`WhenParcomsaid:thisisourfinaloffer.It'syourcallnow,yes
or no? It's just like marriage I suppose; the proposal is more
exciting than the ceremony.'
After the `wedding', the closing of the deal in April 2007,
newspapers reported a strong increase in the price of milk.
However, there was no sense of panic with the new owners of
UnieKaas. `When you make an investment, you have to be
prepared for the setbacks that come along every now and then.
We got into UnieKaas for the long haul, so for us this is still a
very good deal', explains Brokking. `After the publicity around
this deal, a number of parties from the dairy sector have even
spontaneously introduced themselves to us.'
Rote spends most of his time getting to know his new company.
`However well you do your homework in a buy-in, you don't
really get to know the organisation and the people from the
inside. We are now trying to get everyone on board with the
process of change. The company was in the survival mode, but
now we have to focus on growth. The brand has to be brought to
the fore and we once more need to take pride in UnieKaas.' Rote
himself has not needed convincing of this; Brokking describes
him as the male version of Frau Antje, the traditional Dutch girl
used to promote cheese abroad. `I can really get lyrical about
cheese, it's simply marvellous stuff, the way it just lies there
ripening for up to a year and a half', enthuses Rote. Some people
are better suited to the cheese trade than others.
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