Maharashtra FDA suspends K Rustom's licence over rodent infestation, expired flavourings
Mumbai's iconic K Rustom ice cream parlour, a Churchgate institution since 1953, has been shut pending lab reports after the FDA flagged hygiene violations including rodent infestation and expired flavouring agents under the 'Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra' drive.
What happened
K. Rustom & Co. · Maharashtra FDA suspended the licence of Mumbai's iconic K Rustom ice cream parlour over hygiene violations including rodent infestation and
Key facts
- 1953
- 2019
- 2022
Why this matters
The 'Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra' crackdown raises compliance costs and acquisition risk across single-location legacy F&B brands, warranting deeper hygiene due diligence on any heritage-parlour targets in the pipeline.
What to watch
- Lab report outcomes (pass/fail on contamination)
- Timeline of suspension lift or extension
- Social media virality and negative review surge
- Follow-on FDA inspections of other Mumbai heritage/F&B outlets
- Any franchise or expansion plans affected
- K Rustom issues public apology and commits to third-party hygiene audit
- Brand engages PR/crisis management to protect heritage equity
- Competing ice cream parlours quietly upgrade compliance to preempt inspections
- FDA publicizes case as flagship enforcement win under state drive