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Kretingos maistas provides meals for 24 schools in Latvia, three in Sigulda (State High School, City High School, Elementary School No.1).

Liene Jurkane, Sigulda Council spokesperson, commented that for the past five years, relations with the caterer have been 'difficult, complicated, demanding tremendous effort.' The results of the Food and Veterinary Service's last (unscheduled) inspection are 'too serious for the municipality to ignore.'" Hence the decision to sever ties.

This year, Food and Veterinary Service operatives have conducted 53 inspections in schools, and in 75% of them, violations were found.

Among them: serving spoiled vegetables, using condiments with high salt content and flavor enhancers, using defrosted chicken, fish sticks, margarine instead of butter, cheese surrogate (actual cheese often less than 50%). In many cases, the same meal was served repeatedly, and personnel often failed to adhere to regulations on hygiene when handling food.

Sounding the alarm was the LTV1 Sunday evening news magazine “de facto”, and its report captured considerable attention, including dismay from Health Minister Guntis Belevics.

In addition, Sigulda Regional Council also castigated the principals of the three schools for insufficient control, and demanded an explanation from them about the situation.