News

Dear Customer
Further to the recent press surrounding cross contamination of beef and/or Halal chicken products, I wanted to detail to you the processes and procedures that we have in place to ensure the safety and quality of our products.  We can confirm that we do not have supply relationships with those implicated in the scandal:

Liffey Meats
Silver Crest Food
Dalepak Hambleton
Comigel
Spanghero
Silvercrest
Rangeland Foods
McColgan Quality Foods Limited

We have also received assurances from our suppliers that have given us the upmost confidence that our products are – and will remain – completely unaffected by this.

With those conversations in mind, and indeed considering our ‘A’ grade from the BRC audit, I can state with absolute confidence that the products that we provide to you do not contain ingredients that are not stated on our labels and spec cards; and can categorically confirm that all of our products are free from horsemeat, horse DNA, pork, pig DNA and pork derivatives.

Our raw material is in the form of whole muscle; therefore is considered ‘low-risk’ from cross contamination – despite this, we have sought DNA approval of this; evidence will be forwarded at request.

Our Halal/non-Halal segregation is enabled by two separate working shifts in production. All Halal meat is produced on shift
one, and then there is a deep clean performed. Following that, non-Halal production takes place, using different knives/gloves etc., with a further deep clean at the end of the day. We’ve been highly rated by the Halal Authority Board for the lengths we go to ensuring that Halal meat is never in contact with non-Halal, until shortly before they’re put into delivery vehicles.

Our manufacturing unit and supply chain can count Red Tractor, BRC and Halal Authority Board amongst our accreditors, and our most recent visit from the Environmental Health Agency resulted in us being given “the highest possible score” across all measurable criteria, with no recommended improvements suggested.

We take hygiene and quality extremely seriously, and also audit suppliers to ensure that their standards are as high as ours. If you require any further information, please feel free to contact me directly and I shall – in conjunction with our reputable technical team – provide accurate answers in a timely manner.

* UPDATE
In addition to our correspondence named ‘contamination controversy – response’, I’d like to provide you with an update based on information given by the FSA In addition to those named in our previous correspondence, we can also confirm that we have no relationship with either of the following:

Peter Boddy Licensed Slaughterhouse, Todmorden
Farmbox Meats Ltd, Llandre, Aberystwyth

Like yourselves, we are monitoring the situation extremely closely, and keeping up to date with all the latest information from the FSA.  We’ll gladly answer requests as they are asked, however you can also trust that we will release statements should any relevant information come to light.

We are continuing to speak with our existing suppliers about every new development in the situation, and will continue to insist that the high standards we work towards are adhered to at every step of the supply chain.

Kind regards,
Richard Harries
Office Manager
Richard@chickenjoes.co.uk
07415799148