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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Sweet success? New Zealand crowdfunding campaign raises millions in bid to save chocolate factory | Sweet success? New Zealand crowdfunding campaign raises millions in bid to save chocolate factory |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Closure of Dunedin Cadbury would put 350 employees out of work but locals hope to buy its equipment and start a new factory | |
| Eleanor Ainge Roy in Dunedin | |
| Fri 9 Jun 2017 06.15 BST | |
| Last modified on Fri 9 Jun 2017 07.18 BST | |
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| A crowdfunding campaign to save a chocolate factory in New Zealand has raised NZ$3.3 million in less than two days, prompting hopes that locals can continue the tradition of chocolate-making – and eating. | A crowdfunding campaign to save a chocolate factory in New Zealand has raised NZ$3.3 million in less than two days, prompting hopes that locals can continue the tradition of chocolate-making – and eating. |
| Mondalez International announced in February it planned to close its 80-year-old Dunedin Cadbury factory next year, putting 350 employees out of work and shifting production to larger Australian plants. | Mondalez International announced in February it planned to close its 80-year-old Dunedin Cadbury factory next year, putting 350 employees out of work and shifting production to larger Australian plants. |
| The closure put the future of niche sweets and chocolate beloved by Kiwis such as Pineapple Lumps, Chocolate Fish and Jaffas - in jeopardy. | The closure put the future of niche sweets and chocolate beloved by Kiwis such as Pineapple Lumps, Chocolate Fish and Jaffas - in jeopardy. |
| Local Dunedin councillor and businessman Jim O’Malley and a team of volunteers have started a campaign to save the “iconic” history of industrial chocolate-making in Dunedin, with the aim of raising NZ$20 million in two weeks. | Local Dunedin councillor and businessman Jim O’Malley and a team of volunteers have started a campaign to save the “iconic” history of industrial chocolate-making in Dunedin, with the aim of raising NZ$20 million in two weeks. |
| The campaign launched on Wednesday and has already raised NZ$3.2 million dollars from over 2000 pledgers. | The campaign launched on Wednesday and has already raised NZ$3.2 million dollars from over 2000 pledgers. |
| They money would be used to purchase chocolate-making equipment from Cadbury’s and buy a smaller factory in North Dunedin. | They money would be used to purchase chocolate-making equipment from Cadbury’s and buy a smaller factory in North Dunedin. |
| “I was worried this would be a total flop and no-one would pledge,” said O’Malley, a pineapple lump fan, who described the closure of Cadbury’s as “very sad”. | “I was worried this would be a total flop and no-one would pledge,” said O’Malley, a pineapple lump fan, who described the closure of Cadbury’s as “very sad”. |
| “But people have been pledging from all over New Zealand and around the world, I think chocolate-making in Dunedin is seen as part of our national identity.” | “But people have been pledging from all over New Zealand and around the world, I think chocolate-making in Dunedin is seen as part of our national identity.” |
| O’Malley said a quarter of all pledges had come from Auckland, and the largest pledge so far was NZ$50,000. A number of pledges had also been sent from overseas, including North America, England and Australia. | O’Malley said a quarter of all pledges had come from Auckland, and the largest pledge so far was NZ$50,000. A number of pledges had also been sent from overseas, including North America, England and Australia. |
| “I’d love to own 0.1% of a chocolate factory!” wrote Corwin Newall on the campaign’s Facebook page. | “I’d love to own 0.1% of a chocolate factory!” wrote Corwin Newall on the campaign’s Facebook page. |
| “We can only try!!!” commented Adrienne Buckingham on Facebook. “As Shakespeare said, nothing comes of nothing.” | “We can only try!!!” commented Adrienne Buckingham on Facebook. “As Shakespeare said, nothing comes of nothing.” |
| The pledges to ownthefactory.co.nz are investments, not donations, said O’Malley, and pledgers would become shareholders if his company, Dunedin Manufacturing Holding, was successful in securing third-party production rights from Mondalez. | The pledges to ownthefactory.co.nz are investments, not donations, said O’Malley, and pledgers would become shareholders if his company, Dunedin Manufacturing Holding, was successful in securing third-party production rights from Mondalez. |
| At this stage the pledges were in written form only, and no money had changed hands. | At this stage the pledges were in written form only, and no money had changed hands. |
| Mondalez confirmed it had a number of bids from companies vying to take over production of Cadbury’s New Zealand products, including Dunedin Manufacturing Holding. | Mondalez confirmed it had a number of bids from companies vying to take over production of Cadbury’s New Zealand products, including Dunedin Manufacturing Holding. |
| Steve Anderson, the South Island CEO of Food Stuffs, New Zealand’s largest retail grocery organization, said his company whole-heartedly backed the community initiative to save the factory. | Steve Anderson, the South Island CEO of Food Stuffs, New Zealand’s largest retail grocery organization, said his company whole-heartedly backed the community initiative to save the factory. |
| “We’ll back the bid to save Jaffas and Pineapple Lumps!”, said Anderson in a statement. | “We’ll back the bid to save Jaffas and Pineapple Lumps!”, said Anderson in a statement. |
| “We salute their initiative and, if their bid is successful, Foodstuffs will get right in behind them and work with them to get set up,” | “We salute their initiative and, if their bid is successful, Foodstuffs will get right in behind them and work with them to get set up,” |
| “We’ll help them sell to us, put the product on shelf and promote them to the millions of customers.” | “We’ll help them sell to us, put the product on shelf and promote them to the millions of customers.” |
| O’Malley said if the deal went ahead his new company would be able to employ between 25-50 experienced chocolate makers from Dunedin, and would be in operation by August next year. | O’Malley said if the deal went ahead his new company would be able to employ between 25-50 experienced chocolate makers from Dunedin, and would be in operation by August next year. |
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