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Chipotle makes $10 million food-safey commitment via Twitter, Periscope

Nearly 50,000 Chipotle employees gathered today across America’s 2,000 units to discuss the chain's new food-safety procedures.

February 8, 2016

Nearly 50,000 Chipotle employees gathered today across America’s 2,000 units to discuss the food safety procedures the chain is putting in place to ensure that "Chipotle is not just the most delicious place to eat, but also the safest," according to one of the chain's first tweets during the meeting, which was Live Tweeted with the hashtag, #ChipotleAllTeam, in real time. In an effort to show even more transparency, the chain even live streamed the meeting via Periscope.

Chipotle makes $10 million investment

During the meeting, the company also unvelied its $10 million committmenet to sourcing fresh produce from local farms, saying that in 2015, Chipotle restaurants in the U.S. served more than 30 million pounds of produce sourced from local farmers — or about 12 percent of the fresh produce brought into restaurants. For some of the smaller farmers in the local produce program, implementing Chipotle’s food safety standards may be a challenge. Some of these growers don’t have the financial resources, personnel, or technology necessary to meet Chipotle’s new safety standards.

To help with that problem, the company said it has created and funded the $10 million Chipotle Local Grower Support Initiative, which should help suppliers meet the new safety standards.

"Not only is this good for our suppliers, it will help to ensure that our customers have access to an even larger supply of fresh and safe local produce, according to the company's website. These funds will enable us to support some of the best local growers around the country — from small- and medium-sized local growers to farmers who use techniques like greenhouses."

The  program will focus on three key objectives:

1. Education and training: Provide the food safety support and education necessary to meet our standards and help offset the costs of enhanced testing and food safety practices.
2. Financial assistance: Provide financial assistance in the form of grants or premiums to help cover the higher costs of enhanced food safety practices.
3. Delop new partnerships: Seek out farmers using greenhouses and other technologies around the country that meet Chipotle’s food safety standards.

Although all stores were closed for the four-hour meeting, it is giving anyone a free buritto who texts, “RAINCHECK,” to 888-222, another move customers seemed to appreciate.

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