History Of Coon Cheese: A Long-Standing Australian Favorite

Coon Cheese, now known as Cheer Cheese, is an Australian dairy product that has been on the market for over 85 years. The cheese was first introduced in 1931 by Fred Walker, who was inspired by James L. Kraft's method of making processed cheese. While the cheese was named after American cheesemaker Edward William Coon, the term coon has been widely recognized as a racial slur, leading to its recent rebranding.

Coon Cheese was renamed Cheer Cheese in 2021

Coon Cheese, an Australian dairy product, was renamed Cheer Cheese in 2021. The decision to rename the 85-year-old cheese brand came after years of criticism and campaigns from activists, who argued that the term "Coon" is a racial slur used against people of African, Aboriginal, or Pacific Islander descent. The term has been historically used as a derogatory and offensive racial epithet, and the company's owner, Saputo Inc., acknowledged the concerns and committed to treating people with respect and without discrimination.

The history of Coon Cheese dates back to 1931 when Fred Walker, inspired by James L. Kraft's method of making processed cheese, began producing a similar product in his South Melbourne facility. He named his cheese "Red Coon," and it was marketed as a "naturally matured" product with a distinctive flavour and smooth consistency. Over the years, the brand changed hands from Kraft-Walker to Lion Dairy, Warrnambool Cheese, and finally, Saputo Inc. in 2015.

In January 2021, Lino A. Saputo, the chair and CEO of Saputo Inc., announced the decision to rebrand the cheese as "Cheer Cheese." This announcement came in response to the growing public pressure and the ongoing controversy surrounding the brand name. The company recognized the need to uphold its commitment to respect and inclusivity, stating that the new name would honour the brand affinity while aligning with current attitudes and perspectives.

The name change was met with mixed reactions. Some consumers expressed their dislike for the new name, stating that the old name was not racist and should have been retained. However, many individuals and advocacy groups welcomed the change, arguing that it was a significant step towards rectifying the longstanding issue of the brand's association with racial slurs. The new name, "Cheer Cheese," aims to reflect a more positive and inclusive image for the product, embracing a more inclusive future.

The journey of Cheer Cheese, formerly known as Coon Cheese, reflects the changing tides of society and the power of inclusivity. By embracing this transformation, Saputo Inc. demonstrated its commitment to respecting diverse perspectives and creating a positive brand image that aligns with the values of its consumers.

The name change came after years of criticism, with the term Coon deemed a racial slur

Coon Cheese, now Cheer Cheese, has been around since 1931. The cheese was originally called "Red Coon" and was produced by the Kraft Walker Cheese Co., a partnership between Fred Walker and James L. Kraft. The name "Coon" was derived from Edward William Coon, an American cheesemaker who patented a cheese-ripening process in 1926. However, it is important to note that the process used by Kraft Walker to make "Coon Cheese" differed from Edward Coon's patented method.

The term "coon" has been deemed a racial slur and derogatory term used against people of African, Aboriginal, or Pacific Islander descent. The name change to "Cheer Cheese" came after years of criticism and activism, with the company Saputo Inc. acknowledging the need to treat people with respect and without discrimination. This decision was influenced by the growing public pressure and the Black Lives Matter movement, which called for an end to racism and discrimination against Black, Indigenous, and other people of color.

The controversy surrounding the name "Coon Cheese" had been ongoing for decades, with activists lobbying for a name change due to its offensive racial connotations. Despite the criticism, previous owners of the brand, Kraft and Dairy Farmers, refused to change the name. It was only when Saputo Inc. acquired the company in 2015 that a serious discussion about a name change began. The decision to retire the "Coon" brand name was announced in 2020, and the new name, "Cheer Cheese," was unveiled in 2021.

The name change was met with mixed reactions, with some consumers expressing their dislike for the new name and others welcoming the change. However, the majority of the backlash was directed at the decision to change the name rather than the new name itself. Some critics argued that the original name was not racist, while others claimed that the term "coon" was not used as a derogatory term in Australia. Despite the opposition, the name change was generally seen as a positive step towards inclusivity and respect for diverse perspectives.

The journey from "Coon Cheese" to "Cheer Cheese" reflects the changing tides of society and the power of inclusivity. By embracing a more inclusive future, Saputo Inc. has demonstrated its commitment to respecting diverse perspectives and creating a positive and inclusive image for its product. This decision aligns with the company's basic principle of treating people with respect and without discrimination.

