Supplier at centre of listeria outbreak goes into liquidation

The Good Food Chain, the company which was investigated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) following a recent listeria outbreak, has announced it has gone into liquidation and will cease trading.

On Wednesday 26 June, the sandwich maker was found to not be the source of the outbreak and the FSA gave it permission to resume production after it voluntarily ceased operations on 5 June as the investigation continued.

Six “seriously ill” patients in hospitals in England were found to be infected after eating pre-packed sandwiches and salads supplied by the Good Food Chain. Its meat supplier, North Country Cooked Meats, tested positive for strains of the infection. It also voluntarily ceased production.

On Friday 28, the Good Food Chain announced it was to cease trading with immediate effect and going into liquidation. It said that with production having been continuously suspended since 5 June the impact on the company had been “too great for the business to remain viable”.

Owner and founder Martyn Corfield said: “I was absolutely devastated to hear that people had died after contracting listeriosis and have been thinking constantly about all those affected and their families over the last few weeks.

“We have been cooperating very closely with the investigating authorities, and while Wednesday’s confirmation that the Good Food Chain was not the source of the outbreak was welcome, it ultimately came too late in the day for us to get the business back on to a sustainable footing.”

He added: “I feel desperately sorry for our brilliant and hardworking staff who, through no fault of their own, now find themselves out of work. I would like to thank them for everything they have done for the Good Food Chain, and particularly for their loyalty and patience over the last few weeks.”

The liquidation will be handled by insolvency practitioners Currie Young.