The latest public health scandal in China concerns the Shanghai Husi Food Co., which has been supplying expired beef and chicken to McDonald’s and Yum (which owns KFC and Pizza Hut).
In the wake of the scandal, McDonald’s in Beijing, Shanghai, and at least four other cities “have temporarily gone vegetarian today,” reports Quartz.
The fast food chain is scrambling under allegations that it has been serving expired meat for years. A sign outside of a Beijing McDonald’s says, ”Thanks for your support. We are so sorry that we only have these choices for you.”
Beijing @McDonalds serve nothing but only beverages and fries on July 27 after the meat scandal from Shanghai #Husi. pic.twitter.com/YeYXKrgxBB
— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) July 28, 2014OSI Group LLC, the Illinois-based parent company of Shanghai Husi, announced over the weekend it is recalling all meat distributed by the meat supplier, one of China’s largest. Besides McDonald’s, Shanghai Husi also supplies meat to KFC, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Chinese Starbucks, 7-Eleven, Ikea, and McDonald’s in Japan and Hong Kong, all of which have been affected.
Going sans-meat might not help McDonald’s reputation in China, though. “A severely stripped down menu won’t help the chain whose reputation is already taking a beating,” Quartz writes. Footage of Shangai Husi workers extending the use-by date of already expired meat was also released last week.
[via Quartz]
