Kebab Firm Fined £500k For Selling Lamb That Was Mostly Skin And Fat

Kismet Kebabs Ltd, a major manufacturer based in Chelmsford, Essex, has been fined £500,000 at Swansea Crown Court for selling “lamb” products that were found to be mostly skin, fat, and lower-grade meat.

Nothing a bit of burger sauce can’t fix eh?

The company, which supplies takeaways, restaurants, and wholesalers across the UK, was also ordered to pay £259,298 in prosecution costs after pleading guilty to fraud by false representation.

The court heard that the business engaged in “considerable dishonesty” over a prolonged period, deliberately mislabeling their products to mislead wholesalers, retailers and consumers.

Lab tests found products labeled as 87% lamb actually contained only 51% meat, with high levels of fat and skin. A raid on the factory confirmed that the company was purchasing huge quantities of low-grade ingredients – including goat, mutton, and skin – rather than pure lamb.

The kebab company’s defense claimed the firm had “taken its eye off the ball,” and in the end they were fortunate to avoid a fine between £15m and £24m (as per guidelines), as this would have tanked the company and ruined them completely.

Instead, the judge acknowledged recent improvements in company processes, and allowed four years for the total fine and costs to be paid. That’s nice of him.

To be fair, I don’t think anyone is buying kebabs thinking they’re getting high quality meat, but Kismet Kebabs were also including goat meat in the mix and reclaimed meat that legally cannot be called meat, then mislabeling the meat content as 87% lamb. You simply cannot be doing that.

I do wonder how many millions they made over the years selling floor scraps as 87% lamb, though. Apparently they’ve sorted themselves out since and are selling better quality kebabs now.

In any case, co-owners Panayiotis Vasilis Michael and Djemal Enver have got off lightly, at least when you look at what the guidelines suggest they should be coughing up. Proof that if Turks and Greeks put aside their differences, they can achieve great things together.

For the guy who was left ‘psychologically damaged’ after eating 124 kebabs in 31 days, click HERE.