Poor Quality Meat Sold as “Special” at Food *****’s Market Parow – Disappointing Experience and No Response from Customer Service

On Tuesday afternoon, I visited the Food *****’s Market branch in Parow and was drawn to a “special” on what appeared to be freshly produced Oukraal pork packs, priced at R169.99 for 10 x 400g (a significant bargain compared to the regular freshly produced versions). The packaging was displayed prominently under normal labeling, suggesting it was fresh and high-quality meat. Excited by the deal, I purchased one, thinking it would make a nice dinner. However, when I prepared it at home that night, I was shocked – it was the worst-tasting pork I’ve ever had. The meat was either extremely old, poorly processed, or a collection of substandard cuts. It had an off texture and flavor that was completely inedible. For context, even basic Pakistani-style pork I’ve had elsewhere tastes far better than this. It was so bad that I wouldn’t even feed it to my dogs. What concerns me most is that this “special” seemed to be frozen or previously frozen meat repackaged and sold under the guise of a fresh product special. This feels misleading to customers who are attracted by the low price without realizing the compromised quality. How many of these packs were sold that day? How many families, perhaps on tight budgets, bought them thinking they were getting a great deal, only to end up with something unfit for consumption? I immediately reached out to Food *****’s Market via direct message on their official social media channels (two days ago) to report this issue, including details and photos. Unfortunately, I have received no response whatsoever, which is disappointing from a company that prides itself on fresh produce and customer satisfaction. This experience has left me wary of shopping at this branch again, especially for meat products. I expected better quality control and quicker customer service from Food *****’s Market. I hope this review prompts the Parow branch and head office to investigate the sourcing and labeling of these “specials,” ensure proper quality checks, and respond to customer complaints promptly.