SOUTH AFRICA – Packaged goods company, Tiger Brands has reopened its ready-to-eat meat processing facility, Enterprise Foods in Germiston, months after two of its factories were shut down on listeriosis outbreak.

According to Business Day, the company said it is likely to open its other facility in Polokwane once it completes refurbishments as well as assessments with the health department in November.

The facilities were closed early this year when the health minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced in March that listeria strain was found at Tiger Brands’ Polokwane processed meat factory.

“We anticipate this to occur in November.

However, the Enterprise Foods meat-canning operation, which is a separate unit on the Polokwane site, recommenced production on September 12.

A certificate of acceptability for this operation was issued by the Capricorn municipality on August 31,” said Mary-Jane Morifi, Tiger Brands chief corporate affairs officer.

She said the quality check details, which will appear on the packaging, were in addition to the industry safety standards for the production of ready-to-eat processed meats.

“This is a significant step for Enterprise Foods and we are excited to be re-entering the market.

This is the first step in bringing back our Enterprise products and we will be providing our consumers with assurance of product safety through our on-pack seven-step farm-to-table quality check process.”

Leading supermarkets such as Woolworths, Pick n Pay, Shoprite moved to pull ready-to-cook products such as bacon and sausages under the Bokkie, Renown, Lifestyle and Mieliekip brands off their shelves.

A recall of Enterprise Food products, which is a subsidiary of Tiger Brands, was initiated along with products manufactured at its Germiston plant and Rainbow Chickens Limited (RCL).

Additionally, the Clayville abattoir in Olifantsfontein, which provides raw material to Tiger Brands’ processed meat production facilities and to the fresh meat market, was open and operational.

Morifi said the company would make announcement regarding the Pretoria facility and that the final cost associated with the refurbishment to be between US$3.45m to US$4.83 million (R50m to R70m).