Amusement

[andrewducker]

Name the following business.

It has a workforce of 39,000 outside the UK, with just 6,000 staff in Britain.

Its biggest business is chewing gum.

The focus of much recent investment has been Poland, to replace UK production.

And 50% of the business and management came from the takeover of the confectionery company Adams from an American drugs business some five years ago.

Who is this faceless, heartless global conglomerate, which opportunistically shifts its capital and people to wherever the financial returns are greatest?

It's Cadbury.

From

Comments

[andlosers.livejournal.com]

If LJ had a "like" button I'd have clicked it.

Exactly. All this pro-Cadbury anti-Kraft nonsense I'm seeing everywhere is incredibly naïve about how businesses work.

[chuma.livejournal.com]

Name another business that built housing for its staff around the plant so that living conditions were acceptable and kept jobs in the midlands for decades? Most of the stats quoted above are as a result of its success and taking over other companies rather than changing how they treat current staff.

I will accept that they always had the intention to move one of their premises to Poland. This is disappointing, but it wasn't something hidden or lied about, unlike Kraft who assured the government and shareholders they would reverse this as early as last week without any intention to do so.

[henriksdal.livejournal.com]

I'd like *this*

[a-pawson.livejournal.com]

Unilever, Rowntree, Wedgewood. Those are probably the only ones still going, but quite a number of manufacturing companies did so in the late 19th / early 20th century.

[chuma.livejournal.com]

Rowntree no longer exists, but yes they are also good examples, but I think you will agree they are also rare? Plus Cadbury's still own those buildings for staff and they are still used and have to be kept in a look in keeping with the rest. It's kinda quaint, but it also reminds me of a company that cares about it's employees. In contrast, I'm always suspicious of US companies where employment law is a dirty couple of words.

[a-pawson.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean, I have a few friends in the US and from their experiences and general working conditions, I wouldn't wish to have a job there in a million years. As for the housing, most people think Kraft will look on that employee housing as a disposable asset. Selling it whilst the factory is open would provbe difficult, but close the factory and it becomes much easier.

[marrog.livejournal.com]

I thought Wedgewood went bust last year?

[a-pawson.livejournal.com]

They entered administration, but the business survived and the factory was still open last week when I drove through Stoke.

It is now owned by a US private equity firm I believe.