Cheer cheese

Cheer
Company type	Brand
Industry	Dairy products
Predecessor	Kraft Walker Cheese Co.
Founded	1931 (as Red Coon cheese)
Headquarters	Allansford, Victoria, Australia
Area served	Australia
Owner	Saputo Inc.
Parent	Warrnambool Cheese and Butter

Cheer (styled as CHEER; previously known as Coon) is an Australian brand of cheddar cheese—referred to locally as "tasty"—produced by Warrnambool Cheese and Butter in Allansford, Victoria. The company is predominantly owned by the Canadian dairy giant Saputo Inc..

The brand’s origins trace back to Kraft Walker Cheese Co., a joint venture between Fred Walker and James L. Kraft, which introduced "Red Coon" cheese around 1931. In 1949, Kraft Foods Inc. secured the "COON" trademark for cheese in the United States, asserting usage dating back to 1910.

Previously, the Australian manufacturer claimed that the name honored American cheesemaker Edward Coon, who patented a method in 1926 involving cheese maturation under high temperature and humidity.

In July 2021, the product was renamed from "Coon" to "Cheer" cheese to address concerns regarding the previous name’s racial implications.

Origins

In 1916, Fred Walker, having achieved early success in the food industry, became aware of Chicago entrepreneur James L. Kraft’s technique to halt cheese ripening. Walker obtained Australian rights and formed a partnership with Kraft in 1925 to produce processed cheese. By May 1926, Kraft Walker Cheese Co. was established as the parent company of Kraft Foods Ltd., manufacturing processed "Kraft Cheddar Cheese" at their South Melbourne facility.

Red Coon Era (1931–1959)

Starting in July 1931, Kraft Walker introduced a cheese named "Red Coon," which was promoted as finely matured through a proprietary process, delivering a unique mellow taste and smooth texture. Advertisements claimed it was aged for two years under the supervision of expert technicians.

Fred Walker appointed Cyril Callister as chief scientist and production manager; Callister developed Vegemite and crafted the recipe for Kraft Walker’s processed cheese, setting up a fully equipped laboratory. According to Stephen Hagan, Red Coon cheese underwent pasteurization, differing from Edward Coon’s original patented maturation technique.

In November 1934, Kraft Walker leased and expanded the Warrnambool Cheese and Butter factory located at Allansford, Victoria. Initially wrapped in red wax, Red Coon later transitioned to cellophane packaging; the current red stripe in its logo pays homage to this initial wrapping style. Production was halted during World War II starting December 1942 but recommenced in June 1948 at both Allansford and Quinalow in Queensland. On 7 October 1949, Kraft Foods registered the "COON" trademark with the United States Patent Office, claiming usage since 1910.

In November 1951, a new Kraft-Walker facility began operations in Northgate, Brisbane, specializing in processed cheese production and including refrigerated storage for Red Coon produced at Quinalow. Throughout the 1950s, advertisements and publications consistently described the cheese as "mature," although one source did not classify it as Cheddar.

The term "Red Coon" cheese was referenced during Queensland Parliamentary debates on cheese grading in December 1958.

Coon Period (1959–2021)

In 1959, Coon "Tasty" cheese appeared in Australian advertisements as a processed cheddar sold in 8-ounce packages. It was promoted as "Kraft natural tasty Coon Cheese, fully matured," boasting a "robust flavour men really appreciate." By 1961, marketing emphasized its production by Kraft Foods Ltd. in Melbourne and targeted "active men," highlighting that it was "aged to full maturity."

21st century

The brand was under the management of Lion Dairy & Drinks until Warrnambool Cheese and Butter regained ownership in May 2015. Warrnambool itself is predominantly controlled by the Canadian dairy corporation Saputo Inc.

On 13 January 2021, Lino A. Saputo, chair and CEO of Saputo Inc., announced the brand would adopt the new name "Cheer," following prolonged disputes regarding its original designation.

On 9 November 2022, Saputo Australia declared the shutdown of its Maffra facility in Victoria, resulting in up to 75 job losses. This decision was attributed to challenges with milk supply and annual losses amounting to A$54.4 million, despite the company having reported a net profit of A$30.6 million the year prior.

Naming controversy

The product's initial name contained a racial slur that was defended by Kraft Foods and Dairy Farmers, even as persistent campaigns sought its change. Activist Stephen Hagan brought complaints before both the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Advertising Standards Bureau. While some argued that the term lacked derogatory intent within Australia, historical evidence reveals it was used offensively toward Indigenous Australians and other people of colour from the late 1800s until its decline mid-20th century, before resurfacing in the 1970s.

In 2008, Hagan renewed his challenge after Dairy Farmers claimed the name honored Edward William Coon, who developed improved cheese aging techniques—a justification first introduced by brand owners in the 1980s.

Amid the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in Australia, Saputo Inc. announced on 24 July 2020 that it would rename the brand to confront concerns about racism.

On 13 January 2021, Lino A. Saputo unveiled "Cheer" as the replacement name, highlighting principles of respect and equality. During this period, several other Australian companies also rebranded products with racially sensitive names.

As of 2021, Stephen Hagan is seeking AUD 2.1 million in damages for what he describes as decades of corporate refusal to acknowledge the origins of the brand's name.

Coon's process

In 1926, Edward William Coon, an American entrepreneur and cheesemaker from Philadelphia, secured a patent for a technique that accelerated cheese maturation through controlled elevated temperature and humidity.^[1] His method specifically excluded pasteurization, which destroys bacteria but prolongs cheese shelf life.^[2] Prior to selling his patent and joining the Kraft-Phenix Cheese Company in Philadelphia in 1928, Coon operated fourteen cheese production facilities across New York State.^[3] He served as Kraft’s manager until his passing in 1934.^[4]

Starting in October 1942, Kraft promoted a cheese product under the name "Kraft Coon cheese" within the United States and officially registered this trademark in 1949.^[5]^[6]