Key Food on Atlantic Accused of Re-Dating Spoiled Chicken

By on May 17, 2010 11:43 am in Food, Government, Health, Shopping

A customer of the Key Food store at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Clinton Street, Marie Viljoen, has accused the store’s personnel of selling her a chicken on May 12 on which the label showing the original sell-by date of May 5 was covered by another showing May 16.

YourNabe.com: Talk about fowl play! A Brooklyn Heights Key Food was under state scrutiny last week after a woman alleged that store workers placed a new “sell by” label on her chicken — 11 days after the date on the original label had passed. …

“I got it home [on May 12], cut off the wrapping and smelled something wrong immediately,” Viljoen told The Brooklyn Paper. “The ‘sell by’ date on the label said May 16. … But the dopes left the original ‘sell by’ sticker underneath it: May 5. Eleven days earlier.”

According to the article, this Key Food store has had problems in the past, with inspectors from the State Department of Agriculture and Markets citing it for “critical deficiencies” in April. However, Department inspectors who visited the store after Viljoen’s complaint found nothing wrong.

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  • Eason

    Not suprised. That place is awful.

  • EHinBH

    This happens at Gristedes on Henry too. I have returned expired items numerous times. Speaking of… Any chance that Gristedes would ever close? The North Heights needs a better store.

  • No One of Consequence

    Gristedes will never leave. Even attempts to burn it down failed.

  • cat

    Ugh! Stopped buying chicken there a long time ago. The store smells terrible, and even after I would cook the chicken, it tasted like the smell of the store. Disgusting. I shop there as little as possible. So glad TJ’s is at this end of BH.

  • nabeguy

    To Gristede’s credit, they don’t try to cover up their expired items…they just seem to hope that you won’t notice. I’ve seen yogurt 2 months out of date there.

  • dee

    horrible. if you can’t trust your neighborhood market to have fresh and edible food, then where must you go after a busy day? close it down. one disgust will only lead to another. they ought to be ashamed of themselves.. i stopped eating meat four years ago because of something similar….

  • juuggaloo

    Unfortunately, people are too lazy to shop somewhere else. And I don’t really mean that judgmentally — who wants to go to TJ’s if they’re deep in the North Heights? NY just inherently has a lot of inertia built in, in that you can’t just drive two more minutes and go to another store, like in the burbs.

    Only choice is to shop somewhere more expensive (Garden of Eden) or one of the butcher shops. [again, depending on your location — if you’re near TJ’s go there — prices are great]

  • Remsen

    Visited Union Market the other day on Court…that place is amazing

  • BH Lover

    I went to buy a chicken at Garden of Eden last Friday.

    It was $25 for a 4 lb., raw chicken!

    I have paid up to $12 at the butcher on Clark Street. $25! My dad calls that “schmuck price”.

  • grrr

    FreshDirect, FreshDirect, FreshDirect. If you don’t like Key Foods or Grosstede’s, vote with your mouse!

  • Joe

    I would not buy certain things at Key Food like raw meats and seafood. Things like pickles, crackers and ice cream are fine.

  • Pierrepont

    Joe,

    You forgot trash bags, bug spray and laundry soap!

  • David on Middagh

    Personally, I would never redate a spoiled chicken. Who needs the hi-may?

  • Quinn Raymond

    I think we should take this moment to remember that compared to the rest of the city and world Brooklyn Heights is a food oasis. Having moved here from the East Village I was amazed at how many grocery stores there are here.

    Also, Fresh Direct is wonderful but it’s not so good for the environment or noise/traffic situation in the neighborhood so there is a downside too.

    That chicken incident does sound unpleasant though.

  • David on Middagh

    Good point, Q.R. When I have the time, I go to Key Food on Montague for various staples; Garden of Eden for salad bar/whole cooked chicken; Perelandra for this and that; Sahadi’s for dried fruit, nuts, breads, cereals, tea, deli; the nearby Atlantic Avenue fruit & veg place for… fruits and vegetables!…; Trader Joe’s for beer & free samples; and Peas & Pickles for whatever at all hours.

  • bh_dad

    I still don’t understand why anyone shops at Garden of Eden. The few times I’ve been there, overpriced so so quality produce, spoiled prepared food and the worst coffee I ever had. The selection is varied though.

  • Andrew Porter

    Yes, the whatever at Peas & Pickles is especially fine, usually right after a new shipment is in from South America.

    I like the whachamacallit at Perelandra. It’s organic!

  • ELVEE

    I HAVE RETURNED BAD SAUSAGE,SMELLY CHICKEN FROM THE KEY FOOD ON ATLANTIC AVE & CLINTON ST. I REFUSE TO GO INTO THAT STORE IT SHOULD BE CLOSED DOWN. AND THE MANAGER SHOULD BE FIRED.

  • JJ

    I am so glad I read this. I bought chicken at key food in greenpoint. The chicken would taste terrible. I used to think it was my cooking….now I know.