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[XiaNaphryz]

Bloomberg: Chipotle May Allow Some Antibiotic-Treated Beef:

After years of touting naturally raised meat, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. is considering changing its standards to allow beef treated with antibiotics into its restaurants amid a supply shortage.

The burrito seller is evaluating using meat from cattle treated with antibiotics because of an illness, which currently isn’t permitted to be sold in its restaurants, Chris Arnold, a spokesman for Denver-based Chipotle, said in an e-mail. The company still wouldn’t use beef from animals that had been given antibiotics to prevent disease and promote weight gain, he said.

“Many experts, including some of our ranchers, believe that animals should be allowed to be treated if they are ill and remain in the herd,” Co-Chief Executive Officer Steve Ells said today in an e-mailed statement. “We are certainly willing to consider this change, but we are continuing to evaluate what’s best for our customers, our suppliers and the animals.”

The possible change in Chipotle’s practices comes as U.S. beef production is projected to plunge to a 21-year low next year, threatening higher costs and making it tougher for the restaurant chain to get enough meat to fill customers’ burritos.

While Arnold said the motivation for the potential change wouldn’t be to increase its supply of steak, Chipotle hasn’t been able to get enough naturally raised beef to meet customer demand. This year, about 80 percent to 85 percent of the beef sold at Chipotle’s more than 1,500 stores has been naturally raised, compared with almost 100 percent last year, Arnold said.

“Every year we need 20 to 25 percent more of everything than we did the year before, and the beef supply isn’t keeping up as well,” he said.

New Suppliers

For that reason, Chipotle is trying to find new cattle suppliers and also is considering using different cuts of meat for its steak and barbacoa shredded beef burritos, he said. The chain also sells naturally raised grilled steak in rice bowls and salads at its new Asian-themed store, ShopHouse.

If Chipotle allows sick animals treated with antibiotics to remain in its supply chain, it will increase the amount of beef available to the company, said John Nalivka, a former U.S. Department of Agriculture economist and president of commodity researcher Sterling Marketing Inc. in Vale, Oregon.

“That opens up their supply quite a bit,” he said. Chipotle will be able to buy cattle outside the USDA’s Never Ever 3 program, which says cattle may never be given antibiotics, growth promotants or fed anything with animal byproducts.

“That’s really the piece that will add the greatest supply if you take that stipulation away,” said Nalivka, who says supply is dwindling.

While the chain expands -- sales have more than doubled to $2.73 billion during the four years up to 2012 -- it’s had trouble getting enough naturally raised food.

“We’ve had real challenges from a supply standpoint with our meats, steak in particular,” Ells said during a conference call on July 18. “There’s a different supply and demand formula that’s going on right now. The supply just seems to be tight right now.”

Production Decline

That’s because cattle ranchers haven’t yet recovered from last year’s drought that made it more expensive for farmers to feed animals. Production in the U.S. will decline 5.5 percent in 2014, retreating for the fourth straight year, according to USDA data. The herd on July 1 was the smallest for that date since at least 1973, according to the average of four analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Fred Wacker, owner of Cross Four Ranch in Miles City, Montana, and a beef supplier to Chipotle and Whole Foods Market Inc., says sick cattle that are given antibiotics are taken out of the naturally raised program at his farm. He wouldn’t do anything differently if Chipotle changes its standards.

“That doesn’t change anything for me,” he said. “We’re on never-ever, guaranteed all natural -- I would like them to keep on the path that they were to use all the straight natural that they can.”

 

[Suikoguy]

Supply Problems?

Probably more like Supply Problems at the price they are used to paying...

 

[Grimm Fandango]

At least props to them for being open about it.

 

[KHarvey16]

Chipotle near work had a sign up for a couple months that said they were using regular ol cow beef instead of the free range happy kind of cow beef due to supply problems. Actually yesterday was the first time I noticed it was gone.

 

[Gannd]

Beef treated with antibiotics won't hurt you people.

 

[RiccochetJ]

Supply Problems?

Probably more like Supply Problems at the price they are used to paying...

Well yea. And they're running into problems where they might not be able to supply all of their chains that they have going. So they're contemplating using cows that had used antibiotics over shutting down stores. And they're being open about it.

 

[Matugi]

Chipotle near work had a sign up for a couple months that said they were using regular ol cow beef instead of the free range happy kind of cow beef due to supply problems. Actually yesterday was the first time I noticed it was gone.

Same here. This happens also when they run short of locally grown veggies, they'll ship them in from a central kitchen during droughts and such.

 

[CrankyJay]

Chipotle near work had a sign up for a couple months that said they were using regular ol cow beef instead of the free range happy kind of cow beef due to supply problems. Actually yesterday was the first time I noticed it was gone.

Mine had that sign too, so this article is confusing. Their chicken is where it's at anyway.

