Health closes the central kitchen of Can Arabí and leaves 2,000 daily school menus in the air

PalmaThe closure this Monday of the central kitchen of Can Arabí, a company that manages the largest volume of school canteens in the Balearic Islands (45, many of them catering), has left approximately 2,000 daily menus in suspense, as ARA Balears has been able to learn exclusively through various sources. The canteens served by Can Arabí with kitchens at the same center maintain their activity. Faced with this situation, and with the reasons for the closure still unknown at this time, a contingency plan will be activated this Tuesday that foresees the distribution of meals through three other supplying companies. However, the usual adaptations for students with food intolerances or allergies will not be guaranteed.

Affected families are being informed that, if they deem it appropriate, they can choose to bring their children's food from home or temporarily waive the canteen service. In some centers, moreover, the service will be reduced to a single dish.

In an email addressed to families and the management teams of educational centers, the Department of Education informs that, “for reasons external to the Department, occasional adaptations may occur in the planned schedules and menus”. The department assures that “the service is guaranteed and is organized to offer ordinary attention to students, with the maximum possible normality despite the exceptionality of the situation”.

The Department's forecast is that the dining service can be restored normally in the coming days (regardless of the reincorporation of Can Arabí). According to the communication sent to the centers, it is not ruled out that some occasional incident may occur while the extraordinary device remains active.

A precedent

It is not the first time that Can Arabí has been involved in incidents related to the provision of the school canteen service. Last March, the company had to abandon the management of the CEIP Es Putxet canteen, in Selva, following a complaint, as confirmed at the time by the Ministry of Education. In that case, Health intervened in the situation and facilitated the replacement of the company in this educational center. ARA Balears repeatedly asked the Ministry of Health for the reasons that led to that exclusion of Can Arabí, without receiving a response.

This precedent now adds to the closure of the central kitchens ordered by the Ministry of Health, a decision that affects thousands of school menus and has forced the Administration to activate an extraordinary device to ensure the continuity of the service.