Chipotle Mexican Grill has been on the rise in the fast food
industry, known for serving “food with integrity.” The company was founded on the
ideas of delicious food made from the best ingredients. After founder and CEO
Steve Ells learned how meat and produce is mass produced in the US, sustainability,
responsible farming and animal welfare were added to the Chipotle mission.
Many big name corporations say they are committed to serving
local and ethically farmed food. Chipotle, on the other hand, actually is. The
chain recently stopped selling pork, used as a key ingredient in a number of
their dishes from burritos to salads. The meat was pulled from one-third of its
locations, nearly 600 stores nationwide, when an audit of one of their
suppliers revealed that their way of producing meat was not up to the standards
set by the fast food chain.
“We could fill that shortfall with conventionally raised
pork, but the animal welfare standards fall well short of our requirements, and
(we) simply aren't willing to make that compromise,” said Chipotle Communications
Director Chris Arnold, according to Reuters.
By pulling unethically produced pork from many of their
stores, Chipotle stayed consistent with their brand as well as their ethical
standards at the risk of losing customers and capital. It’s likely that
customers will now have an even stronger loyalty to the brand thanks to their public
dedication to the ethical treatment of animals. Had Chipotle continued to sell
pork knowingly produced lower than these standards, it would have the potential
to destroy not only the image of the company but it’s ever increasing position
in the fast food market. Through their dedication to serving “food with
integrity,” Chipotle was able to strengthen their brand and avoided a major PR
crisis.
Chipotle has yet to release any official press releases and
has not stated when they expect their pork products to be back.
