NEW YORK (AP) Chipotle says its stores will open several hours later than normal for one day next month so it can hold a meeting following a series of food scares.
Advertisement
Money reports that the meeting would provide the company the opportunity to not only thank employees, but to address changes and field questions. In the fall, Chipotle closed 43 restaurants in Washington state and OR after authorities linked an E. coli outbreak to six restaurants in the region.
“The CDC has not yet pinpointed a cause for the contagions, though Chipotle plans on unveiling a marketing campaign next month to win customers back into the fold of their tortillas”, it said.
Chipotle spokesperson Chris Arnold told the Oregonian that the meeting will take place on February 8 and several topics will be discussed. Part of the effort will include closing all its restaurants on February 8 for a few hours to educate employees on what the company knows about the outbreak and what it’s doing to prevent a recurrence.
Customers have posted photos of Chipotle meals and joked about getting infected with E, coli or norovirus.
In his letter, Ells revealed the creation of a comprehensive food safety program that “dramatically reduces risk” on their farms, throughout the supply chain and in the restaurants.
By Dec. 21, 53 people in nine states had been infected with the outbreak E. Coli strain.
Chipotle aspires to be “as in front of food safety as we are in front of sourcing great ingredients, like Food With Integrity, [and] in front of the industry in terms of our people culture”, Ells said.
Chipotle has vowed to work with its suppliers and employees to eliminate foodborne illness, and executives said Wednesday the company will step up its outreach to loyal customers next month to woo them back.
Advertisement
Nevertheless, Chipotle has not seen the last of the barrage of lawsuits against the company. Since November, the company’s stock has fallen 37 percent from October 2015.
