Public statement by ABP Food Group

On January 26, 2013, the ABP Food Group expressed its appreciation for Minister Coveney's recent announcement regarding the equine DNA situation. This announcement supports the company's initial belief that the contamination stemmed from an external supplier in Europe. Throughout this event, the company has maintained close cooperation with all relevant authorities and its clients. Paul Finnerty, the Group Chief Executive of ABP Food Group, remarked: "This incident has been challenging for everyone involved and has caused a considerable disruption in operations for Silvercrest and its clientele. We are thankful that the origin of the issue has been pinpointed." "Although the company has never intentionally engaged in the purchase or sale of equine products, I want to seize this moment to express our regret for the inconvenience this matter has caused." The company was first notified of the findings by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland on the evening of January 14. Recognizing that this was not a matter of food safety but still a significant concern, the company promptly advised its customers to recall the implicated products. When further testing revealed that additional Silvercrest items might be contaminated with equine DNA, production at the Silvercrest facility was immediately halted. As has been consistently stated, the company has never deliberately procured or processed horse meat, ensuring all acquisitions come from certified and regulated EU establishments. Following thorough internal investigations over the past two weeks, the company has decided to: - Introduce a new management team at the Silvercrest plant. - Implement a reorganization within the ABP Group. Effective immediately, the Silvercrest operation will be managed by ABP Ireland (the Irish chilled beef division), while the sister company in the UK, Dalepak Foods, will be overseen by ABP UK (the UK chilled beef division). - Conduct independent audits of all its external suppliers. - Begin a new DNA testing protocol that exceeds current legal mandates. This testing will include equine DNA and will complement the extensive testing the company already performs to meet food safety standards. The company has clarified that the contaminated meat sourced from Poland has no connection to ABP's facility in Poznan, which, like all other group locations, does not process horse meat.