General Discussions

[DJC]

It seems either side of this debate wants to spin things accordingly, but the fundamental outcome of the forced rebranding is the same. And of course the people responsible for the decision to rebrand aren't going to point the blame at themselves. Those that protested and basically forced the name change aren't going to take responsibility for the job losses.

As for the other bullcrap excuses, like the $54M annual loss, I'll treat that spin with the disdain it deserves. Some basic knowledge of the industry would highlight / expose the truth that a rebranding of a major retail item brings a one off annual write-down like this. Market analysis, packaging, websites, advertising, POS, registered trademarks, everything from curtain-siders and billboards down to stationery items like business cards, the cost is enormous but it's mostly a one off. They knew all that long long before they pulled the trigger.

You do realise that Coon/Cheers Cheese is one of many products that Warrnambool Cheese and Butter processes?  Their brands include Black Pearl Caviar, Valrhona and Simon Johnson Chocolate (Simon Johnson is a network of retail outlets selling local and imported products), Sungold, Cheers, Cracker Barrel, Mil Lel, Meander Valley, Devondale, Eschire, Lescure, Meredith Dairy, Great Ocean Road Dairy and many others.

Coon/Cheers represents a minuscule part of the Warrnambool Cheese and Butter/Calendar/Saputo business and revenue stream and to suggest that the rebranding of Coon to Cheers caused factories to close is ludicrous.