Michel's Patisserie admits extending the use-by dates on its cakes by up to SIX MONTHS after leaked memos exposed the bakery
- Bakery chain Michel's Patisserie has admitted to extending cakes' use-by dates
- Retail Food Group announced Monday it will withdraw the products from sale
- Leaked memos revealed certain stores had been asked extend dates by months
Australian bakery chain Michel's Patisserie has admitted to extending the shelf life of its products after it was accused of selling customers cakes that were several months past their use-by dates.
The company's owner, Retail Food Group, announced on Monday it will withdraw those goods from sale by franchisees.
RFG acknowledged that it asked less than one per cent of its 1,000 suppliers to request shelf life extension 'where appropriate and safe to do so'.
Michel's Patisserie was accused of selling cakes which had been several months past their use-by dates. Leaked memos reveal stores were asked change the January 15, 2019 use-by date of 'coloured plaques' cakes to July 15
The bakery chain's owner, Retail Food Group announced on Monday it will withdraw the tainted goods from sale by franchisees
The decision comes one day after leaked memos exposed the bakery chain's practices, in which the franchisees were told to extend the shelf life of birthday cakes, chocolate cakes, and even vegetable scrolls, by months.
Memos obtained by the Sydney Morning Herald revealed stores were asked change the January 15, 2019 use-by date of 'coloured plaques' cakes to July 15.
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'If you receive coloured plaques from this batch number that still denotes the original January expiry date, please disregard this and ensure staff are aware of the new expiry date,' the note said.
The best-before dates on vegetable and spinach and feta scrolls were also stretched out for an additional two months if they had 'been stored at the correct frozen temperature and handled correctly.'
According to employees, most products are shipped to the stores as frozen before being thawed and put on the shelves.
The franchise, which also sells savory pastries and sausage rolls, also told certain stores to extend the best-before dates on vegetable and spinach and feta scrolls by an additional two months
Former franchisee, Wayne Hong, who was forced to shut his store last year, told the publication he had complained to the company about the products tasting bad.
He said some of the desserts had hairs in the frosting, had been refrozen, and some cakes had been cracked.
The Food Standards Australia New Zealand told the publication said it was illegal to sell the products past their use-by dates as they could be unsafe to consume, but noted it was still legal to sell goods after the best-before date.
RFG's share price has collapsed over the past two years after it was accused of badly mistreating franchisees, and a parliamentary inquiry this year said management had been either 'unethical' or 'incompetent'.
A former franchisee said some of the desserts had hairs in the frosting, had been refrozen, and some cakes had been cracked
