You already know about the Chipotle norovirus scandal, the Boston College basketball team falling ill, the Chipotle CEO saying sorry, etc, etc. But as Chipotle starts its recovery, one Canadian burrito chain is waiting in the wings to take another shot at the burrito goliath. half off
According to the New York Times, Freshii—a chain with over 200 locations across the U.S., Canada, and abroad—doesn’t see the promotion as malicious, but light hearted. Freshii founder Matthew Corrin had this to say: “In a world full of generic promotions, we wanted to do something fun and timely to relieve some of the anxiety around what’s a pretty serious topic.”
https://twitter.com/freeposinfo/status/689997398878375937
What this half-off deal likely won’t do is relieve any pressure from Chipotle execs. The company can now rest assured that their competitors are comfortable at throwing severe shade. Freshii, a chain that sells juices, fro-yo, and a variety of other health-food items in addition to burritos and wraps, sees Chipotle’s temporary shutdown as a way to introduce themselves to a new consumer base.
“I think it will end up costing us, but we wanted to do something that would be eye-catching and maybe introduce consumers to healthier versions of burritos and bowls than what they find at Chipotle,” Corrin told the Times.
https://twitter.com/foodsafeRR/status/689603321775071232
The move by Chipotle to close its stores for lunch on the 8th comes on the heels of another big move in their post-sickness strategy: giving employees paid sick leave, something almost unheard of in the food-service industry. Officials traced the norovirus that struck Boston back to a sick Chipotle employee, so the chain will encourage sick workers to stay at home and not risk infecting customers.
Freshii isn’t new to using its competitors fame and brand name to its advantage. Last May, the company sent a letter to McDonald’s asking them to put a Freshii kiosk inside a McDonald’s store. The request was denied.
[via New York Times]