Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is in hot grease after a former supplier filed a lawsuit claiming the fast-food chain sourced chicken from an unauthorized, unsanitary seller operating out of residential garages in Ontario, Canada.
The lawsuit, filed by ADP Direct Poultry Ltd. in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on May 26, accuses Popeyes and several affiliated companies of breaching food safety standards and turning a blind eye to dangerous supply practices. The Globe and Mail first reported the details.
Supplier Alleges Rotten Chicken Was Stored in Residential Garages
ADP Direct Poultry Ltd., previously a raw chicken supplier for Popeyes in Canada, claims it lost its contract after raising concerns about shady sourcing practices. The complaint specifically names Amjad Farooq Inc., accusing the company of storing chicken in garages without proper refrigeration and using non-refrigerated vehicles for deliveries. The chicken was allegedly not submitted to any food safety inspections and may have been unfit for human consumption.
The lawsuit also targets Restaurant Services Canada Inc., a logistics company responsible for managing Popeyes’ supply chain, along with several franchisees in Toronto that allegedly received and served the tainted poultry.
Popeyes Responds: ‘No Evidence Found’ of Food Safety Violations
In response to the lawsuit, Popeyes issued a statement denying the allegations:
“We previously investigated the food safety allegations they are making and found no evidence to support them.”
Despite this claim, the controversy is gaining traction, especially as Canadian food safety regulations become more scrutinized amid growing public health concerns.