Sunland, Inc., was a
production plant established in 1988 located in
Portales, New Mexico
Portales is a city in and the county seat of Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 12,280 at the 2010 census. Portales is located near the larger city of Clovis, and Cannon Air Force Base, a major contributor to the ...
, in the United States. Sunland was the nation's largest
organic peanut butter processor. The company produced at least 240 products. The company used Valencia peanuts in its products.
Product recall
In September 2012, Sunland issued an initial
recall of the peanut butter it made and distributed due to
Salmonella contamination. Officials from the
Food and Drug Administration
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respon ...
(FDA) found Salmonella bacteria all over the plant, as well as improper handling of the products, unclean equipment and uncovered trailers of peanuts outside the facility, expanding the recall to include all the company's products. On November 26, 2012, the FDA suspended Sunland's registration to produce and distribute food product.
Sunland had the right to a hearing and prove to the FDA that its facilities are clean and can reopen.
Bankruptcy
On October 9, 2013 Sunland closed and filed for
Chapter 7 bankruptcy
Chapter 7 of Title 11 of the United States Code (Bankruptcy Code) governs the process of liquidation under the bankruptcy laws of the United States, in contrast to Chapters 11 and 13, which govern the process of ''reorganization'' of a debto ...
. According to records, the company had an estimated $10 million to $50 million in assets, $50 million to $100 million in liabilities and 1,000 to 5,000 creditors.
See also
*
List of foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States
In 1999, an estimated 5,000 deaths, 325,000 hospitalizations and 76 million illnesses were caused by foodborne illnesses within the US. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began tracking outbreaks starting in the 1970s. By 2012, the fig ...
References
{{reflist
Companies based in New Mexico
Companies established in 1988
Companies that filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2013
Companies that have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy
Food manufacturers of the United States
Food recalls
Peanut butter
Product recalls