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Chris Lau

A magistrate said he hoped it would be the last time he saw catering chain Maxim’s in court as he fined the company HK$7,000 at Eastern Court today for cockroaches found in a lunch box sold by one of the firm’s subsidiaries.
Magistrate Robin Yue King-tin made the comment after Maxim’s Caterers, the owner of about 700 eateries in Hong Kong, pleaded guilty to one count of offering food not of the substance demanded by the purchaser.
The lunch box in question – stuffed with grilled chicken rice with lemon sauce, and two cockroaches – was purchased by a woman from the Maxim’s Can-teen Central branch at Prince’s Building on June 13 last year.
Yue heard in mitigation that the chain had 142 prior records, though most were offences before 2003.
He added that customers rely on good reputations and he hoped “it would be the very last time I see Maxim group [in court].”
He said it was hard to win recognition from society and the case was one that “ruined Maxim’s reputation in one night”.
He was impressed by the prompt action Maxim’s counsel Andrew Powner said the company had taken, however, including routine pest control and regular cleaning.
In mitigation, Powner also said the company had a hygiene inspection scheme in place, and had been either putting covers over boxes or placing lid-less boxes upside down to avoid similar incidents from happening. He also told the court of awards the chain had won over the years.
The court heard that the store the woman bought her takeaway from served about 3,000 customers on the day.
As she got to the bottom of the lunch boxes, taking her last bites, she discovered the insects.
Her colleagues took a photograph of them, and about a month later, a report confirmed they were indeed cockroaches.
The fine was originally HK$8,000, but Chu considered Maxim’s plea of guilty and hence deducted HK$1,000 from the fine.


Maxim’s fined HK$7,000 for cockroaches in woman’s lunch box

The woman found two cockroaches in a Maxim's lunch box (file photo). Photo: EPA

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

A magistrate said he hoped it would be the last time he saw catering chain Maxim’s in court as he fined the company HK$7,000 at Eastern Court for cockroaches found in a lunch box sold by one of the firm’s subsidiaries.
