Interest in Cadbury site 'encouraging'

Buyers are circling ahead of the sale of Dunedin's Cadbury factory site.

Buyers are circling as Mondelez International prepares for the sale of Dunedin's Cadbury factory site.

Mondelez New Zealand country head James Kane yesterday confirmed the company had been approached by ''about five'' commercial real estate agents interested in the sale of the site.

Some had suggested they represented ''interested buyers'' while others ''have simply registered their interest to act as the agent to sell the property'', he said.

''We've received a number of inquiries about the site. However, we are only in the initial stages of planning the sale process, as our priority has been on supporting our people.

''We will reach out to interested parties once a formal process has been established,'' he said.

Mondelez last month confirmed its plan to close the factory early next year, with the loss of about 360 jobs.

Cadbury World was to remain open in the redeveloped Dairy Building, but there was speculation about what would happen with the rest of the site.

Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull, who previously declined to rule out a council purchase of the property, said yesterday he was not aware of any approach by the council or its representatives.

Despite that, the interest in the site from agents was ''encouraging'', he said.

Dean Collins, the associate director of Colliers International in Dunedin, confirmed the company had contacted Mondelez.

His company had a list of potential clients looking for property in Dunedin, and ''we would certainly have people to talk to'' about the Cadbury site.

His company was waiting to hear how Mondelez planned to progress any sale.

''We've certainly touched base but there's certainly been no progress.''

Cutlers principal John Cutler said some of the approaches could be agents ''stalking'' the sellers in the hope of acting for them.

''It's common practice to follow them up and be in the loop ... It just means they could be just talking to them about hopefully getting it to sell later on.''

Mr Kane said Mondelez recognised the site was a ''significant landmark'' in Dunedin, ''and we are hopeful of finding a buyer that will use it in a way that benefits the local community''.

It was not yet clear when the formal process to sell the remainder of the site would begin.