Hyderabad: A central kitchen run by EatClub Brands Pvt. Ltd., which supplies food to outlets operating under the Box8 and MOJO Pizza brands, has had its license suspended after Food Safety officials found cockroach, housefly and rodent infestation, unhygienic food handling and mislabelled ingredients during an inspection in Ghatkesar, Medchal-Malkajgiri district.
Officials who inspected the facility reported a string of violations, including improper storage of raw meat, eggs and vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items, and inadequate temperature control during transportation of food. Food handlers were found preparing dishes with bare hands in unhygienic conditions, the inspection noted.
Investigators also flagged the use of synthetic food colours and said sugar meant for regular cooking was being passed off as “Pharmaceutical Grade” on packaging, one of several labelling violations recorded at the unit. The kitchen was also found operating with improper licensing categories and incomplete food safety records, officials said.
Food articles found in violation of the Food Safety and Standards Regulations have been seized, and the outlet’s license has been suspended. Further action has been initiated against the company under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
EatClub Brands, formerly known as Box8, operates a cloud kitchen network supplying several food delivery brands, including Box8 and MOJO Pizza, across cities such as Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR.
A response from EatClub Brands could not be independently verified at the time of publication.
