Employee Views
I am a proud employee of Cadburys Somerdale (Bristol England) and have been for four years, as was my Mother for sixteen years and one of my sisters for seventeen years. My other sister has spent an honourable thirty three years at Somerdale and remains as loyal as the first day she started. One of my daughters was also looking forward to joining Somerdale at the end of her schooling this year.
I have no need to tell you how devastated we all were on receiving the bomb shell news that Somerdale was being relocated some 1200 miles away to a country where they have no idea as to the passion held here for the industry and have no desire to eat the chocolate themselves.
It is bound to hurt immensely considering that Somerdale has been in Keynsham for almost 100years and in Bristol (originally known as Fry's) for 280 years.
Over the past few years Somerdale has been constantly over looked financially. Due to this our chocolate making plant was put under threat and then closed. We are unable to work to full capacity through this lack of forward planning investment, but nevertheless, we exceed targets and make significant profits.
After the relocation announcement an internal memo was leaked identifying huge sale growths of over 19% in October for Somerdale . The managing director of Great Britain and Ireland described the figures as "nothing short of staggering".
Along with the good times we have seen some bad times at Somerdale, but the camaraderie of the employees and their determination to always give a productive and positive outcome, far out way any negatives thrown at us.
When a salmonella scare emerged from another Cadbury factory the employees at Somerdale were joined by the dedicated local communities to help ward off the damage to the British consumer. Knowing that they eat 95%+ of the chocolate we produce at Somerdale we felt responsible and wanted to protect the brand name as much as we could.
Employees at Somerdale have always been encouraged to help cut costs, reduce waste and be environmentally aware and we are dismayed that we are not being allowed to continue doing so. Any new ideas for making Somerdale even more profitable are being rejected and denied.
We are all working full out to try to keep up with the demands of the British consumer and their love for Somerdale made chocolate. We know that there is no way that chocolate coming from 1200 miles away will be able to keep up with the British demands. The Board insisted that ‘double stack' lorries would be used to transport chocolate from Poland, originally to help reduce these transport costs, but the learned employees knew that would not be possible. We were proved correct, but are still shaking our heads at many other ‘ideas' the out of touch Board have.
The move to Poland is senseless and will cost Cadburys dearly, not only through the ever rising fuel prices for transport and exchange rates but also through brand name damage and failure to deliver.
We understand that the Cadbury Board's decision on Somerdale's closure originated from Trian wanting better returns for Cadbury share prices. Cadbury employees are the 5th largest group of shareholders who also would like better returns for their shares. But, the decision to close the profitable British chocolate factory is definitely not the way to proceed, especially when Somerdale arguably supply the most popular Cadbury chocolate bars consumed by the British public.
Due to British public demand, Cadbury have brought back a previously discontinued line called Wispa, this shows just how influential the British consumer can be. It would be negligent of Cadburys to strangle the supply to the British public by not being able to keep up with the high demand or by discontinuing much loved lines.
It is too high a risk to turn a blind eye to our consumers and risk their loyalty. The British public have the knack of turning on a pin head so they need to be treated with total consumer respect.
The Board should be using their strengths to modernise and expand at Somerdale for maximum profit, not destroying and disrupting, risking endangering the brand name. Even after all attempts by the Board to try to put Somerdale in a negative light, we, as employees, are adamant in our knowledge that Somerdale could itself be the jewel in the Cadbury crown.
There is overwhelming support from the employees at Somerdale for a new Cadbury factory here.
Somerdale has been denied for far too long. We know there is huge potential for expansion, not closure here at Somerdale. A new factory could only enhance our productivity and we would relish a new lease of life to prove what we are really capable of.
In your position as a prominent shareholder, I feel it is my duty to inform you of the plight of Somerdale and the damage that will be caused with its closure. Your influence appears to be adhered to and I (and other conscientious employees) would very much appreciate your input.
