2 sisters organic chickens

“I’ve never been so gripped by a parliamentary committee meeting,” said one industry insider this week, as he reflected on the (at times) deeply uncomfortable interrogation of 2 Sisters Food Group boss Ranjit Singh by the Commons Efra committee.

Singh was giving evidence to Efra’s probe into the ITV/Guardian exposé, which claimed 2 Sisters staff had breached a litany of food safety rules. It’s fair to say the Chicken King felt the force of Efra chairman Neil Parish’s hairdryer treatment.

Singh is well known for being publicity shy, so it was riveting to see how he defended his company. Even more striking was the suggestion by several committee members that the scandal had the potential to damage public confidence in the wider poultry sector, à la Horsegate.

It’s something Singh is clearly alive to. He invited MPs to his factory to see the progress made following the scandal and promised to visit each retailer to help rebuild confidence. Whether 2 Sisters can do the same for consumer trust could well define the future of the company.

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