Fresh & Ready Foods, LLC, a San Fernando-based manufacturer of ready-to-eat sandwiches and snacks, has faced repeated food safety violations since 2009. FDA inspection records show ongoing concerns about sanitation and hazard controls.

The company announced a recall of more than 80 products on May 11 after federal regulators linked its facility to a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that hospitalized 10 people in California and Nevada. No prior recalls or outbreaks are recorded for Fresh & Ready Foods.

From 2009 to 2022, the Food and Drug Administration documented multiple lapses in sanitation, monitoring, and hazard analysis during routine inspections, most of which resulted in Voluntary Action Indicated (VAI) classifications, according to eFoodalert..

In 2009, inspectors found employees using unsanitary gloves, unsafe sanitizing agents, and improperly stored ingredients. The following year, regulators cited inadequate employee attire and significant failures in the facility’s hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) plan, including insufficient monitoring, incorrect corrective actions, and incomplete records.

In 2015, the FDA again cited the facility for not adequately monitoring sanitation conditions. A 2017 inspection, classified as Official Action Indicated (OAI), found the plant was not maintained in a sanitary condition and lacked critical food safety procedures. No warning letter was issued in connection with those findings.

Inspections in 2018 and 2022 noted continued failures to properly monitor HACCP procedures and identify foreseeable hazards. The 2022 report also documented process controls that lacked adequate parameters.

Despite the repeated issues, the FDA issued no Form 483s — official documents listing inspection observations — and did not take enforcement actions beyond standard classification designations.

Fresh & Ready Foods, founded in 2001, supplies ready-to-eat sandwiches, salads, wraps, entrées, and snacks to hospitals, universities, hotels, airlines, convenience stores, and vending services across the West Coast, Southwest, and Midwest. The company was acquired on Feb. 1, 2022, by Akoya Capital, Balance Point Capital, and Plexus Capital. It is inspected by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the FDA, Safe Quality Food (SQF) auditors, and third-party entities.

Listeria outbreak
The Listeria monocytogenes outbreak, identified in December 2023, affected 10 people — all hospitalized — with the most recent case reported in September 2024. The CDC’s 2024 investigation initially found insufficient evidence to identify a source. In April this year, however, an FDA inspection detected Listeria on equipment at Fresh & Ready Foods’ facility. Whole genome sequencing confirmed the strain matched samples from outbreak patients.

The outbreak has affected nine men and one woman, aged 41 to 87, with a median age of 60. Eight cases occurred in California and two in Nevada. Six interviewed patients consumed Fresh & Ready Foods’ products while hospitalized. Records show the company supplied three of the affected facilities.

Recall and response
In response to the outbreak, Fresh & Ready Foods recalled more than 80 ready-to-eat products with use-by dates from April 22 to May 19. The products were distributed between April 18 and April 28 in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Washington. The recalled items, sold under brands including Fresh & Ready Foods, City Point Market Fresh Food to Go, and Fresh Take Crave Away, include sandwiches and snacks.

A full list of recalled items can be viewed here.

No illnesses have been linked to the recalled products. According to the company’s recall announcement, it has removed the contaminated equipment and implemented enhanced sanitation protocols. The FDA advises consumers, retailers, and foodservice operators to discard recalled products and sanitize any surfaces that may have come into contact with them. Consumers experiencing symptoms of listeriosis should contact a healthcare provider.

The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are monitoring for additional patients, with no new illnesses reported since September 2024.