Gardenia says its S’pore, Malaysia businesses operate independently, following KL food poisoning complaints

SINGAPORE - Gardenia’s Singapore office has clarified that its manufacturing and operational structure in the Republic is separate from the Malaysian arm, following complaints of alleged food poisoning involving the breadmaker’s products in Kuala Lumpur.

The company said that while bakery production for Gardenia Foods (S) was transitioned to Johor Bahru earlier in 2026, the facility producing selected key products for the Singapore market operates under a separate management, production and quality control structure from that of Gardenia Bakeries KL (GBKL).

“Both operations are managed independently, with their own stringent production planning, operational controls and product traceability systems,” the company said on Nov 10.

Malaysia’s Ministry of Health had said on Nov 8 that it was awaiting laboratory analysis results on the affected products and will conduct follow-up inspections at the GBKL factory in Kuala Lumpur to verify compliance with the country’s Food Act 1983.

The ministry said preliminary investigations were under way into complaints circulating on social media and media reports of alleged food poisoning after consumption of Gardenia products, particularly Gardenia Original Classic White Bread and Twiggies Choc-A-Lot.

On May 20, Gardenia Foods (S) announced that it was shifting its bakery production to Johor Bahru as part of ongoing efforts to “enhance operational efficiency and maintain competitiveness amid an increasingly challenging global environment”.

As a result, 141 employees were retrenched.

However, the Singapore factory in Pandan Loop will remain the company’s headquarters, overseeing functions such as brand management, product development, daily distribution and supply chain operations.