Following dozens of illnesses attributed to E. coli, Chipotle has vowed to make changes in its supply chain. Founder Steve Ells vowed Chipotle will ramp up safety measures at the company’s nearly 2,000 locations. The company will likely rely less on local supplies that can’t comply with sophisticated testing and also prepare ingredients such as cilantro and lettuce in a central kitchen before shipping it to local restaurants. “In Other words,” wrote the Wall Street Journal, “Mr. Ells promises to bring his restaurants into the 20th century.” The newspaper notes that Chipotle’s marketing campaign was built around degrading agriculture, yet the campaign couldn’t exist without efficient agriculture. A cult-like following has gone so far as to publish a fabricated news story on a self-proclaimed “alternative news” website, claiming biotech companies, such as Monsanto, were attacking Chipotle by planting E. coli in Chipotle’s supply chain. The Wall Street Journal also reported that perhaps Chipotle’s anti-agriculture campaign may be no longer, pointing out that the company’s stock dropped below $500 for the first time in over a year just last week, and down 25 percent this year.
Welcome
