Epicurean Dairy Limited, the company that produces “The Collective” brand products, and its former directors have pleaded guilty to 10 charges of failing to report positive environmental listeria results.
MPI says 190 positive listeria test results went unreported by the company between 2012 and 2016.
The company was fined $369,000, Angus Allan, the company’s former general manager was fined $54,000. Court costs of $80,000 was also imposed.
MPI says they conducted a “complex and long-running investigation” when investigators were given credible information from a confidential informant.
The company's former operations manager, Ilya Pyzhanhov, was convicted and fined $60,000 after pleading guilty earlier this year to 5 charges of deliberately withholding positive environmental listeria results.
No product was affected and there were no consumer health impacts. Since the MPI investigation, the company has replaced the worn factory floor where the listeria was present. The company continues to operate with no further issues.