Distressing conditions at the Buitoni factory in Caudry, Nord, led to public outrage after E.coli-contaminated pizzas resulted in two child fatalities. The factory closed in March 2023 but is set to reopen in January 2024 under Italpizza, which plans to invest 12 million euros in modernization and restore consumer trust by producing only precooked products. Nestlé France faces legal troubles, including indictments for involuntary manslaughter, related to the scandal and ongoing litigation with affected families.
Worms, filthy machinery, food scattered on the floor, and peeling paint… These distressing images from the Buitoni factory in Caudry, Nord, ignited public outrage in 2022 following a scandal involving pizzas contaminated with E.coli bacteria. Tragically, the consumption of frozen raw dough pizzas from the Fraîch’up range, a brand under the Nestlé umbrella, led to the deaths of two children and left many others seriously ill.
The factory, which closed its doors in March 2023 due to plummeting sales after the health crisis, is set to reopen on January 27, 2024. Italpizza, which acquired the facility in February, has restarted production as of October and is committing 12 million euros to modernize the site by 2028. With a workforce of 1,800 and an annual revenue of 400 million euros, the Italian company aims to “get closer to the rapidly growing Northern European markets”. So far, 70 employees, including 27 former Buitoni staff, have been hired, with plans to expand the workforce to 140 in the long run. Marc Ferracci, the Minister in charge of Industry, commended this initiative as an “example of a successful industrial rebound” and acknowledged the “collective” efforts that facilitated the factory’s reopening.
Regaining Consumer Trust
Italpizza, branding itself as a leader in high-end frozen pizza, faces the daunting challenge of restoring consumer confidence after the previous scandal. The company has announced its intention to produce “exclusively precooked products” in Caudry, which are believed to be less vulnerable to contamination compared to Buitoni’s raw dough pizzas. Aiming to “wipe the slate clean,” Pierre-Emmanuel Schwartz, president of the French subsidiary, confirmed that the previous production line for Fraîch’up pizzas has been dismantled and will be replaced by 2027 or 2028.
The two production lines were halted in March 2022 after health authorities linked Buitoni’s Fraîch’up pizzas to E.coli infections in children. The closure order cited “numerous serious anomalies in terms of cleaning and maintenance”, with subsequent inspections revealing “the presence of rodents” within the facility.
Nestlé France Indicted
In response, Nestlé indicated a “probable” contamination of the flour used in production. Employees reported to Franceinfo that there was significant pressure to reduce production costs and cut down on daily cleaning times, a claim management later confirmed, while assuring that regular bacteriological testing was being conducted. Disturbing images captured inside the factory depicted the two production lines in a shocking state of unhygienic conditions. Although Nestlé managed to resume operations for a brief period, they were halted once again due to ongoing sales decline.
In early July 2024, Nestlé France and its subsidiary responsible for the Caudry factory were indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter, involuntary injury, and fraud. The corporation also reached a “compensation agreement” with “about sixty families” as part of the ongoing legal proceedings.