According to South African press reports, it seems that there’s no coming back from the Listeria crisis that rocked Tiger Brands last year.

The unit’s revenues slid 79 percent in the six months ending in March, resulting in an operating loss of over R200-million.

The company now says it’s looking to sell its processed meats business.

Tiger Brands owns the likes of Enterprise Foods and Mielie Kip.

The division was temporarily closed last year following the world’s largest-ever listeria outbreak.

Over 1,000 people were sickened with over 200 deaths were linked to the outbreak.

The particular strain of listeria bacteria was traced back to an Enterprise Foods factory. But Tiger Brands says the review of its processed meats business started long before that.

While Tiger Brands is exploring the sale of its value-added meat products business, the company can still be held liable for the 2017’s listeria outbreak says attorney at Richard Spoor Attorneys Catherine Marcus (we are working with Richard and his team on the case – See https://listeriaclassaction.co.za/).

Marcus says Tiger Brands Limited and Tiger Consumer Brands, who are the main defenders along with Enterprise Foods in a class-action lawsuit, must still answer to any negligence or any intentional harm that may have occurred as a result of their action or inaction at the time.

She adds that whoever takes control of Enterprise Foods would also be taking on the liability.

If Enterprise Foods is sold, Enterprise will still be jointly responsible for any liability related to the outbreak and whoever or whatever entity takes ownership of Enterprise will also be taking up that liability.

Catherine Marcus, Attorney – Richard Spoor Attorneys