Kash n' Karry Takes Proactive Approach Following Beef Supplier's Recall
TAMPA, Fla. -- Kash n' Karry Food Stores here replaced all the ground beef in its Kash n' Karry and Sweetbay Supermarkets late last week, after one of its meat suppliers, Thomasville, Ga.-based American Fresh Foods, Inc., issued a voluntary recall based on possible E. coli contamination.
Working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, American Fresh Foods voluntarily recalled 6,200 pounds of its 73 percent lean ground beef, after the company determined the product might be contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7. Kash n' Karry and Sweetbay, both Delhaize USA banners, were the only retailers involved in the recall.
Routine samples of ground beef delivered to Kash n' Karry and Sweetbay stores tested negative, according to Kash n' Karry spokeswoman Nicole LeBeau. However, the company chose to replace all ground beef on its shelves and encourage all customers to return ground beef products with sell-by dates from Nov. 2 to Nov. 5 for a full replacement or refund.
"Kash n' Karry and Sweetbay Supermarkets take an E. coli threat with the utmost caution," the company said in a statement. "Even though this was a positive test at a manufacturing facility in Georgia, and there were no positive tests with any in-store product, Kash n' Karry and Sweetbay will always err on the side of extreme caution. Because of this conservative approach, extraordinary measures have been taken to remove any and all product that could have come in contact with any potentially contaminated product. All ground beef products have been replaced so the system for outstanding food safety can be completely reset."
LeBeau told Progressive Grocer that there have been no incidents of disease reported stemming from the recall.
Working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, American Fresh Foods voluntarily recalled 6,200 pounds of its 73 percent lean ground beef, after the company determined the product might be contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7. Kash n' Karry and Sweetbay, both Delhaize USA banners, were the only retailers involved in the recall.
Routine samples of ground beef delivered to Kash n' Karry and Sweetbay stores tested negative, according to Kash n' Karry spokeswoman Nicole LeBeau. However, the company chose to replace all ground beef on its shelves and encourage all customers to return ground beef products with sell-by dates from Nov. 2 to Nov. 5 for a full replacement or refund.
"Kash n' Karry and Sweetbay Supermarkets take an E. coli threat with the utmost caution," the company said in a statement. "Even though this was a positive test at a manufacturing facility in Georgia, and there were no positive tests with any in-store product, Kash n' Karry and Sweetbay will always err on the side of extreme caution. Because of this conservative approach, extraordinary measures have been taken to remove any and all product that could have come in contact with any potentially contaminated product. All ground beef products have been replaced so the system for outstanding food safety can be completely reset."
LeBeau told Progressive Grocer that there have been no incidents of disease reported stemming from the recall.