 

[Slavik81]

Beef treated with antibiotics won't hurt you people.

The problem is more the vast overuse of antibiotics, which may contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. That's a real concern in many different contexts.

 

[Pumpkin King]

I didn't like chipotle the only time I went there. My burrito was about 95% rice, so I don't see how this will affect the one near me.

 

[tycoonheart]

I only get chicken burritos at Chipotle anyway.

 

[Stumpokapow]

“Many experts, including some of our ranchers, believe that animals should be allowed to be treated if they are ill and remain in the herd,” Co-Chief Executive Officer Steve Ells said today in an e-mailed statement. “We are certainly willing to consider this change, but we are continuing to evaluate what’s best for our customers, our suppliers and the animals.”

man that's some amazing double-speak

 

[Lamel]

What is the chicken like at Chipotle?

Is it free range?

 

[blame space]

If you get a vegetarian burrito you get free guacamole.

 

[Like the hat?]

If you get a vegetarian burrito you get free guacamole.

This is the way to go.

 

[Fury Sense]

dear chipotle: pay the $ to stay the same, pass the price to us and if we handle it well, more natural supply will emerge, competing the price back down. if we can't handle it, get the antibiotic stuff. idk if i should hate anti-biotic treated animals, but this is nonetheless an opportunity to grow the naturally raised supply

 

[KHarvey16]

I wish there was a way to standardize the amount of ingredients you get. My usual is a burrito bowl and the amount of food I get is all over the map. I've gotten anywhere from a few strands of barbocoa on 17 beans and 40 grains of rice to like four heaping meat piles on top of a mountain of rice and beans. I usually never see the person handing out the huge piles working there ever again so somewhere in the middle consistently would be nice.

 

[RiccochetJ]

man that's some amazing double-speak

Eh, I've heard better. I used to work in Oil and Gas. Most times it's used to placate the torch and pitchfork crowd who freak out over anything, but sometimes you have to use it when you royally fucked up and it's going to take a while to fix it.

In this Chipotle case, I'm wondering if an animal has a sickness and antibiotics are used on it for health reasons and it immediately gets removed from the approved list of organic beef. In that case, I feel it's the equivalent of the Jenny McCarthy rant about immunization.

If it's about genetically altering these animals so that they provide more meat when they are slaughtered, then I have no argument because this is a relatively new technology in the grand scheme of things.

Bear in mind that I grew up close to an Alphagenetics farm where I saw cows that had tiny packets of pink goo intravenously hooked into them.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Or just cancel beef as an option until they can get it sorted? I imagine a lot of the type of people that typically go to a Chipotle will actually care about this change. The all natural/locally sourced aspect is a big part of the appeal from what I can tell.

 

[Ashhong]

Or just cancel beef as an option until they can get it sorted? I imagine a lot of the type of people that typically go to a Chipotle will actually care about this change. The all natural/locally sourced aspect is a big part of the appeal from what I can tell.

Not as big as you think.

 

[way more]

This is more disgusting than when they were owned by McDonalds.

 

[jamesinclair]

May?

My chipotle has had a sign indicating they arent offering the special beef for well over a month now.

 

[TAJ]

man that's some amazing double-speak

Bububu if you don't want to eat them afterward, then you support denying cattle essential medical care.

Lol

 

[royalan]

I usually don't give a shit about hippy labels like "organic" and "farm-raised" but in this case I don't know if I'm cool with this.

I live in Philly, and in Center City there's a Chipotle and a Qdoba pretty much a block from each other, so for lunch I usually alternate between the two depending on which one is more crowded. I don't know if it's because the beef is farm raised free of antibiotics, but there is DEFINITELY a different taste to Chipotle's beef compared to Qdoba. it's just fresher...beefier tasting. It's hard to describe, but you notice it.

If they have to give that up, then it's definitely a shame.

 

[fuzzyreactor]

chipotle sucks anyways

 

[Derwind]

I'd still choose Chipotle over Taco Bell....

 

[JCizzle]

As long as they keep getting me the meat. So fucking good.

 

[Alucrid]

I usually don't give a shit about hippy labels like "organic" and "farm-raised" but in this case I don't know if I'm cool with this.

I live in Philly, and in Center City there's a Chipotle and a Qdoba pretty much a block from each other, so for lunch I usually alternate between the two depending on which one is more crowded. I don't know if it's because the beef is farm raised free of antibiotics, but there is DEFINITELY a different taste to Chipotle's beef compared to Qdoba. it's just fresher...beefier tasting. It's hard to describe, but you notice it.

If they have to give that up, then it's definitely a shame.

That's sad man. All the other options and you go there?

 

[Kalamari]

Sounds like their growth is the source of their supply problems. How long before they are using the same beef that McDonalds uses for hamburgers?

