In its response to a shareholder query, Soup Holdings 5KI revealed that it had received a letter of intended summons in the FY2023 ended Dec 31, 2023, from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). The letter of summons was made as the SFA observed that there were small cockroaches at one of the group’s Cafe O outlets. The cockroaches were found “within the seams of one of the wooden cabinets used to store paper rolls”.
The group has since taken steps to address the issue by contacting pest control companies to “conduct regular inspections and implement pest control and extermination measures at all outlets”. It has also implemented standard operating procedures (SOPs) for its employees to carry out daily cleaning and housekeeping tasks.
“Notwithstanding the above, it was unfortunate that this incident has occurred. Immediate corrective measures were taken, including intensified pest extermination actions. The pest issue was resolved, and it has not recurred since,” says Soup Holdings in its response dated April 21.
A letter of intended summons from the SFA means that there has been a breach in the agency’s food safety regulations. Licensed food retail businesses have to adhere to the agency’s points demerit system (PDS), which is used to manage and, or suspend licences for food safety infringements.
If a licensee accumulates 12 demerit points or more within 12 months, its licence will either be suspended for two to four weeks. Its licence may also be cancelled, depending on their past record of suspension.
According to Soup Holdings, its O Cafe outlet was not suspended from operating as it is within the allowance.
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Shares in Soup Holdings closed 0.3 cents lower or 3.3% down at 8.8 cents on April 19.
