In a move highlighting food safety, Sukiya, one of Japan's largest beef-on-rice restaurant chains, has announced the temporary closure of its restaurants for deep cleaning following alarming incidents involving pests in food. The decision comes in light of two separate occurrences where customers discovered pests, including a rat in a bowl of miso soup and, more recently, an insect thought to be a cockroach.
Sukiya Shuts Down Restaurants Following Pests Discovery
Sukiya Shuts Down Restaurants Following Pests Discovery
Japan's popular Sukiya restaurant chain temporarily closes outlets due to customer complaints regarding pests in food, sparking health concerns.
The chain has nearly 2,000 outlets and plans to undertake these cleaning operations between March 31 and April 4, in an effort to safeguard against both external and internal pest infestations. The company expressed its regret for the "great inconvenience and concern caused" to customers.
Notifications about the rat incident first surfaced on social media weeks before Sukiya formally acknowledged the issue, which occurred in a restaurant located in Tottori. Following the revelation, that particular outlet was shut down for sanitation, and measures were taken to seal any cracks that could allow pests to enter.
Subsequently, the chain initiated thorough inspections across all its locations, implementing stricter garbage disposal methods and refrigeration protocols. The situation escalated on Friday when yet another customer in Tokyo encountered an insect, prompting the chain to take further precautionary steps. Sukiya's management extended apologies and offered refunds to affected customers.
This pest-related crisis has impacted Sukiya's stock, as parent company Zensho Holdings faced a significant drop in share prices after the rat incident was revealed. The share prices later rebounded, but they remain under close observation following the recent pest discovery. The public and health regulators will likely scrutinize Sukiya’s response during this critical phase.
Notifications about the rat incident first surfaced on social media weeks before Sukiya formally acknowledged the issue, which occurred in a restaurant located in Tottori. Following the revelation, that particular outlet was shut down for sanitation, and measures were taken to seal any cracks that could allow pests to enter.
Subsequently, the chain initiated thorough inspections across all its locations, implementing stricter garbage disposal methods and refrigeration protocols. The situation escalated on Friday when yet another customer in Tokyo encountered an insect, prompting the chain to take further precautionary steps. Sukiya's management extended apologies and offered refunds to affected customers.
This pest-related crisis has impacted Sukiya's stock, as parent company Zensho Holdings faced a significant drop in share prices after the rat incident was revealed. The share prices later rebounded, but they remain under close observation following the recent pest discovery. The public and health regulators will likely scrutinize Sukiya’s response during this critical phase.
