owners-respond-to-raid-at-t-gana-rameshwaram-cafe

The iconic South Indian quick service restaurant chain, Rameshwaram Café, has addressed concerns following a recent food safety raid at their Hyderabad outlet.

 

Founders Divya Raghavendra Rao and Raghavendra Rao have assured the public of their commitment to maintaining high standards of hygiene and safety.

 

During the raid on Friday, the Food Safety Department discovered several violations, including expired and unlabelled food items. Specifically, officials seized 100 kilos of urad dal worth Rs 16,000, 10 litres of Nandini curd, and 8 litres of milk, all expired.

 

Additionally, 450 kilos of improperly labelled raw rice, 20 kilos of black-eyed peas, and 300 kilos of unlabelled jaggery were found.

 

Authorities also noted that food handlers at the café were working without submitting medical certificates and that the kitchen was operating around uncovered dustbins. This raid was part of a broader inspection of multiple eateries in Hyderabad to ensure compliance with safety and hygiene standards.

 

Following the raid, Divya Raghavendra Rao and Raghavendra Rao issued a statement: “We have taken note of the observations made by the authorities for our Hyderabad outlet. We are fully committed to maintaining the highest standards of service, hygiene, safety, and the welfare of our consumers as our top priority. We are already looking into the matter and have ordered an internal inquiry to verify the facts and take stock of each outlet.”

 

The founders mentioned the expired items found during the raid were sealed and unattended, intended for dispatch and not for consumption.

 

“From the consumption perspective at our Hyderabad outlet alone, we require over 500 kgs of urad dal weekly, 300 litres of milk daily, and 80 to 100 litres of curd daily,” they explained.

 

“We comply with all laws governing material procurement, sourcing the highest quality products from the best vendors. The law does not prohibit the use of unlabelled products.”

 

Addressing false reports about hygiene issues, they clarified, “Some reports have falsely claimed that cockroaches were found in our kitchen. The official report does not mention this; in fact, the cockroaches were found at a different restaurant, not at The Rameshwaram Café. At our café, we conduct deep cleaning daily and pest control every month to maintain our standards.”

 

The statement concluded with a commitment to transparency and cooperation with authorities.

 

This proactive response aims to reassure customers and uphold the café’s reputation for quality and safety.