Coon cheese reveals new name after public pressure to rebrand

Image: Coon / Saputo

Popular Australian cheese company, Coon, has revealed its new name.

The cheese will be known as Cheer cheese from July.

It comes after parent company, Saputo, announced last July that it would be retiring the Coon name after 85 years, due to racist connotations associated with its former name.

The cheese was originally named after the man who developed the maturation process, Edward William Coon.

Saputo Dairy Australia CEO, Lino Saputo, said the company felt it had a responsibility change its name.

“We found that this name was offensive to some consumers. Our goal is to make sure that we’re building a culture of respect and inclusion,” he told Stephen Quartermain and Emily Power.

“Cheer, I think, reflects pleasure … joy, surrounding yourself with family.

“For us I thought that this was a brilliant name.”

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