Chipotle, the haven of deliciousness and beauty, is making people sick. Very sick. An E.coli outbreak linked to the Chipotle restaurant chain has now spread across six states, infecting 45 and hospitalizing 16 individuals according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Though the outbreak was announced at the beginning of November, it was initially only linked to 11 restaurants in Washington state and Oregon. Now, illnesses have been confirmed in California, Minnesota, New York and Ohio. An E. coli scare has the potential to keep customers away from Chipotle's restaurants, and depending on how severe the outbreak ends up being, it could have long-lasting negative effects on the company's brand. Is this a reputational risk for Chipotle …show more content…
Geoffrey Moore, would identify Chipotle’s situation as an ideal example of a commodity having crossed the chasm once, and then having to cross it all over again, due to such an upsurge. Taking mileage and capitalizing on Chipotle’s failure to deliver and support their mission statement, and keep the integrity of their food intact and their customers' trust, staunch competitors have upped their game and are pumping the appeal of their respective brands. Should Chipotle be worried? Definitely. Chipotle burritos and rice bowls were once on the American majority’s lunch table!! With Steve Ell’s “don’t blow to convention”, “finding incentives that work” or “picking the right message”, Chipotle will be able to get up, dust off this incident and rise to the number one spot again. As David Ogilvy put it, “The consumer is not a moron; she is your wife”; Chipotle should use marketing as their sole driving force to convince their ‘divorced wife’ to return. Chipotle has revolutionized the way people think about and eat fast food. Serving high quality food, while charging reasonable