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Media Release: RCL FOODS Warns Against Purchase of Condemned Pet Food Stolen from waste management facility and issues health warning

Media Release

RCL FOODS Warns Against Purchase of Condemned Pet Food Stolen from waste management facility and issues health warning

Sunday, 01 March 2026

RCL FOODS is appealing to shoppers not to purchase or use condemned pet food that was stolen after being sent to a waste management facility in Eastern Gauteng. The stolen product may be contaminated with Salmonella and could cause illness in pets and humans.

The company has become aware that some products from a limited number of specific batches of condemned pet food, which were dispatched for destruction at a specialist facility in late January and February, have been stolen and are being sold through unofficial sales channels in parts of Gauteng, in particular Germiston, Boksburg, Benoni and Alberton.

All products currently supplied through retailers, pet shops and vets, meets our stringent quality standards and is safe for animal consumption.

At this stage, we are not aware of any animals or people having been affected. However, shoppers are advised to exercise caution.

“Our overriding concern is for the health and wellbeing of shoppers and their pets,” said RCL FOODS Chief Executive Officer, Paul Cruickshank. “Our immediate priority is to remove all stolen product we can find in circulation to reduce the risk to pets and their owners. But as a precaution, we are notifying shoppers and appealing to them to please contact our customer care line immediately if they believe they may be in possession of the stolen product. Together with independent forensic experts and the relevant authorities, we are urgently investigating how this product entered the market. RCL FOODS will lay criminal charges against any parties identified as being responsible for the theft.”

The affected and condemned stock represented a very small part of production. Production was paused, the plant was thoroughly cleaned and sanitised, and processes to restart the facility have commenced, with full production expected to resume shortly under reinforced monitoring measures.

The product affected is limited to specific batch numbers within the following dry pet food ranges:

  • Canine Cuisine
  • Bonzo
  • Bobtail
  • Catmor
  • Optimizor
  • Ultra Pet Dog Food

Shoppers who believe they may have product originating from the condemned batches are advised not to feed it to pets or any other animals, and not to donate or sell the product. If shoppers have sourced any of these products outside of established retail stores or distributors, or from social media platforms since mid-January, they should immediately contact the RCL FOODS Customer care team:

  • Telephone: 0860 103 764 (24 hours)
  • WhatsApp: 087 359 0476
  • Email: RCLConsumerCare@rclfoods.com (Business hours)

Our team will assist in checking the batch number on the packaging to determine whether the product forms part of the affected batch. They will also arrange for collection of the product toensure safe disposal. Details of impacted products can also be found on our brand’s social media pages.

If anyone has information that could assist with our investigation, we encourage you to please contact our anonymous Hayibo tipoff line on 0800 003 224.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Keeping safe

Shoppers are strongly advised to only purchase pet food from retailers, pet shops and vets, as these products adhere to our quality standards and are safe for animal consumption. Significantly discounted product sold through unofficial social media channels, such as Facebook Marketplace, should prompt shoppers to exercise caution.

If pets show any signs of illness after consuming dry pet food bought from unofficial or informal sellers, pet owners should consult their veterinarian promptly. Washing hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling pet food is the most important step in preventing potential transmission to people. Anyone who believes they may have become ill after handling condemned product, or after contact with an animal that has consumed it, should consult a healthcare provider and seek appropriate medical care. Symptoms of Salmonella, in both humans and animals, may include diarrhoea, stomach cramps, fever, nausea, vomiting, dehydration and fatigue.

Commitment to quality

Ensuring the quality and safety of our products is RCL FOODS’ highest priority. All products are tested throughout the production process. If a product does not meet our quality standards, it is condemned and dispatched for destruction at a specialist waste management facility.

In this instance, our in-production quality control processes identified traces of Salmonella. None of the affected products were approved for sale. All were condemned and dispatched for controlled destruction at a specialist facility. Certificates of destruction are then issued by the specialist facility for the condemned batch, as happened here.

We became aware of the condemned product being sold on Facebook market place and other social media channels earlier this week.

We are very concerned that criminals are selling condemned pet food products which may be unsafe. We are tracing and removing affected stock from the informal market, have launched an investigation, and will pursue criminal charges.

We have extensive product and environmental testing and swabbing throughout the facility which enabled us to discover the salmonella and engaged external specialists to conduct a comprehensive deep-cleaning and sanitisation programme. Processes to restart the facility have commenced, with full production expected to resume shortly under reinforced monitoring measures.

All product currently supplied through retailers, pet shops and vets meets our stringent quality standards and is safe for animal consumption.

Packs Affected

The following batches were sent for destruction, per brand

Catmor packs affected:

  • Catmor Dry Adult Liver 1.75kg EXP 05/08/2026 & 06/08/2026
  • Catmor Dry Adult Tuna 1.75kg EXP 15/08/2026
  • Catmor Dry Adult Salmon 1.75kg EXP 15/09/2026 & 20/09/2026 & 21/09/2026
  • Catmor 2in1 Dry Adult Chicken with Beef 1.5kg EXP 16/10/2026

Canine Cuisine packs affected:

  • Canine Cuisine Small – Med Adult Chicken & Rice 1.75kg EXP 15/09/2026
  • Canine Cuisine Small – Med Adult Chicken & Rice 6kg EXP 15/09/2026
  • Canine Cuisine Med – Large Adult Chicken & Rice 6kg EXP 06/08/2026 & 07/08/2026
  • Canine Cuisine Gravy Coated Adult 1.5kg EXP 16/09/2026
  • Canine Cuisine Gravy Coated Adult 5.5kg EXP 16/09/2026

Bobtail 2in1 packs affected:

  • Bobtail 2in1 Adult Gravy Coated Steak Flavour 1.5kg EXP 12/09/2026
  • Bobtail 2in1 Adult Gravy Coated Steak Flavour 6.5kg EXP 12/09/2026
  • Bobtail 2in1 Puppy Milky Bones Chicken Flavour 5.5kg EXP 11/09/2026 & 12/09/2026

Ultra Pet packs affected:

  • Optiwoof All Size Breeds Adult Beef & Rice 8kg EXP: 12/08/2026
  • Optiwoof All Size Breeds Adult Beef & Rice 20kg EXP: 14/10/2026 & 15/10/2026
  • Optiwoof All Size Breeds Adult Beef & Rice 40kg EXP: 19/09/2026
  • Superwoof Small Med Adult Chicken & Rice 8kg EXP: 12/08/2026 & 13/08/2026
  • Superwoof Small Med Adult Chicken & Rice 12kg EXP: 14/08/2026 & 20/09/2026
  • Superwoof Small Med Adult Chicken & Rice 20kg EXP: 20/09/2026
  • Superwoof Small Med Adult Beef & Rice 8kg EXP: 20/09/2026

Optimizor packs affected:

  • Optimizor Complete Adult Beef 20kg EXP: 20/10/2016
  • Optimizor Premium Adult Chicken & Rice 20kg EXP: 02/09/2026 & 03/09/2026 & 17/10/2026 & 18/10/2026
  • Optimizor Premium Adult Chicken & Rice  40kg EXP 18/10/2026
  • Optimizor Premium Puppy 2in1 Milky Bones 7kg EXP 22/09/2026 & 23/09/2026
  • Optimizor Premium Adult 2in1 Moist Meaty Chunks 18kg EXP 22/06/2026 & 23/06/2026
  • Optimizor Premium Adult 2in1 Gravy Coated 18kg EXP 16/08/2026 & 17/08/2026

Bonzo

  • Bonzo Steak 7KG EXP 2026/08/10& 2026/08/11