Great Lakes Speciality Meats Name Being Misused

Jul 31, 2014

There may be some unauthorized third parties trying to sell pork products under the Great Lakes Speciality Meats of Canada Inc. (GLSM) brand, the company’s receiver warns.

Pricewaterhouse Cooper (PwC), the receiver in the GLSM bankruptcy case, posted a noticed on its website saying that “unauthorized third parties are claiming to be certified to receive and send out payments on behalf of GLSM.”

The third parties in question were not granted permission to market products or collect payments for sales on behalf of GLSM, the receiver confirmed. The notice was posted on the PwC website July 25.

Individuals who are suspicious about a third party are encouraged to contact PwC or GLSM directly to authenticate the pork products that are being marketed. Contact information can be found on PwC’s website.

The pork processor (GLSM), which is headquartered in Mitchell, Ontario, went into receivership June 10, following the downfall of Quality Meat Packing Ltd., based in Toronto. GLSM is the sister company to Quality Meat Packing, and owned by the Schwartz family.

Ontario Pork (OP) broke the news about the facility no longer processing hogs in early June. Prior to the GLSM plant closure, it processed approximately 5000 hogs per week. Pork producers who shipped their hogs to the Mitchell plant were paid, while some farmers that had sent animals to Quality were not compensated. OP’s voluntary marketing division offered a partial payment - about 50 per cent per animal, for those producers who were out money.

The receiver for Quality Meat Packers, Farber & Partners Inc., recently announced its progress on the bankruptcy case and noted that it would monitor the GLSM bankruptcy situation.

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