Gardenia East Malaysia issues corporate clarification amid food poisoning case

File picture for illustration purposes. — Bernama file pic via The Borneo Post 

First Published: Tuesday, 10 Nov 2026 9:31 AM MYT

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 10 — Gardenia Bakeries (East Malaysia) Sdn Bhd has clarified that it is a separate business entity from Gardenia Bakeries (KL) Sdn Bhd, following complaints of alleged food poisoning involving Gardenia products that have attracted public attention on social media.

Kim Teck Cheong Consolidated Berhad Executive Director Datuk Dexter Lau, said the two companies have different ownership and management structures.

“Gardenia Bakeries (East Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and Gardenia Bakeries (KL) Sdn Bhd are two separate business entities with different ownership and management structures,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

Lau’s clarification comes amid a Ministry of Health (MoH) investigation into complaints of alleged food poisoning after consuming Gardenia Original Classic White Bread and Twiggies Choc-A-Lot.

On November 8, the ministry said preliminary investigations were underway and that it was awaiting laboratory analysis results from samples collected from complainants.

The ministry said it had sought an explanation from Gardenia Bakeries (KL), whose internal investigation reportedly found no irregularities in production processes, recipe changes or compliance with standard operating procedures and food safety controls.

However, MoH clarified that the company’s findings could not be taken as a definitive conclusion on the cause of the symptoms reported.

It said product traceability remained limited due to incomplete batch numbers and expiry dates provided by complainants.

The ministry said it would conduct follow-up inspections at the Kuala Lumpur factory to verify compliance with the Food Act 1983 and take appropriate enforcement action if any violations or food safety risks were established.

Meanwhile, Lau assured consumers that food safety, hygiene, quality control and compliance with established standards and regulations remained top priorities in every aspect of Gardenia Bakeries (East Malaysia)’s operations.

He stressed that the company remained committed to ensuring that every product it manufactured met the prescribed food safety and quality standards.

“We appreciate the continued trust and support of our consumers and will continue striving to uphold our commitment to providing safe and high-quality products,” he added. — The Borneo Post