Close X
Thursday, September 26, 2024
ADVT 
International

Chipotle CEO 'Deeply Sorry' About Customers Who Fell Sick, Vows Safety Standards

The Canadian Press, 10 Dec, 2015 12:09 PM
    NEW YORK — Chipotle founder and co-CEO Steve Ells says he is "deeply sorry" about the customers who were sickened after eating at the chain in recent weeks.
     
    "I'm sorry for the people who got sick. They're having a tough time and I feel terrible about that," Ells said in an interview on NBC's Today show.
     
    Ells repeated the company's pledge to tighten food safety procedures to ensure such incidents do not happen again.
     
    On the same day, Boston College increased the number of students who have reported feeling ill after a group of them ate at Chipotle from 120, to 141. The school said that 12 of those students did not eat at the restaurant.
     
    Norovirus can be transmitted by eating contaminated food, or by touching infected surfaces, then putting your fingers in your mouth.
     
    Sales at Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. have been slammed by high-profile food scares in recent weeks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that at least 52 people in nine states have been sickened in an E. coli outbreak, with 47 of them having eaten at Chipotle. The most recent case happened Nov. 13.
     
    The ingredient that sickened people has not been identified. But Chipotle says whatever the likely culprit was is out of its restaurants. The company has noted the exposure period for the outbreak appears to have passed.
     
    This week students from Boston College, including members of the men's basketball team, reported feeling sick after eating at the chain this past weekend. Chipotle temporarily closed a restaurant where the students said they ate and says it believes the illnesses are an isolated case of norovirus separate from the E. coli outbreak.
     
    Public health officials also said norovirus was found at the restaurant, and that "the clear expectation is that the illness on campus is limited to the norovirus."
     
     
    Officials said an employee at the restaurant was sick during a shift last week and may have caused the outbreak of norovirus, which is very contagious and causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Chipotle says it offers employees paid sick days and that the employee in question would have been eligible for the benefit.
     
    Chris Arnold, a Chipotle spokesman, also said an employee coming in sick was in violation of the company's policies. Before reopening the restaurant in Boston, Arnold said all the employees are being tested for norovirus, and that they will not return to work until they are cleared.
     
    In its annual report, Chipotle has noted it may be at a higher risk for outbreaks of food-borne illnesses because of its "fresh produce and meats rather than frozen, and our reliance on employees cooking with traditional methods rather than automation."
     
    However, the illnesses have led to a top-down review of safety practices at Chipotle, Ells said.
     
    Health experts brought in by Chipotle believe, Ells said, that changes enacted after the outbreak "will put us 10 to 15 years ahead of industry norms, and I believe this will be the safest restaurant to eat at.
     
    Company shares, which have been pummeled since the outbreak, rebounded sharply after Ells' interview, jumping almost 7 per cent.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    India Says Lakhvi Release 'Most Negative', France Terms It 'Deeply Shocking'

    India Says Lakhvi Release 'Most Negative', France Terms It 'Deeply Shocking'
    India on Friday registered its strong concerns with Pakistan on the release of 26/11 principal accused Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and said that it was a "most negative development" for bilateral ties.

    India Says Lakhvi Release 'Most Negative', France Terms It 'Deeply Shocking'

    'Naav Pe Charcha' : PM Modi And Francois Hollande Go On Boat Ride On Seine River

    'Naav Pe Charcha' : PM Modi And Francois Hollande Go On Boat Ride On Seine River
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi, French President Francois Hollande as well as French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and senior French government officials went on a boat ride along the Seine river, a la "nav pe charcha".

    'Naav Pe Charcha' : PM Modi And Francois Hollande Go On Boat Ride On Seine River

    As A White Cop Shoots Another Black Man, People Ask Do Black Lives Matter?

    As A White Cop Shoots Another Black Man, People Ask Do Black Lives Matter?
    Do black lives matter, asked horrified Americans as a video showing a white cop in South Carolina shooting a black person running away from him eight times, sparked outrage and fears of another Ferguson.

    As A White Cop Shoots Another Black Man, People Ask Do Black Lives Matter?

    Senior Pakistani Taliban Leaders Join Islamic State

    Senior Pakistani Taliban Leaders Join Islamic State
    Senior Pakistani Taliban leaders in a tribal region on Thursday declared allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in another serious setback for the banned outfit at a time when it is under attack in its former strongholds.

    Senior Pakistani Taliban Leaders Join Islamic State

    Awesome Mashup: 'Lego Dimensions' Combining Bricks, Entertainment Franchises With A Video Game

    Awesome Mashup: 'Lego Dimensions' Combining Bricks, Entertainment Franchises With A Video Game
    BURBANK, Calif. — The creators of the "Lego" video games are building their own rendition of a toys-to-life franchise.

    Awesome Mashup: 'Lego Dimensions' Combining Bricks, Entertainment Franchises With A Video Game

    Lahore HC Orders Lakhvi's Release; India Concerned

    The Lahore High Court on Thursday ordered the immediate release of Mumbai terror attack's alleged mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, evoking strong reaction from the Indian government which said "terrorists not being effectively prosecuted" constitutes a real security threat to the country as well as the world.

    Lahore HC Orders Lakhvi's Release; India Concerned