Crave no more: Man loses appetite after biting into bug in bergedil from Crave nasi lemak

[Update Aug 17]

When contacted by AsiaOne, Crave Foods said it contacted the customer on Aug 15 to ensure that the customer's well-being is being taken care of and that they "have maintained open communication with the customer to ensure their peace of mind during this process."

They also said they will be refunding the customer.

The company said that as a precautionary measure, they have initiated a complete recall of the batch of products in question from all their stores.

"We have contacted our supplier to thoroughly investigate the sourcing and handling of the affected food item," they added.

"We have also conducted a thorough assessment of the store's cleanliness standards and engaged a professional pest control services firm to ensure that the stores maintain the highest levels of hygiene standards."

It added that their investigation showed that their food safety protocols were diligently followed.

"Both our supplier and pest control specialist have confirmed that our premises are pest-free, and our products meet all food safety and health standards," said Crave Foods.

It added that they adhere to stringent food safety processes, including daily cleanliness processes, regular quality audit and pest control checks.

"We strongly value the trust our customers place in us and we remain dedicated to upholding the highest standards of food safety and quality," it said.

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In wanting an extra bergedil for his nasi lemak, a diner received an extra protein instead — a dead bug. 

Hayden Goh, 41 took to Complaint Singapore Facebook page on Tuesday (Aug 15) after he bit into a bug in a bergedil bought from Crave nasi lemak over at Bedok Mall. 

In his post, he wrote: "Bought 2 packets of nasi lemak from Crave Nasi Lemak at Bedok mall for dinner at around 7.40pm. Look at what I found in the bergedil from one of the packs."

Sharing the receipt of his purchase made on Monday night, Goh paid $20 for a packet of Nasi Lemak Royale, Nasi Lemak Jewel, and additional sides of long beans and a piece of bergedil.

In a video taken of the insect found in the bergedil, it can be seen that Goh ate most of his nasi lemak, leaving only a piece of a bergedil and a fish fillet.

Goh told AsiaOne that he has reached out to Crave via Facebook and WhatsApp but received an automated response directing him to a survey link to send his feedback. 

Goh added that he has also contacted the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) last night where they told him that they'll look into the matter.

For someone who supports Crave and patronises them, Goh said: "I don't think I will buy from them anymore."

AsiaOne has reached out to Crave for comment. 

Many commented on Goh's post, sharing their similar experiences with Crave. 

A user wrote: "I was in the queue at Crave Tampines Hub and suddenly saw Xiao Qiang (cockroaches) crawling around like nobody's biz at the food area. One lady was serving a customer, another guy was packing.

"Both pretended not to see. Since then never patronised Crave again."

On the other hand, over on Google review, the Crave Bedok Mall outlet has a 3.7-star, with a number of positive comments from diners.

Rusty nail found in Crave nasi lemak

Back in 2021, a diner found a nail in her Crave nasi lemak which she bought from the Compass One outlet. 

Sharing photos of her meal on Facebook then, Elston Ng wrote that she "almost died eating this" and that "her mouth hurts".

Responding to comments in her post, Ng explained that the nail was rather 'long' and 'rusty'. She also mentioned that the nail was hidden in the chilli paste which made it hard to spot.

Responding to AsiaOne's queries then, a Crave spokesperson said: "We apologise for the experience and investigations are still ongoing on where the metal nail may have come from."

The spokesperson added that their rice is hand washed before cooking and that there is a metal detector in the factory producing its Ikan Bilis.

ALSO READ: Customer turns green after spotting cockroach in Pepper Lunch meal

ashwini.balan@asiaone.com