A US-based Hindu group is asking for an official apology from Baskin-Robbins for non-disclosure of beef in its “Rocky Road” ice cream; and its immediate recall.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada, said that it was shocking for Hindus to learn that popular “Rocky Road”, which they had been eating for years, contained beef; while beef was not explicitly mentioned under the ingredients listed on the packages/boxes.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, stated that “Rocky Road” contained gelatin, but the source of gelatin was not mentioned under the “Ingredients” on packages/boxes. When Zed contacted Baskin Robbins, Customer Relations Coordinator Katie responded: “The gelatin in Rocky Road is from both porcine and beef source”.
Consumption of beef is highly conflicting to Hindu beliefs. Cow, the seat of many deities, is sacred and has long been venerated in Hinduism; Rajan Zed points out.
It was a very serious issue for the devotees and would severely hurt their feelings if they would come to know that they were unknowingly eating beef-laced “Rocky Road” ice cream, Zed noted. Is this the “Baskin-Robbins Commitment to Better”? Zed asked.
Rajan Zed further said that it was hard to comprehend that why Baskin-Robbins, “world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops, with more than 7,600 retail shops in nearly 40 global markets”, did not mention explicitly under the ingredients on the package/box the source of gelatin used in that product.
Now was the time for Baskin-Robbins to admit their error of not being transparent enough to mention in clear and simple terms what was inside the package/box so that an ordinary consumer could make right and appropriate choices, Zed indicated. Moreover, in future, Baskin-Robbins should explicitly list beef in the ingredients on the package/box when beef was present in the product; Zed added.
Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.2 billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought, and it should not be taken frivolously. No faith, larger or smaller, should be mishandled; Rajan Zed remarked.
Besides apologizing; Zed urged Inspire Brands CEO Paul Brown, of which Baskin-Robbins was a part; to recall all “Rocky Road” packages/boxes containing gelatin where source of gelatin was not clearly mentioned; and later replace these with packages/boxes which markedly declared source of gelatin under the ingredients label.
Baskin-Robbins, founded 1945 and headquartered in Canton (Massachusetts), sells over 1,400 flavors. Awards winning Inspire, headquartered in Atlanta (Georgia), has 32,000 restaurants and is the second largest restaurant company in USA.
