Marc Firestone, vice-president of US food giant, Kraft, has today appeared before MPs on the Business Select Committee and has apologised for the firm’s pledge to keep open Cadbury’s Keynsham factory.
Mr Firestone was questioned by MP’s over the company’s takeover of Cadbury. Kraft completed its takeover of the 186-year-old iconic British confectioner on 2 February after a five-month battle.
Kraft, which made several hostile bids for Cadbury before shareholders finally agreed to a deal, initially said a takeover of Cadbury would secure UK jobs, while keeping open its Somerdale factory in Keynsham.
However, shortly after the £11.5 billion deal had been agreed, Kraft said the factory, near Bristol, would close with the loss of 400 jobs.
During today’s meeting, Mr Firestone said he understood the concerns raised by the MPs, but at the time of the pledge last year, he said Kraft did have every intention of keeping the site open.
However, during a heated discussion, Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik said he found it hard to believe that no-one had been sacked over the pledge.
In a statement, Mr Firestone said: “First, I will say that we can commit that, for a period of at least two years, there will be no further closures of manufacturing facilities in the United Kingdom.
“I can also commit that, beyond any programmes that I mentioned that have already been negotiated and announced, there will be no further compulsory redundancies of manufacturing employees in the United Kingdom.
“These are statements I believe are helpful in removing a cloud of uncertainty and creating an atmosphere where we truly do, as Kraft, want to regain the trust of our colleagues, of the Government, of the public.”
Mr Firestone has now promised to be “100% behind” Somerdale workers and would do all it can to help them find new employment.
Finally, he added that Kraft would continue to sponsor the 2012 Olympic Games under the Cadbury brand.
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