The manufacturer confirmed that a routine internal inspection had identified the presence of Salmonella in a 'limited number' of cooked chicken products prepared at the Benson Park site.
The products in question had been sold as ingredients for sandwiches and meals through UK retailers and food-to-go outlets. Cranswick said it was working closely with the Foods Standards Agency and will collaborate with their experts to resolve the matter.
Thorough investigation
“We are conducting a thorough investigation into the possible cause of the contamination and the site will remain closed until the investigations are complete,” said a spokesman for the business.
“The safety and quality of every product produced by Cranswick is our number one priority and all necessary protocols will be followed and completed before we restart production.”
Pret a Manger, Aldi and Sainsbury’s have since recalled chicken products linked to the Hull factory salmonella outbreak.
A Pret A Manger spokesperson said: “As a precautionary measure, we’ve temporarily removed the majority of chicken items on our menu due to a potential food safety risk at one of our suppliers. We hope to have these products back in shops soon. We apologise for any inconvenience.”
Outsourced production
Cranswick will outsource cooked poultry production on a short-term basis to its other sites, as well as competitors in Great Britain on order to reduce business disruption while it completes a thorough investigation of the Hull site.
Commenting on the disruption caused, Shore Capital head of food Clive Black said: “With aforementioned well-versed business continuity procedures in play, we do not anticipate that this Benson Park matter we be a notable financial issue for Cranswick in full-year 2023, nor for its food-to-go clients such as Greencore or Samworth Brothers.
“In the big scheme of things, product recalls are not uncommon across the UK food and system, as evidence by the number of FSA notices, but Cranswick will now be focused on current investigations.”
Meanwhile, Kinder products linked to a salmonella outbreak in Belgium have been found on store shelves across Scotland, according to Food Standards Scotland.