Enson Market reopens in Pittsburgh after health violations

A new supermarket in Pittsburgh’s East End has reopened after the Allegheny County Health Department ordered its closure earlier this month.

Enson Market, an Asian American grocery store in North Point Breeze, is one of 32 locations nationwide offering food products from over 28 countries.

Before failing to meet food safety standards on July 10, the market had a fresh seafood deli and a butcher shop.

Now, Enson Market is a Class 2 food facility authorized to provide prepackaged product only, according to the Allegheny County Health Department. The market opened to the public in late June in Rockwell Park on Thomas Boulevard.

The county’s original food safety report cited 33 violations, including improper cooling of food, food being kept at unsafe temperatures and being undated, failure to prevent cross-contamination and cross-contact of allergens, inadequate employee personal hygiene, inadequate cleaning and pest management, and lack of demonstration of knowledge.

The report stated that there was no employee handwashing station and rotting meat had been kept in a food processor.

Health department officials said there was evidence of smoking in food storage and prep areas throughout the basement.

Bowen Kou, president of Fresh International Market and manager of Enson Market, said Wednesday that he can’t change the results of the original inspection.

“We are continuing to work with the Health Department and proctor to ensure our culture is up to code,” Kou said. “We take full responsibility for what transpired.”

The company, founded in 2020, was “driven by a mission to bring authentic Asian flavors to communities across the United States,” according to a statement on their website.