A detailed investigation into the 2024 listeria outbreak has revealed shocking new details about a beverage production facility in Pickering that regulators identify as the primary source of the contamination. Internal documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request describe a site that food safety experts now characterize as a “haven for listeria” due to systemic failures and a gross lack of basic sanitation procedures. The outbreak, which was initially linked to several types of plant-based milk recalled on July 8, 2024, resulted in 20 reported illnesses, 15 hospitalizations, and the tragic deaths of three individuals.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) inspection, conducted between June and August 2024, uncovered multiple alarming infractions at the Joriki facility. The third-party plant was responsible for packaging soy, almond, and coconut milk under the popular Silk and Great Value brands. Inspectors specifically noted the presence of condensation on the ceilings in the batching and pasteurization areas. Microbiologists warned that such moisture creates an ideal environment for pathogenic bacteria to thrive and eventually drip directly into the products being packaged for consumers.
Furthermore, the report highlighted peeling and flaking paint on the floors in critical pasteurization zones. Experts emphasized that damaged flooring makes effective disinfection nearly impossible, providing crevices where bacteria can hide and resist standard cleaning protocols. In the loading bay area, inspectors discovered mounting garbage and empty cartons, which likely invited disease-carrying pests into the facility. Perhaps most distressing to food safety professors was the revelation that the plant did not list listeria as a specific hazard in its safety plans, nor was the finished product being tested for the bacteria.
In response to the mounting criticism regarding why these dangerous infractions were not caught sooner, the CFIA stated that Joriki had been classified as “not high-risk” as recently as 2021. This classification persisted despite various consumer complaints filed in 2018, 2019, and 2023 regarding allergens, off-tastes, and the presence of mould. While the agency claims it is now taking decisive steps to modernize its oversight of emerging product categories, experts argue that higher inspection frequencies could have prevented the fatalities.
The fallout from the investigation led to a $6.5-million class-action settlement in November with affected consumers, involving Danone Canada, Wal-Mart Canada Corp., and Intact Insurance. The Joriki facility in Pickering saw its production lines shut down immediately following the recall and never resumed operations, eventually ceasing all business at the end of 2024. As the CFIA moves toward a new action plan to inspect over 2,400 manufactured food facilities by fall 2026, the Pickering incident remains a grim reminder of the devastating consequences of regulatory gaps and corporate safety failures in the Canadian food supply chain.
