A Boar’s Head deli meat plant in Virginia plagued by a listeria outbreak that led to nine deaths and sickened numerous others is shutting down indefinitely.
The Sarasota, Florida-based company said in a statement that it made the decision to keep the plant closed “given the seriousness of the outbreak,” and that it will help employees with the transition. At least 600 people worked at the plant in the town of Jarratt in rural southeastern Virginia, making it one of the region’s largest private employers.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in late August that nine deaths in five states and 57 hospitalizations were attributable to the Virginia plant, the largest listeria outbreak since 2011. The plant suspended operations in late July.
Boar’s Head said in the statement that it had determined the listeria was traced to a specific process used to make liverwurst, and that it will no longer make the meat product.
“It pains us to impact the livelihoods of hundreds of hard-working employees. We do not take lightly our responsibility as one of the area’s largest employers. But, under these circumstances, we feel that a plant closure is the most prudent course,” according to the statement.
The listeria outbreak led Boar’s Head to recall seven million pounds of deli products produced at the Virginia plant, including deli counter items such as bologna and smoked ham and prepackaged retail sausage, frankfurter and bacon products.
A spokesperson for Boar’s Head told CoStar News in an email there are no current plans to reopen the plant.