Chipotle Expecting First Quarterly Loss As New Health Practices Criticized
After a series of outbreaks, the popular fast food chain Chipotle decided to take on an improved set of practices for food preparation.
Previous reports revealed cases of E. coli and norovirus rising from the Mexican fast food chain. Despite the fresh and healthy ingredients available in Chipotle branches, there were several cases of the two sicknesses all over the United States.
A branch in Massachusetts even said that one of the employees working in the branch was diagnosed with nororvirus. With that, the branch was closed for several days, signifying the start of losses for the fast-casual food chain.
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And it looks like continued health concerns surrounding Chipotle will usher in the company's first quarterly loss this April. Reports showed that sales decreased by 26% last February and have been declining since then.
In their effort to address these concerns, Chipotle took on new practices to prevent further health risks. One of the changes implemented in their new policy is the preparation of the steak, which was reportedly kept in low temperatures for a long time period. However, their new practices have already received some criticism.
While the company's policy is focused on high-resolution testing based on DNA of its ingredients, it was stated that the Wall Street Journal urged the company to take on a new approach. The proposed policy would focus on reducing or getting rid of the pathogen testing.
Meanwhile, the communications director of Chipotle, made a statement regarding the matter. According to Manufacturing.Net, Chris Arnold stated, "We are not backing off on our commitment to food safety. Any changes that we make to the way we prepare ingredients, cook food, or our testing protocols, for example, are all done to improve our food safety program."
