Rodents leaving their waste all over a Hollywood wholesale maker of empanadas, tequeños, pan de bono and Gustitos brand products got fined by the state in December.
South Florida Food, 5801 Wiley St. in Hollywood, got hit with a $1,500 fine by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in addition to a $135 re-inspection fee. Showing the pace of financial punishment, the final order on the fine came down on Dec. 3, 2025, exactly one year after the second of the two inspections that earned that fine.
According to that final order, an Aug. 27, 2024, inspection that the FDACS did for the FDA uncovered enough violations to get a “Re-inspection Required” result, the worst possible for inspections of grocers, food processors, food-storage facilities and bakeries. After South Florida Food passed the Sept. 11 inspection, it failed the Dec. 3, 2024, inspection as rodent droppings were spotted in several places.
- On a shelf with 50-pound bags of Ardent Mills Hotel & Restaurant All Purpose Flour, United Fine Granulated Sugar and Torino Long Grain rice.
- On top of two water fountains.
- On the floor under a storage rack.
- In a corner by a rolling bay door through which products are received
- By the entrance of the retail production room.
Because this inspection happened within three years of the August inspection, it put South Florida Food in position to be fined…