Long established national cheddar cheese brand Coon will fade out by mid year, replaced by Saputo Australia’s newly chosen name, Cheer.
The Coon brand, named after pioneering American dairy processor Edward Coon and made famous by Victorian food manufacturer Fred Walker, has been the focus of mounting pressure for a name change given its perceived racist connotations.
Walker, whose company also developed Vegemite, teamed up with US entrepreneur James Kraft in 1925 to give the Kraft food name, and notably its cheese business, a foothold in Australia.
Saputo said Coon’s name change followed a careful and diligent review to “honour the brand-affinity felt by consumers while aligning with current attitudes and perspectives”.
Although the name…
