Have you been avoiding Chipotle over the E. coli outbreaks?
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The Wall Street Journal reported that the CDC may make such an announcement as early as Monday.
There was more good news for the chain from a survey that shows Chipotle has not lost the loyalty of young adults and teens. For Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. The news sparked an increase Monday morning of 5 percent for Chipotle shares. The second outbreak, which was caused by a different strain of E. coli, infected five people in Oklahoma, Kansas and North Dakota.
CDC’s latest outbreak update released on December 21, 2015 states that the last case reported was on November 10, 2015.
Chipotle said last month it was confident that the steps it had undertaken to tighten food safety would stop future food poisoning outbreaks.
The infections stemmed from a common meal item or ingredient; however the CDC and investigators from other public health organizations were unable to pinpoint the specific cause.
“We are pleased that the CDC has concluded its investigation, and we have offered our full cooperation throughout”, the company said in a statement.
The burrito maker also has been hobbled by salmonella cases in Minnesota in August that sickened 64, and outbreaks of norovirus linked to Chipotles in California and Boston that sickened hundreds. The company will report its fourth quarter results on Tuesday – and they will not be good.
Considering that the burrito slinger was already dealing with slowing same-restaurant sales growth before food-related illness hit stores in multiple states on both coasts, there has been a lot of fear driving the market for Chipotle’s stock.
Two weeks ago, all of the restaurants closed for a couple of hours for a company-wide employee meeting to review food safety procedures.
The restaurant has started training its staff to overcome food security issues going forward.
It’s mainly going to just take time – time with no more food-safety issues – for Chipotle customers to come back.
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At present, Chipotle must put their best foot forward and prove that it is now safe to eat at its branches all across the U.S. The company will close all stores of February 8 so officials could discuss advertising, marketing and social media strategies in the hope of regaining back their customers.
