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A boutique cheese company boss whose product was stolen from a Waikato landfill and resold on the side of the road and online says she is working with police to find the culprits.
Sue Arthur, director of Over the Moon Dairy, said she was “absolutely heartbroken” when she found outher cheese was being sold on the side of the road after being sent to the Putāruru Landfill 24 hours beforehand.
All efforts had been made to securely dispose of the sub-par products, she said, and now fears were held that eating it could cause illness.
“When I became aware that the cheese was being sold on the side of the road, I was absolutely heartbroken.
“All of the hard work to ensure our quality was maintained was undermined by the actions of others.”
Arthur said the cheese was sent to the landfill after a selection did not meet the company’s standards, and a decision was made to safely dispose of those batches.
“We placed all the affected cheese in black plastic bags and took them to the dump.
“Before we did this, we consulted with MPI, who supported our actions.”
The cheese was taken from the landfill and resold on the roadside. Photo / 123rf
She wanted to reassure the public of their high standards and the care they have for their customers.
“We are so grateful to our loyal customers, MPI and the police, who are working hard to ensure the cheese is found and disposed of properly.”
She said it was now a police matter and they were working with the council to review CCTV footage and identify the people who removed the product 24 hours after it was left.
A police spokesperson said a report was made on Sunday, with two people selling the thrown-out cheese at a local Putāruru market and on Facebook Marketplace.
The spokesperson said the cheese was reportedly thrown away because it did not meet standards for sale and could cause sickness if consumed.
“Police are urging anyone who has bought this cheese to follow advice from the Ministry of Primary Industries.
“Inquiries into the matter are ongoing.”
South Waikato District Council said it had no comment.
New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) deputy director general Vincent Arbuckle said eating cheese that has been in a landfill for a period of time and out of the food supply chain carries very obvious food safety risks of contamination.
“The cheese should not be eaten as it has not been subject to required food safety controls and we do not know how it has been stored, transported or handled.”
The affected cheeses are Over the Moon-branded Camembert, OMG, Black Truffle Brie, Galactic Gold, Halloumi, Gee’s Spread (Black Truffle & Garlic Chilli flavours), Smoked Chilli Camembert, Goat Camembert, and Double Delight with batch numbers 18.11.25, 25.11.25 and 26.11.25.
Arbuckle said it was possible sales of this cheese had happened in other areas.
Cheese purchased from the company’s registered vendors was safe to eat if not affected, but NZFS said it was best to exercise caution if cheese from the brand was sold by an unregistered business.
“Selling dumped cheese is illegal and a food safety risk to public health. New Zealand Food Safety is investigating,” said Arbuckle.
NZFS is not aware of any related illness.
Over the Moon registered farmers’ markets
Hamilton Farmers’ Market at Claudelands
Wedge Mobile Fromagerie – Hokowhitu Farmers’ Market (first and third Sunday of he month)
Wedge Mobile Fromagerie – Feilding Farmers’ Market (every Friday)
