Data Restriction Public
Steak Availability
January 2018
Steak Availability Frequently Asked Questions
When will steak be available again in your pubs? Russell Hume Ltd, the meat supplier, no longer supplies products to J D Wetherspoon. The following meals are currently unavailable:
8oz and 14oz Aberdeen Angus rump steak 8oz sirloin steak 5oz and 10oz gammon steak
Our mixed grill and large mixed grill will be served with chicken breast, instead of a 3oz rump steak. We are working with alternative suppliers from Britain and Ireland and expect to have sirloin, rump and gammon steak available from Tuesday 30 January (Steak Club).
Are any other products affected? No other products are affected. Where do your steaks come from? Our sirloin, rump and gammon steaks are from Britain and Ireland.
What steps did you take to ensure that Russell Hume was a reputable supplier? Russell Hume Ltd has been in business for 50 years. It is accredited by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), a global food safety standard. Meat supplied to us by Russell Hume was Red Tractor Assured. Its production facilities are subject to regular audits by the Food Standards Agency and other authorities. Wetherspoon completed annual independent audits on Russell Hume’s production sites. The last audits were in June 2017 and achieved a ‘green’ (good) rating. In addition, DNA tests are completed by an independent laboratory, on all meat products, twice yearly. These tests check the authenticity of the meat and species and check for the absence of any contaminants. No tests have failed.
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Data Restriction Public
Steak Availability
January 2018
When did you become aware that there was a problem with Russell Hume Ltd? On Monday 22 January 2018, Russell Hume failed to fulfil our scheduled meat order. At 4pm, Russell Hume sent an e-mail to Wetherspoon and advised that it had had “technical issues” at its production facility in Birmingham; production had been transferred to Liverpool. As a result, it advised us that there could be some disruption to supply for the next couple of days. At 7pm, it sent a further e-mail advising that the production facility at Liverpool had been closed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Attempts, which were unsuccessful, were made to contact Russell Hume for more information. On Tuesday 23 January, in the absence of any acceptable explanation or communication from Russell Hume or the FSA, the decision was taken to withdraw from sale all sirloin, rump and gammon steaks.
When did the Food Standards Agency (FSA) first advise you that there was an issue with Russell Hume Ltd? The FSA did not contact the company after it completed its inspections. We first received a communication from the FSA on Wednesday 24 January 2018. What has the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said? On 24 January, the FSA published the following statement on its website: Action taken at meat business Following an unannounced inspection of Russell Hume’s Birmingham site on 12 January, we became aware of instances of serious non-compliance with food hygiene regulations. This has led us and Food Standards Scotland to investigate all Russell Hume sites and other locations where its product is stored – in England, Scotland and Wales. Russell Hume was unable to demonstrate compliance with food hygiene rules at its locations, so we have stopped any product from leaving its sites until the business can provide assurances that it is complying with the relevant legislation and that it is producing safe food. We have also instructed Russell Hume to undertake a withdrawal of all affected product in the supply chain. There is no indication that people have become ill from eating meat supplied by Russell Hume. However, we are concerned about the poor practices in place at its premises, so that is why we have taken proportionate action to ensure that no meat can leave its sites at present. We are continuing to assess the situation. Distribution of meat from Russell Hume is to a range of outlets, including hospitality and catering businesses, care homes and schools. All unused meat supplied by Russell Hume has been withdrawn from the businesses which it supplies, until it can provide assurances. The company is co-operating with our investigation and is currently reviewing its procedures and retraining its staff.
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Data Restriction Public
Steak Availability
January 2018
What has Russell Hume Ltd said? On the evening of 24 January, Russell Hume Ltd made the following statement: “The actions of the Food Standards Agency this week have come as a serious shock to Russell Hume. As a food business operator we are well aware of the strict controls over the sale and supply of food and have been subject to regular Food Standards Agency and other agency visits and audits where our practices and compliance have never been challenged like this. Our customers are at the heart of our business and there has never been a suggestion of any Russell Hume-supplied product causing illness. Unfortunately the FSA actions and its notice this afternoon have created a very different impression. The business has been co-operating with the investigation throughout and whilst we would like to say more, as the investigations are ongoing that would not be appropriate at this time. Russell Hume is a business of 50-years' standing with an unblemished record and 320 colleagues who along with our customers are our principal concern." I have eaten steak at one of your pubs in the last week – will I be ill? The FSA has advised the public that there is no indication that people have become ill from eating meat supplied by Russell Hume Ltd.
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