N.Z. anti-N chocolate

Press, 2 July 1986, Page 31

N.Z. anti-N chocolate

NZJN Tokyo New Zealand-made kiwifruit chocolate is about to hit Japanese store shelves — and help fund the Japanese antinuclear movement. Four Japanese women volunteer peace workers have selected Cadbury’s “Kiwi Parfait” chocolates as the first of a range of New Zealand products they hope to import direct to raise funds for their campaigns. Miss Noriko Murata, organiser of the imports, said Cadbury Schweppes Hudson, Ltd, of Auckland, had already sent samples of the kiwifruit chocolate, and approval for the imports had been obtained from the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare.

“This is a ‘girlcott’ as opposed to a boycott,” she said. “We want to buy New Zealand products because we approve of the New Zealand Government's stand on nuclear issues.” By working with an importing company, AB Plast Company, Miss Murata said, she would import 900 boxes of the chocolates in September and more than 300 boxes a month later if sales went well. The Tokyo representative of Cadbury Schweppes Far East, Ltd, Mr Michio Sudo, said his company might help to distribute the chocolates. Talks with Miss Murata’s group were in progress. “Miss Murata’s group

discovered the chocolates, so it is only fair they should be involved in importing,” Mr Sudo said. “These chocolates should sell well in Japan.” The initiative may also restore a broken trading link between Cadbury Schweppes Far East, a wholly owned subsidiary of its British parent, and New Zealand Cadbury Schweppes. Cadbury Schweppes Far East at present imports chocolates from Britain but has not handled New Zealand chocolates for about two years. Miss Murata said a commission on the imports would be used to set up a “peace fund” to help finance anti-nuclear campaigns.