The bakery unions announced their support for "Wooden Bakery" regarding the "injustice" it faced, during a press conference held by the Union of Bakery Unions in Lebanon at the Wooden Bakery company headquarters in Fawwar, Antelias, on Wednesday. The event was attended by the union president Nasser Surour, the head of the Bread Industry Association in Lebanon Tony Saif, the head of the Bakeries Association in Baalbek, Abbas Haidar, the head of the Independent Bakeries and Patisserie Association, Riyad Al-Sayed, the union's secretary Naeem Khawaja, and the union's general secretary Edgar Tayah, as well as representatives from the millers' association and numerous bakery owners and union members.
In an interview with "Waradana," union president Nasser Surour stated: "What Wooden Bakery was subjected to through rumors is 'injustice' against the company, which targets the reputation of the country and the reputable institution." He emphasized that "Wooden Bakery complies with health standards."
Surour called for all those who discussed the matter on social media not only to apologize but also to withdraw everything that was published, asserting that they would pursue anyone who does not comply with this request. He expressed a desire to form a "committee" to regulate what is circulated on social media.
In a statement from the Chairman of Wooden Bakery, Asaad Bou Habib, he said: "On my behalf and on behalf of the family, we are gathered today to clarify to the public what happened, and the truth is confirmed: First - according to global standards, flour does not expire after three months if stored properly and remains valid for about a year, a fact confirmed by specialists and cannot be denied. Second - subsidized flour is given a shelf life of three months to prevent its storage and trading regardless of its duration, which can extend for a year. Third - all laboratory test results that we received through the judiciary, of which there are seven, confirmed that the samples met the specifications. Since its establishment, Wooden Bakery has not used any unsuitable materials. Fourth - Wooden Bakery has a laboratory through which flour is tested before receiving and using it to ensure its quality. Fifth - some, especially those working in 'social media,' should not have preempted the investigation results and made prior judgments before receiving the laboratory tests. Sixth - we have worked for more than fifty-five years to make Wooden Bakery a distinguished brand capable of attracting Lebanese and foreign investments, enabling it to achieve wide distribution across the country and in some Arab countries."
He continued: "This work and effort did not prevent some malicious individuals seeking fame at the expense of truth from trying to tarnish the image of Wooden Bakery. Now that the results have emerged, they should apologize to the public that they misled, and we will not accept being an easy prey. We will be vigilant against anyone who attempts to tarnish our reputation and history. The bakery sector is one of the pillars of the Lebanese free economy and continues to struggle to provide job opportunities for many Lebanese families and attract investments, thus helping our country overcome its economic and social crises. We urge all responsible parties, including ministers and deputies, to work on updating the laws to keep pace with science and development and prevent injustice to any institution while awaiting the results of investigations and making premature judgments."
Tony Saif, the head of the Bread Industry Association in Lebanon, stated: "First, I would like to commend and affirm what was stated in the statement of the Chairman of Wooden Bakery, to tell him that you are in the right, and we are with you alongside every institution that faces injustice and defamation. On this occasion, I urge all social media platforms and media outlets to be precise and truthful before making random judgments against any private institution, regardless of its type of activity, for without the private sector, the national economy would have completely collapsed."
He continued: "As the bakery sector, we are very keen on the livelihood of citizens and ensuring that it meets all food safety conditions. The regulatory authorities are fulfilling their duty perfectly, and there is no leniency, and we support this approach and always advocate for it. In this regard, bakeries have a mutual interest with consumers, as there can be no stable work without consumer trust; therefore, no one has an interest in undermining this trust."
