ST. LOUIS — Schnucks customers will no longer be seeing Boar's Head products on store shelves starting in November, the St. Louis-based grocer said on Wednesday.
The announcement was made as the deli meat producer is embroiled in a deadly nationwide listeria outbreak, with the Virginia plant at the center of the food poisoning outbreak found to have previously violated several federal regulations, according to United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety documents. The plant has since closed indefinitely.
The Listeria contamination was first detected in Boar’s Head liverwurst products, prompting an urgent voluntary recall on July 25. The bacteria, which can cause life-threatening infections, was identified during routine inspections and resulted in the deaths of at least nine individuals, most of whom were part of vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
Schnucks said it would instead start offering Dietz & Watson’s Premium Meats and Artisan Cheeses early next month, with full deli conversion expected in early December, the grocer said in a press release.
“Just like Schnucks, Dietz & Watson is family owned and operated and is also celebrating 85 years of serving customers this year,” Schnucks Executive Vice President of Supermarkets Ted Schnuck said in the release. “Schnucks’ mission to nourish people’s lives includes focusing on the importance of the health and safety of our customers. With Dietz & Watson’s decades-long history of quality, transparency and emphasis on the customer experience, we know that their products are a perfect fit for our customers.”
The grocer said it would be offering multiple customer initiatives at the products' launch, including special customer pricing and expanded sampling opportunities.