PORTLAND, ORE. – A grocery chain in Oregon is suing a regional beef producer for $2.7 million after stores allegedly received meat that was contaminated with E. coli in 2019.

New Seasons Market recently filed a lawsuit against Redmond, Ore.-based Country Natural Beef, accusing the company of breaching contract and being negligent with the contaminated meat.

The lawsuit said that the Oregon Heath Authority and the Oregon Department of Agriculture informed New Seasons that three people become ill after consuming ground beef contaminated with E. coli. O157:H7.

After this notification from Oregon officials, New Seasons issued a recall and stopped ground beef sales for three months at its various locations around the state.

According to the lawsuit, Country Natural Beef adopted and implemented a new testing policy for E. coli. Still, the grocer stated in their case that the Country Natural Beef should take additional steps and pay for damages.  

“On March 9, 2020, New Seasons made a demand on Country Natural Beef for indemnification from and against all losses and liabilities arising from or related to the contaminated beef that Country Natural Beef supplied to New Seasons,” the lawsuit said. “To date, however, Country Natural Beef has failed to accept New Seasons’ indemnity demand.”

New Seasons Market operates retail locations around the Portland metro area.

MEAT+POULTRY reached out to Country Natural Beef for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.