McDonald’s & KFC drop supplier in Chinese expired meat scandal
Fast food giants McDonald’s and KFC have been hit with a major food safety scare in China following reports that a supplier had sold meat past its expiration date.
The scare was prompted by an investigation undertaken by Shanghai’s Dragon TV which sent undercover staff to Shanghai Husi Food Co, where video footage was shot of staff mixing expired meat with fresh produce and packing scraps of meat off the floor.
Local authorities were quick to close down the operation and both McDonald’s and KFC have already switched suppliers, mindful of the calamitous PR of the story on their extensive presence in the country.
OSI Group, parent firm of Shanghai Husi Food, said in a statement that ot was ‘appalled’ by the report and was conducting its own internal audit into what it claimed was an ‘isolated incident’.
The news has gone down badly on Chinese social media with the report becoming one of the top trending stories on Weibo yesterday, fuelled by irate consumers alleging that ‘Foreigners sell their worst stuff to China and keep the best for themselves.”
KFC is the largest fast food brand in China with 4,600 outlets, far ahead of McDonald’s which takes the number 2 slot with 2,000.