Dave Letele could turn NZ Muscle around but standard apology 'won't cut it'

Dave Letele has a good chance of turning NZ Muscle around but a standard apology "won't cut it", industry experts say.

Letele's appointment as chief executive was announced earlier this week, taking a shareholding in the company, which has been facing allegations of inappropriate practices from former employees.

It has recalled some creatine supplements that had undeclared dairy, and both the Commerce Commission and Ministry for Primary Industries are investigating.

Chris Wilkinson, a retail consultant at First Retail Group, said Letele had a good chance of being able to turn the brand around, because he had a strong following and was a good communicator.

He said if it could be proved the company had made wholesale changes to address the problems, Letele had enough mana to convince customers to try it again.

"It's a category that is growing significantly, if you look at which retailers are taking sites, it is that type of thing… if they can get it right there's the potential to ride that wave."

Lou O'Reilly, of PR firm O'Reilly & Co, said she thought the brand could recover but she was not sure it would.

"Plenty of companies have come back from a crisis," she said.

"A standard apology won't cut it though. People will want to see ongoing evidence that the issues have been fixed, that there are safeguards in place so they don't happen again and that the company is being open about the changes it's making. That's what gives it a shot at earning trust back."

Meanwhile, Letele said he has faced criticism and death threats or taking the role.

He posted on his Brown Buttabean Facebook page, which provides motivation for people working to improve their health, that he had been receiving racist hate mail.

"I'm about to dive into what's happened. I'm trying to get up to speed so I can make the necessary changes. Once I know, I'll talk about it."

He said it was also hard to talk while official investigations were happening.

"The hate and the threats to me and my family have just gone too far. Now they post my home address up.

"People want answers which I fully understand. But I need time to find out what's actually happened. It's now hard to do this with so much noise and now I have to worry for my family's safety.

"I've entered this with my eyes wide open. I've taken on a company that has f**ked up and it's my job to come fix it and make it better than before.

"I understand people are upset and what's happened before my time. But this behaviour online, the death threats and posting of addresses is going too far. Two wrongs don't make a right. Seeing my wife in tears and my youngest son scared breaks my heart. But what can I do? If I do something silly I lose it all. Everyone who depends on me will be let down."

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