Sam’s Club, marketed as a purveyor of premium products for consumers seeking an upscale lifestyle, is currently facing a wave of criticism from its customers due to a troubling series of incidents. Recent reports from various shoppers reveal that containers of Mango Pomelo Sago have unexpectedly exploded upon opening, creating a mess in their kitchens. In September alone, several customers found alarming foreign objects like suspected teeth and bullet casings in mooncakes and roasted chickens. Others reported discovering what appeared to be insect eggs in milk cartons.
Industry experts are pointing out that the increasing number of food safety incidents raises concerns about the accumulation of risks. They suggest that the rapid growth of Sam’s Club in recent years may have led to management oversights that have worsened these issues.
One social media user shared a distressing experience after purchasing a batch of Mango Pomelo Sago produced on August 28, which they had kept refrigerated and unopened. Upon opening, the drink exploded, splattering across the kitchen ceiling. This sparked numerous similar reports, prompting the hashtag #Sam’sMangoPomeloSagoExplosion to trend online.
The Mango Pomelo Sago in question is manufactured by Suzhou Fresh Beverage Co., Ltd., a company founded in September 2009 that specializes in supplying raw materials for new tea drinks and counts several well-known beverage chains among its clients.
When reached for comment, a representative from Sam’s Club acknowledged the complaints but noted that the exact cause of the explosions has yet to be determined. They speculated that the explosions might be due to pressure during transportation. As of the latest updates, there has been no further response from Sam’s Club on this matter.
Additionally, reports of food safety issues have surged. On September 3, a customer reported finding signs of water exposure and black insect eggs in a milk carton from the Sam’s brand, produced by Danish dairy giant Arla and imported from Germany. Following these complaints, Sam’s Club staff in Shenzhen confirmed that the affected batch had been removed from store shelves. Separately, a woman from Jiangsu recently shared a video on social media showing what she claimed looked like a tooth in a meat mooncake bought from Sam’s Club.
This is not the first time Sam’s Club has faced penalties for its practices; earlier this year, the Shanghai Municipal Market Supervision Administration fined the company over 8,870 yuan for similar violations. An investigation into consumer complaints revealed that by September 15, there were 7,895 grievances filed on a popular complaint platform, mostly centered on food contamination and product quality.
Despite these alarming incidents, Sam’s Club continues its aggressive expansion in China, currently reporting more than 5 million paying members. Membership fees range from 260 to 680 yuan annually, contributing significantly to the company’s revenue. Walmart has projected that 6 to 7 new Sam’s Club locations will open each year, indicating strong growth even amidst these food safety concerns.
Sam’s Club has emerged as a vital contributor to Walmart’s revenue in China, showcasing a percentage increase in total company revenue and underscoring its importance to the business’s overall performance. However, recurring food safety issues threaten to damage the brand’s reputation as a preferred choice for middle-class consumers and could hinder future growth.
Analysts like Zhang Shule argue that while no large retail chain can completely eliminate food safety issues, the rising frequency of incidents is indeed troubling. As Sam’s Club rapidly expands, these management challenges could lead to increased safety risks. This ongoing crisis serves as a critical wake-up call for Sam’s Club, presenting an urgent opportunity for corrective measures to safeguard its brand image.
