Last April, I posted a blog entry about the trouble I was having finding products from "A. Murdoch & Co (Wgtn) Ltd". In particular, I liked their mango chutney, piccalilli and chow chow. These products were far better than the degraded approximations sold by others. But they were increasingly difficult to find. The only source we knew of at the time was New World supermarkets in Wellington and Foxton.
Since then, they disappeared completely from the usual places.
About 3 weeks ago, we went into a Foodtown supermarket at Glenfield on Auckland's North Shore. Among the condiments, we found a re-labeled and (judging by the colour) re-form
ulated Murdoch's Mango Chutney. The colour is lighter and the taste of ginger is much stronger. The taste of dates and sultanas have both been reduced.Googling around, it seems Murdoch have been merged (2007) into Cooks Food Group, along with Sahara Foods Limited and Cotterill & Rouse Limited. The web site isn't very helpful, being more or less an online business card and nothing more. Cooks Food Group was listed on the NZAX in October 2008.
In April 2009, Cooks Food Group sold up to Hutchinsons, one of NZ's largest food importers, distributing lines like Trident, Ryvita, Lurpak, Castello, Carrs and Bel Cheeses. Hutchinsons, in turn is owned by Food Holdings Pty Ltd, which trades in Australia as Manassen Foods.
Manassen describe themselves by saying:
"... Our Brand portfolio is wide and diverse and spans across many Food categories in the Retail and Foodservice trade including: Dry Groceries, Confectionery, Biscuits and Cakes, Perishables and Frozen Foods. The company also has a strong focus on private label development with its retail partners and works closely with them in pursuit of quality suppliers.I'd like to think they weren't going to mess with a good product, but the history of "brand focused" conglomerates is poor in my opinion. They tend to pump the brand while gutting the product to maximise profit.- Manassen has a single-minded focus on Sales, Marketing & Brand building whether launching new brands or growing our existing brands. Such is our ongoing dedication to this goal that many of our existing brands have become household names."
Having said that, I do like the Murdoch's Mango Chutney they are selling now. It isn't the original product, but it's good anyway. I still can't find the Piccalilli or Chow Chow. Hopefully I won't have to add mango chutney to the growing list of things I already have to do myself if I want them done right....the market having failed me.
It's interesting what you find when you look at the companies behind the labels of almost anything on the shelf at the supermarket.
I have found a jar of Murdochs Piccalilli in New World, Summerhills, Palmerston North today.
ReplyDeleteLike you I had noted its disappearance as it had been the only Piccalilli or Clow Chow I had purchased since the changed formulation of the Whitlocks brand with its purchase by Cerebos in 1992. These Whitlocks branded products have now disappeared.
It is notable that the Murdochs product has been reformulated. Gone is the milky, cloudiness of the flour thickener in favour of the translucense of modified starch and cornflour. Water is now the major ingredient due to the acetic acid rather than vinegar, used to pickle the vegetables. The vegetable content seems woefully low at 32%.
Unfortunately I think that we are seeing the death of another iconic brand, producing just another "me too" product that will be forced to compete on price with the others, and reducing product quality to a similar level of mediocrity.
I admit that I have some history here, having been the factory manager at Whitlocks for 5 years.
I remember these from the late 1970s-early 1980s. They were quite popular in our household, especially the Anglo-Indian. It was delicious! I had no idea this company was even still around.
ReplyDeleteMurdoch's had the "Grenadier" brand for many years making flavouring essences,cream of tartar, citric acid, tartaric acid,arrowroot and other baking sundries. They also made vinegar, spices, fruit extract/cordials, and jelly crystals under the Murdoch brand and also the SHIP brand which were popular until at least the end of the 1950s.I have quite a few old ads and images. Sad to see another old New Zealand brand become a "pass-around patty" which is what usually happens once they merge with another company and then get sold and sold again as part of a parcel.
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