Boar’s Head is closing its Virginia deli plant indefinitely and will permanently discontinue its liverwurst product, the company announced on Friday. This decision marks the brand’s most significant response to the listeria outbreak back in July, which has been connected to 57 hospitalizations and nine deaths among elderly people.
“Given the seriousness of the outbreak, and the fact that it originated at Jarratt, we have made the difficult decision to indefinitely close this location,” the company said in a statement posted Friday.
According to The New York Times, the Jarratt, Virginia, plant has long been under scrutiny for health and sanitation violations. Two years ago, federal inspectors raised concerns with the plant, describing it as posing an “imminent threat” to food safety. Despite these findings, the U.S. Department of Agriculture did not impose a suspension on operations and instead allowed the plant to remain open.
In response to the outbreak, Boar’s Head began recalling its lunch meats in July and halted production at the Jarratt facility later that month. Recent inspection records showed that the plant’s measures to control listeria were inadequate and found unsanitary conditions that could have led to product contamination.
To address the ongoing food hygiene issues, Boar’s Head plans to establish a new safety council comprised of food safety experts. Additionally, the company plans to appoint a new chief food safety and quality assurance officer who will directly report to the president.
Boar’s Head is also offering severance packages and relocation options to employees affected by the closure. Workers will have the option to continue with the company at other facilities in Virginia, or to transfer to plants in Michigan, Indiana, New York, and Arkansas.
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