The cheese was named after Edward William Coon, an American cheesemaker

In 1915, Coon expanded his business by renting a closed cheese factory in Edwards, New York, and remodelling a second facility in Cape Vincent, New York, for cheese and butter storage. Coon's innovative remodelling of the Cape Vincent plant involved using tiles to create a storage facility that resembled the hold of an ocean liner. This facility, unfortunately, burned down in 1921, destroying a large amount of cheese and leading to a lengthy litigation process.

Coon's claim to fame, however, was his patented cheese-ripening process, which he filed for in 1926. This process eschewed pasteurisation, retaining live bacteria to produce a cheese that was more easily digested and had a more attractive flavour. The patent described a method of ripening cheese using humidified air at specific temperatures, which resulted in a shorter ageing process, eliminated dryness and rind rot, and produced a cheese with higher levels of lactic bacilli for better digestion.

The cheese was named "Coon-Sharp Cheese" and was produced in several factories across New York State and Wisconsin. In 1928, Coon sold his company, along with his cheese factories and the patent for his ripening process, to Kraft-Phenix Cheese Company for $732,983.25. Coon was kept on as a manager until his death in 1934.

The Australian cheese brand "Coon Cheese" was named after Edward William Coon due to his patented cheese-making process. However, it is important to note that the process used by Kraft to make "Coon Cheese" in Australia did not utilise Coon's patented method. The Australian cheese was first produced as "Red Coon" in 1931 by Fred Walker, inspired by James L. Kraft's method of making processed cheese. The name "Red Coon" referred to the red wax coating on the cheese, which was later replaced with cellophane, and the red stripe in the current logo is a nod to this original packaging.

While the Australian cheese brand claimed a connection to Edward William Coon, the name "Coon" was also controversial as it is considered a racial slur, particularly against Indigenous Australians, African Americans, and people of African descent. Despite this, the brand retained the name for over 85 years before finally changing it to "Cheer Cheese" in 2021, following the Black Lives Matter protests and years of activism and criticism.

Coon's cheese-making process did not require pasteurisation

Coon cheese, now known as Cheer cheese, was first introduced to the market in 1931 as "Red Coon" by the Kraft Walker Cheese Co. The cheese was named after Edward William Coon, an American cheesemaker from Philadelphia who, in 1926, patented a cheese-making process that did not require pasteurisation.

Edward Coon's unique process involved ripening cheese through humidified air at certain temperatures supplied to the cheese ripening chamber. At the time, the common methods of ripening cheese involved storing cheese covered in paraffin wax at temperatures between 40 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit through artificial refrigeration using ammonia or carbon dioxide gas. This traditional method often led to dry and crumbly cheese and was also susceptible to rind rot. Coon's process, being much shorter in duration, eliminated both the dryness and rind rot issues, resulting in cheese with cultivated lactic bacilli, making it more easily digestible.

An essential aspect of Coon's patented process was the explicit exclusion of pasteurisation. Pasteurisation is a heat treatment that kills bacteria in food products, including cheese. By avoiding this step, Coon's process retained the live bacteria in the cheese, which was said to result in a product with a more attractive flavour that was also easier to digest. This differentiation from traditional cheese-making processes contributed to the success of the "Coon-Sharp Cheese" brand.

The cheese-making process patented by Edward Coon was not the same one used to make "Coon Cheese" by Kraft. However, the brand name "Coon" was inspired by the American cheesemaker and his innovative process. The name change from "Coon Cheese" to "Cheer Cheese" occurred in 2021, addressing the concerns and controversies surrounding the brand name's association with racial slurs.

Coon Cheese was first made in 1931

Coon Cheese, now known as Cheer Cheese, was first made in 1931. The cheese was originally called Red Coon and was produced by Fred Walker, who was inspired by James L. Kraft's method of making processed cheese. Operating under a licence from Kraft Foods, Fred Walker made and marketed a processed cheese product in his South Melbourne facility.

Red Coon was not processed in any way but was matured using a secret method, which gave it a distinctive mellow flavour and smooth consistency. The cheese was also advertised as being two years old. In addition, Red Coon was coated with red wax, later replaced with cellophane, and the red stripe in the current logo is a reference to the original packaging.

The Kraft Walker Cheese Co. produced Red Coon from 1931 to 1959. In 1959, the company began to sell a processed product called "Kraft natural tasty Coon Cheese, fully matured", with a "robust flavour men really appreciate". The cheese was also advertised as being "aged to full maturity", and its marketing suggested its appeal to "active men".

The name "Coon Cheese" was controversial as the term "coon" has been used as a racial slur against people of African, Aboriginal, or Pacific Islander descent. In 2020, the Canadian parent company Saputo, which has controlled the cheddar company since 2015, decided to drop the name after facing criticism and pressure from activists. The cheese was rebranded as Cheer Cheese in 2021.

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