Garden Catering Trade, the company that supplied food to kindergartens in Fergana where a mass poisoning of children occurred, has changed its equity owner.

According to the Unified State Register of Enterprises and Organizations, , the company's equity owner sufdenly changed on February 25 from Ikboljon Bozorov to to Muidinjon Gofurov. Ikboljon Bozorov could be related to the Fergana province governor who has the same surname.

Gofurov also owns stakes in Grand Super Montaj (residential construction), Space Travel Rides Park (park operations), Modern Builder Development (non-residential construction), Valley Ceramics Group (manufacture of ceramic household and decorative items), and Prime Axis Construction Group (manufacture of other products).

The company's director, Shavkat Turdaliev, is the owner or co-owner of Yangiqo`rg`on Fayz Qurilish, Delight Sale, Oila Market Kredit Savdo, Eco Technical House, Baliqchi Oila Tayanchi, World of Electronics and Furniture, Italpaesse Hongfa Major, New Trendy Stiyle, Standart Organic Sitrus, and Trend Shop 941.

Earlier, on February 21, 62 children of public kindergartens No. 2, 58, and 61 in Fergana were hospitalized with acute diarrhea. The children experienced abdominal pain, fever, nausea, and other symptoms of poisoning. Three of them were in intensive care in "stable condition."

A criminal case has been opened under Violation of sanitary legislation or epidemic prevention regulations charge.

The Fergana provincial administration selected Garden Catering Trade LLC in violation of public procurement laws. As reported by the Anti-Corruption Agency, the agency's warning was ignored, and the company was given preferential treatment in a tender procedures.

Garden Catering Trade was initially incorporated as a joint venture with equal shares owned by Ikboljon Bozorov and Yildirim  Adem. The company subsequently lost its joint venture status, and until February 25, 100% of the shares were owned by Ikboljon Bozorov.

Gazeta previously investigated the situation and learned that in 2024, as part of an "experimental" agreement, the company was granted the right to supply meals to kindergartens in the Fergana province by decision of Governor Khayrulla Bozorov.

At the time of the decision, the company had only been in existence for one month. An inspection conducted by the Ministry of Preschool and School Education in July 2024 (the month the company received the state contract) revealed that the food did not meet the requirements of SanPiN 0016-21, sanitary and hygienic standards were not observed, and laboratory testing was lacking.

The Committee for the Protection of Competition issued an order to overturn the governor's decision on this matter, based on Article 22 of the Competition Law, but it was not overturned.

That year, the Anti-Corruption Agency also found that the food supplier for Fergana kindergartens had been selected in violation of laws. The agency issued a notice, but the governor office responded with a formal reply.

Despite the violations, the company continued operating and was awarded contracts worth over 100 billion soums without a tender.