Exclusive: The chairman of Bega Cheese has come out swinging at rival brand Coon and its controversial name change that has divided Australian shoppers.
Coon cheese's parent company, Saputo Dairy Australia, announced last year that it would be rebranded and recently revealed the new name Cheer would appear on packaging from July this year.
Saputo took control of Coon cheese after it acquired a Japanese-owned Lion's "everyday cheese business" in 2015.
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Bega Cheese executive chairman, Barry Irvin, said rival brand Coon cheese should have changed its name years ago. Picture: supplied
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Mr Irvin said he understood the history of the Coon cheese was "not one of racism" and was based on the last name of the man who created it. But he always felt "uncomfortable" with the brand given the word is also a racist slur against people of colour.