HEINZ have rejected a $750,000 offer by the Goulburn Valley Food Action Committee for the company's former Girgarre factory.
Members of the co-op this morning said they were disappointed by the news but remained confident a business could be set up on a greenfield site in the region.
A Heinz spokeswoman told weeklytimesnow today the offer was "well below" the price range advised for the Girgarre site and a national marketing campaign was on the cards to attract a reasonable price.
Co-op finance manager Graham Truran said Heinz had rejected the offer without an explanation.
"One must question their motives. Employees have been retrenched, suppliers and contractors have lost a valuable revenue stream and we are fast approaching the time when farmers need to plan their next harvest," Mr Truran said.
"The community is relying on us. It would have been great to conclude this deal with Heinz," he said.
Co-op chairman Les Cameron said the group remained determined.
"There are two words. Grim determination. Grim because we hate to see what Heinz are doing to the site. Determination because we will make this cooperative work and there will be refreshed jobs for farmers and workers by the middle of this year. This will either happen at the Heinz site or it will happen elsewhere in spite of Heinz's obstruction."He said the offer remained on the table to Heinz.
"They may now wish to sell off the water, remove even more of the desolate equipment, but they certainly will leave a poor reminder of their tenancy. This fight will go on and we will replace Heinz, sadly it doesn't look like this will be in Girgarre," Mr Cameron said.
A Heinz spokeswoman said the company had always said it would remove the equipment because it was needed in other parts of the business.
"We process tomato and tomato-based products in many places around the world so this type of equipment is always being utilized somewhere across our network.
"Through local employment, payments to suppliers and investments in community initiatives, Heinz has been a significant economic contributor to the region for more than 20 years.
"Heinz has no objection to the co-op purchasing the site subject to offering a reasonable price and terms. We continue to wish the co-op well in its venture," she said.
