The latest commentary from John Block Reports from Washington, sponsored by John Deere and the National Corn Growers Association, discusses the marketing and advertisement tactics of Chipotle Mexican Grill, the fast food restaurant that has been linked to several outbreaks of e. coli and norovirus nationwide.

Chipotle has built its brand by putting down conventional food production methods, marketing the company with misleading ads and videos about food production. The videos have suggested that conventional food production occurs in unsustainable “factory farms,” that conventional producers are selling consumers unsafe, unhealthy food, and that Chipotle utilizes production methods that offer consumers cleaner, healthier food.

In December, however, a Boston-area Chipotle was linked to an outbreak of norovirus that sickened more than 120. Back in August, a California Chipotle Grill sickened 80 customers. Their grills in 8 states were closed after E-coli was traced to their restaurants.

“For one restaurant chain to experience 5 outbreaks in 8 different states and different kinds of food poisoning suggests that they must be doing something wrong,” Block says in the report, “They have promised to fix the problem whatever it is. All I can say is they had better stop pretending to be so far above the rest of us where we accept and employ modern technology.”

Listen to the full report here:
John Block Reports from Washington, Chipotle Mexican Grill