Cooks Foods recalls Tahini products after Listeria found

Friday 7th November 2008

Cooks Food Group, which listed on the NZAX market last month in a possible precursor to an initial public offering, recalled Tahini products sold under its Olive Grove and Sahara brands after traces of Listeria were detected.

The recall is "precautionary" and there had not been reports of any illness arising from consumption of the products, the company said in a statement. Cooks is working with the New Zealand Food Safety Authority on the situation, it said. In total, four products are being recalled.

The products being recalled account for less than 2% of aggregate annual sales by value for Cooks and is unlikely to have a material impact on the company's finances, it said.

Cooks didn't issue new shares when it listed though it is planning a non-renounceable offer to existing shareholders. The company, whose brands include Cotterill & Rouse, Sahara, Olive Grove, Murdochs and Sungold, plans to lift annual sales to more than NZ$100 million within five years.

Shares of Cooks were last quoted at 25 cents on Nov. 5.

By Jonathan Underhill

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