KRAFT, the US group that began its campaign to take over Cadbury by pledging to keep its Somerdale factory near Bristol open, yesterday said it would close it after all.
Days after completing on the deal, Kraft blamed Cadbury for its decision. Cadbury had already planned to close Somerdale and transfer 400 jobs to Poland and yesterday Kraft said the investment required to reverse the closure would be too great.
The pledge to keep Somerdale open was used by Kraft last September to get local politicians and unions onside for what was always a controversial takeover.
But last night union leaders were outraged by the Kraft announcement and accused the company of being manipulative.
It emerged yesterday that Cadbury chief executive Todd Stitzer made a £4.6m profit through exercising share options.
