“It is important to understand that there are thousands of strains of E. coli, and more than 700 cases per day on average,” Chris Arnold, a Chipotle spokesman, wrote in an email. “Without testing to confirm, it is impossible to know whether someone in fact is sick with E. coli, what strain it may be, and what the cause is.”
As of now there are no confirmed cases of E. coli connected to Chipotle in the Miami Valley, Arnold added.
Representatives of the popular chain have been fielding such questions since the multi-state E. coli outbreak first hit its stores in October, mainly in Washington and Oregon. By December, 52 people in nine states had been infected with E. coli after eating at Chipotle restaurants, including three people in Ohio.
Common meal item
Although most E. coli bacteria are harmless, the outbreak linked to Chipotle can cause severe diarrhea, kidney failure, even death, and has already resulted in about 20 hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC has yet to identify the source of E. coli at Chipotle, but said evidence suggests “it’s a common meal item or ingredient,” which has led many patrons to shy away from the stores.
An unrelated norovirus outbreak that sickened at least 120 people — mostly college students — at a Chipotle in Boston has continued the wave of negative publicity that has damaged the company’s brand and reputation as well as its financial performance.
The company predicts fourth-quarter sales could fall as much 11 percent as a result of the E. coli scare. Meanwhile, the company’s share price nosedived more than 20 percent last month — although shares bounced back by $27.42 Thursday to close at $575.43 after Chipotle founder and co-Chief Executive Officer Steve Ells apologized to patrons who fell ill after eating at the company’s restaurants.
But an apology is just the first step necessary to regain consumers confidence and stem the fallout from the E. coli scare, said Frank Badillo, a longtime adviser to several Fortune 500 companies and director of research at market research firm, MacroSavvy.
“The extent of the damage to the company is going to depend to a large extent on how Chipotle responds, particularly online and through social media, where a lot of these things gain energy and gain buzz and develop a life of their own,” Badillo said. “If they are not proactive and let this sort of gather momentum on its own, the damage could last a long time and continue to take a bite out of sales.”
While the impact of the E. coli outbreak has been chilling in the markets where it was found, the impact on local Chipotle restaurants is difficult to determine.
Abby Varno was eating at the Springfield Chipotle on Thursday evening. She had heard the news of people getting sick from food at other stores.
“As long as it’s not here. But I’m definitely more cautious,” she said.
She and fellow Wittenberg student Matt Arroyo said they’d be more influenced to avoid a restaurant chain if the specific location they go to had an E. Coli outbreak.
“It’s on my mind as I go right now, but it’s not like I actually think I’m going to get it,” Andrew Ingwersen said.
The Chipotle near the University of Dayton campus on Brown Street was packed Thursday afternoon as a steady stream of patrons lined up for burritos and tacos, but traffic was “a little light compared to most days,” said Neil Jarvis, a local IT systems administrator on his lunch break.
“I eat here at least twice a week, and I’ve never gotten sick,” Jarvis said. “Even if I did, I’d probably still be back,” he said, jokingly. “I have to have my steak burrito.”
Chipotle’s Ells has promised sweeping new food safety practices that he said will prevent such outbreaks in the future.
“This was a very unfortunate incident, and I’m deeply sorry that this happened, but the procedures we’re putting in place today are so above industry norms that we are going to be the safest place to eat,” Ells said in an interview on NBC’s “Today” program.
Staff Writer Katie Wedell contributed to this report.
About the Author