 

[Dark Octave]

As if Chipotle didn't already put a hurtin on me. It's probably going to be rocketting out of both ends now.

 

[SonicXtreme]

I wish there was a way to standardize the amount of ingredients you get. My usual is a burrito bowl and the amount of food I get is all over the map. I've gotten anywhere from a few strands of barbocoa on 17 beans and 40 grains of rice to like four heaping meat piles on top of a mountain of rice and beans. I usually never see the person handing out the huge piles working there ever again so somewhere in the middle consistently would be nice.

I simply say "that's enough rice". They make it in front of you . Basically everything but the meat you're in control of if you tell them

One scoop of brown rice is all i allow. Too much other good stuff to cram in that bowl. I get almost everything and they'll fill half the bowl w rice if u let them. I always get lettuce first too cos there's like no room at the end for that shredded stuff, glad they basically offer it at 2 spots in the line

 

[Sharp]

man that's some amazing double-speak

Well, he's not lying.

 

[royalan]

That's sad man. All the other options and you go there?

Hey, sometimes I just gotta have a burrito. ;___;

Actually, pretty much the entire state of PA is shit when it comes to authentic Mexican food. The boy within me who was born and raised in LA weeps daily.

 

[AntoneM]

Q: Why not just tell the store to inform customers that they have a limited supply of beef and they have have run out for the day/week and suggest a different option?

A: Something something profit/invisible hand/boot straps

 

[ClassyPenguin]

I usually don't give a shit about hippy labels like "organic" and "farm-raised" but in this case I don't know if I'm cool with this.

I live in Philly, and in Center City there's a Chipotle and a Qdoba pretty much a block from each other, so for lunch I usually alternate between the two depending on which one is more crowded. I don't know if it's because the beef is farm raised free of antibiotics, but there is DEFINITELY a different taste to Chipotle's beef compared to Qdoba. it's just fresher...beefier tasting. It's hard to describe, but you notice it.

If they have to give that up, then it's definitely a shame.

Usually because those terms are rather meaningless and arbitrary and have very little science backing up their claims. Taste can be due to different spices and marinades.

 

[perfectchaos007]

antibiotics are fine, as long as they haven't been given steroids to grow I have no concerns. They just need a new marketing campaign that steers away from the "all natural" component. That was the wrong direction for them anyways since that market probably makes their burrito's organically from whole foods.

 

[odiin]

If you get a vegetarian burrito you get free guacamole.

Guacamole is so delicious it should honestly be reclassified as a meat product.

 

[perfectchaos007]

Guacamole is so delicious it should honestly be reclassified as a meat product.

Is that why it's coined as a super food?

by the way, "super food" may be the most cringe worthy term ever. Thanks subway

 

[Kemal86]

The two Chipotles in my town have been doing this for about 2 months - first time since they opened here 8 years ago.

 

[Trojita]

At my local location they had a sign out saying that they were getting beef from cows not equal to their regular standards. I ate chicken till that changed.

 

[Dead Man]

Beef treated with antibiotics won't hurt you people.

I don't know what their reasoning is, but harm to the consumer is not the reason I owuld like less antibiotics used in farming.

 

[Manmademan]

Supply Problems?

Probably more like Supply Problems at the price they are used to paying...

The US cattle industry is having some VERY serious problems due to persistent droughts in texas, combined with fracking decimating local aquifiers.

 

[ClassyPenguin]

I don't know what their reasoning is, but harm to the consumer is not the reason I owuld like less antibiotics used in farming.

Then figure out the best cost effective way to prevent and treat illness in cattle bred for consumption. Or decrease the demand for meat and good luck trying to do that.

 

[Timedog]

How long has the beef shortage been going on? Is that why I couldn't find any good beef sales at the store today?

Also how exactly can there be a beef shortage? Did a fuckload of cows die from some disease or something?

 

[Dead Man]

Then figure out the best cost effective way to prevent and treat illness in cattle bred for consumption. Or decrease the demand for meat and good luck trying to do that.

Notice I said less, not none. If you feel threatened by that, too bad.

 

[ClassyPenguin]

How long has the beef shortage been going on? Is that why I couldn't find any good beef sales at the store today?

Also how exactly can there be a beef shortage? Did a fuckload of cows die from some disease or something?

Learn to read.

The US cattle industry is having some VERY serious problems due to persistent droughts in texas, combined with fracking decimating local aquifiers.

http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/in-the-news/us-drought-2012-farm-and-food-impacts.aspx#.UgtkEnnn-Ag

 

[nilbog21]

i love watching americans, the country with the worst food culture in the world, hating on chipotle...it makes no sense

 

[ClassyPenguin]

i love watching americans, the country with the worst food culture in the world, hating on chipotle...it makes no sense

We're not the UK, so we can't have the worst food culture.