Meat supplier in court over salmonella claims
A Namibian meat supplier is facing a N$2.4 million lawsuit from one of its foreign customers after deboned beef cuts were allegedly contaminated with salmonella before they were exported from Namibia. Beefcor Meat Suppliers and United Kingdom-based GPS Food Group entered into a written agreement in October 2021 for the export and supply of premium deboned Namibian beef cuts to either the European Union (EU) or Norway.
In its particulars of claim, GPS Food alleged that Beefcor breached this agreement by exporting and selling defective, salmonella-infected beef products that were no longer fit for human consumption. The company also alleged that Beefcor failed to compensate it in full for the losses occurred as a result of the breach of the agreement.
In May 2023, Beefcor was allegedly informed of positive salmonella tests in relation to a certain batch of its beef products.
“[Beefcor] verbally and/or tacitly (by way of their conduct) acknowledged liability and, in compliance with clause 3.5.3 of the written agreement, proceeded to indemnify [GPS Food] for a portion of its losses.”
GPS Food approached the Windhoek High Court in January, and said despite its demands, Beefcor has refused to make payment in the amount of N$2.397 million.
Tested positive
Beefcor allegedly dispatched beef products in February 2022, which reached Norway by the end of May. The batches were subsequently delivered to GPS Food’s customers in Norway, as outlined in the contract agreement.
Following distribution, the Norwegian food authorities and known laboratories conducted salmonella tests in 2023 on samples collected from the batch to assess product quality.
According to court documents, “the batch would undergo salmonella testing twice, conducted by both the European and Norwegian food authorities, as well as authorities in Namibia”.
In February 2023, one-year-old sealed Beefcor products in the possession of a company called FreshFood AS tested positive for salmonella. Subsequently, in March of the same year, beef products stored at a different company also tested positive for salmonella.
GPS Food alleged that since the products were sealed, there was no chance of cross-contamination. It further asserted that the beef products were infected with salmonella before they were exported from Namibia.
Following the detection, the products be destroyed or returned to a non-EU member state in May 2023, it said.
Parties appeared in court last Monday, and the case has been postponed to 3 June for a status hearing.
In its particulars of claim, GPS Food alleged that Beefcor breached this agreement by exporting and selling defective, salmonella-infected beef products that were no longer fit for human consumption. The company also alleged that Beefcor failed to compensate it in full for the losses occurred as a result of the breach of the agreement.
In May 2023, Beefcor was allegedly informed of positive salmonella tests in relation to a certain batch of its beef products.
“[Beefcor] verbally and/or tacitly (by way of their conduct) acknowledged liability and, in compliance with clause 3.5.3 of the written agreement, proceeded to indemnify [GPS Food] for a portion of its losses.”
GPS Food approached the Windhoek High Court in January, and said despite its demands, Beefcor has refused to make payment in the amount of N$2.397 million.
Tested positive
Beefcor allegedly dispatched beef products in February 2022, which reached Norway by the end of May. The batches were subsequently delivered to GPS Food’s customers in Norway, as outlined in the contract agreement.
Following distribution, the Norwegian food authorities and known laboratories conducted salmonella tests in 2023 on samples collected from the batch to assess product quality.
According to court documents, “the batch would undergo salmonella testing twice, conducted by both the European and Norwegian food authorities, as well as authorities in Namibia”.
In February 2023, one-year-old sealed Beefcor products in the possession of a company called FreshFood AS tested positive for salmonella. Subsequently, in March of the same year, beef products stored at a different company also tested positive for salmonella.
GPS Food alleged that since the products were sealed, there was no chance of cross-contamination. It further asserted that the beef products were infected with salmonella before they were exported from Namibia.
Following the detection, the products be destroyed or returned to a non-EU member state in May 2023, it said.
Parties appeared in court last Monday, and the case has been postponed to 3 June for a status hearing.
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