Sara Lee's voluntary administration in Australia draws mixed reactions from HK fans

Australian frozen dessert company Sara Lee’s voluntary administration has caused a buzz in Hong Kong as fans have urged dessert lovers to add the brand’s products to their shopping lists.  

This comes after Sara Lee appointed FTI Consulting as its voluntary administrator on 17 October, according to the SCMP. On Wednesday, FTI Consulting’s administrators said they were in talks with Sara Lee Australia’s management to continue operations while seeking a prospective buyer or to restructure the business. 

The news has drawn mixed reactions among Hong Kong netizens over the past 24 hours, with over 600 mentions observed, according to media intelligence firm CARMA. Among these mentions, 29.1% carried a negative sentiment, while 11.4% expressed a positive sentiment. 

The discussions primarily took place on forums such as LIHKG and Hong Kong Discuss Forum, where netizens reminisced about their fond memories associated with Sara Lee's pound cake, said Charles Cheung, CARMA’s HK GM. 

While many urged fellow dessert lovers to add Sara Lee’s products to their shopping list, some shared personal anecdotes of enjoying Sara Lee's cakes, both served cold and hot, and emphasised the sentimental value attached to the brand, Cheung added.  

Several netizens clarified that voluntary administration does not necessarily mean the company is shutting down, said Cheung. They expressed hope that the administrator overseeing the process will be able to steer Sara Lee towards a positive outcome, preserving the brand and its products. 

On the other hand, social monitoring firm Meltwater saw 9.9% negative, 7.4% positive and 82.7% neutral sentiments regarding Hong Kong netizens’ feelings towards Sara Lee’s bankruptcy.

Keywords associated with Sara Lee’s now include the phrases “voluntary administration, "frozen cheesecakes” and “staff to continue”. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Sara Lee and FTI Consulting respectively for a statement. 

Don't miss: Uni-China Group and Sara Lee team up to recall HongKongers' collective memories

Back in September, Sara Lee partnered with its distributor in Hong Kong, Uni-China Group, to pay homage to the collective memory of HongKongers with a campaign.

Inspired by Sara Lee’s iconic TV commercial in Hong Kong in the 1980s, the campaign leveraged a contemporary twist of the original story, featuring several local child stars such as Kakaball, the daughter of local singers Kay Tse and Louis Cheung; Babefayefaye, the daughter of actor Brian Wong; and kid influencer baby Elly. 

Founded in New South Wales state’s Lisarow in 1971, Sara Lee is a frozen dessert brand that is well-known for its frozen cheesecakes, crumbles and ice cream. 

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