Bars and Jaffas to keep some production local.

An Otago-Southland manufacturer was sought. It was unlikely to be in Dunedin, as there were no suitable operators in the city, Mondelez said last month.

The brands account for 10 per cent to 15 per cent of the factory's output.

Earlier this month, Mondelez said Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull would make a statement from the meeting, but after repeated requests from the ODT, the council batted the request back to Mondelez.

Mondelez only released the statement after Dunedin South MP and working party member Clare Curran spoke to the company about the need to do so.

Curran declined to comment to the ODT when asked if the working party was making satisfactory progress.

Rainbow Confectionery in Oamaru has expressed enthusiastic interest in securing the production opportunity.

When contacted, general manager Brent Baillie said Mondelez and Rainbow had not discussed the opportunity.

''We would still be interested in exploring all options to retain manufacturing of iconic Kiwi products, and employment, and profits.''

The working party involves Mondelez, Etu union, Dunedin City Council, the Otago Southland Employers' Association and local MPs.

The Cadbury factory will close early next year, putting about 360 people out of work.