Boar's Head controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2025
Inspection concerns at additional facilities
USDA inspection records released in 2025 described sanitation and contamination-prevention concerns at other facilities, including the Petersburg, Virginia, plant, where repeated noncompliance findings were reported.
2025
Pecorino romano recall
The company voluntarily recalled thousands of units of pecorino romano cheese after testing detected listeria.
2024
Listeria outbreak, recall, and Jarratt facility closure
A multistate Listeria outbreak was linked to Boar's Head liverwurst made at the company's Jarratt, Virginia, facility. The company recalled liverwurst and then all ready-to-eat meat and poultry products produced there, while federal inspections documented serious sanitation concerns. Boar's Head closed the facility indefinitely and discontinued liverwurst production.
2024
Listeriosis outbreak associated with Boar's Head products
U.S. authorities associated a listeriosis outbreak with Boar's Head products. The supplied reference reports 10 deaths and 59 hospitalizations by September 25, 2024. The company issued a major recall and faced substantial reputational and legal consequences.
2024
Sanitation findings at the Jarratt plant
Inspection records covering August 2023 through July 2024 described repeated noncompliance at the Jarratt, Virginia, facility, including reports of black mold, meat overspray, an unidentified ceiling leak, and deficiencies in operations, labeling, and sanitation.
2024
Lawsuits following the outbreak
Multiple lawsuits were filed against Boar's Head after the outbreak, including allegations involving false advertising and wrongful death.
2024
Listeriosis outbreak, product recall, and Jarratt plant closure
Federal public-health investigators linked a multistate listeriosis outbreak to Boar's Head liverwurst produced at the company's Jarratt, Virginia, facility. The event led to a recall of approximately 7.2 million pounds of ready-to-eat products, reports of deaths and hospitalizations, extensive scrutiny of plant sanitation, and the facility's indefinite closure. Boar's Head said it would discontinue liverwurst production at the plant and strengthen food-safety controls.