I deal with Kraft a lot in my line of work, and this is a pattern I’ve seen too often, especially lately. The large ‘corporatisation’ of food manufacturing and processing, particularly in the US, has led to a decrease in the focus on the quality of the product and the lifestyle of the worker.
Brits should be nervous when they hear terms such as ‘cost-saving measures’ and ‘increased efficiencies’. They’re often secret code for ‘lay-offs’.
Don’t be fooled, this is a business decision, with the bottom line being the driving factor. The care and concern is, and will be, for the shareholders of Cadbury and not the factory workers. This is more about ‘growing a corporate portfolio for long-term growth’ than it is about putting a quality product in the marketplace that you can stand behind.
It’s a shame I have to agree with Warren Buffet, but for the wrong reasons. It’s the wrong decision for Kraft and could ultimately be the demise of their hotshot CEO, but it’s wrong because it depletes the value and perceived quality of the individual brands, not because he feels ‘poorer’.
Gordon Brown would be well advised to keep the concerns of the Cadbury workers in mind when waiting for this inevitable deal to go through. He’ll be the only one.
Manny Manno is food service director at Aramark Business Services.
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