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Crisis Communication Plan

E. Coli Outbreak

Compiled and Edited by

TEAM 8 MEDIA
November 28, 2015

Table&of&Contents&
Restaurant&Background ............................................................................. 2
Purpose&Statement .................................................................................. 3
Situational&Analysis ................................................................................. 4
SWOT................................................................................................. 5
Internal&Crisis&Communication&Roles ............................................................... 6
Policies&for&Crisis&Communication .................................................................. 7
Pre?Crisis&Preparation ............................................................................... 8
Crisis&Management&Checklist ....................................................................... 9
Crisis&Management&Evaluation ................................................................... 10
MEDIA&RELEASE ................................................................................... 12
Key&Messages&for&Media .......................................................................... 13
Sample&Phone&Chain .............................................................................. 14
Case&Studies ....................................................................................... 15

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Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

Restaurant&Background&
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Maja!is!a!chain!of!Mexican.style!fast!food!restaurants!founded!by!Steve!Ellis!in!1993!in!Denver,!
Colorado.!Having!received!an!education!from!the!culinary!institute!of!America!in!Hyde!Park,!
New!York,!Ellis!has!a!firm!grasp!on!what!it!takes!to!be!in!the!food!industry.!It!was!here!he!
noticed!his!peers!love!affair!with!tacos!and!burritos!and!hence!the!idea!for!Maja!was!born.!!
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Maja!currently!operates!in!the!United!States,!the!United!Kingdom,!France,!Germany,!and!
Canada.!In!1998!McDonalds!invested!in!Maja!and!since!then!the!company!has!grown!to!over!
1,700!locations.!As!a!business,!Maja!prides!itself!in!offering!fresh!organic!ingredients!to!its!
customers.!!
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In!2013,!Maja!became!the!first!national!restaurant!chain!to!publicly!identify!the!presence!of!
GMOs!in!their!food,!however,!in!2015,!Maja!decided!to!begin!sourcing!their!entire!supply!chain!
from!non.GMO!farms!and!producers.!With!a!heavy!emphasis!on!locally!grown!food,!Maja!deals!
exclusively!with!small.scale!farmers!and!ranchers!to!ensure!the!most!wholesome!ingredients!
for!their!customers.!!
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From!minimum!standards!regarding!livestock!enclosure!sizes!to!working!with!many!of!the!same!
small!group!of!farmers!and!growers!who!have!been!with!the!company!since!the!very!beginning!
.!Maja!strives!to!be!an!industry!leader!in!fresh!ingredients.!!
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Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

Purpose&Statement&
This!crisis!communication!plan!will!provide!policies!and!procedures!for!each!restaurant!location!
to!follow!in!order!to!effectively!communicate!internally!among!management,!team!leaders!and!
associates!in!the!event!of!an!Escherichia!Coli!(E.!coli)!outbreak.!It!will!also!be!used!externally!
with!media,!customers,!the!community!and!other!stakeholders.!
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This!plan!will!be!used!to!protect!Majas!brand!and!lead!the!publics!discussion!during!an!E.!coli!
outbreak!as!well!as!ensure!the!safety!of!consumers.!It!will!also!address!both!short!and!long.
term!potentially!negative!effects!to!the!corporations!integrity.!
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Each!Maja!location!is!responsible!for!providing!factual!information!to!the!local!media!in!a!timely!
fashion.!All!information!regarding!the!E.!coli!outbreak!must!be!reported!to!the!media!in!an!
appropriate!manner!in!order!to!maintain!Majas!reputation.!!
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Ultimately,!Maja!is!accountable!for!the!safety!of!its!patrons,!and!is!additionally!responsible!for!
maintaining!its!commitment!to!"food!with!integrity."!
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The!goal!of!this!communication!plan!is!to!prepare!every!level!of!Majas!employment!for!
potential!E.!coli!outbreaks.!Because!it!is!impossible!to!predict!a!crisis,!this!plan!is!developed!as!a!
framework!for!crisis!management!and!should!be!used!as!a!guideline!in!the!event!of!an!E.!coli!
outbreak.!This!plan!is!the!suggested!protocol!and!will!not!answer!all!potential!media!questions;!
however,!this!plan!will!help!alleviate!the!problems!encountered!during!a!crisis.!!!
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Objectives&

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! Ensure!that!managerial!staff!at!all!Maja!locations!are!aware!of!the!procedures!and!steps!
that!will!be!implemented!when!an!E.!coli!crisis!occurs.!
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! Provide!all!locations!with!unified!key!messages!that!are!in!line!with!headquarters!
messaging!that!is!being!relayed!to!the!media.!These!key!messages!must!be!repeated!
when!speaking!to!customers!and!the!general!public.!!
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! Manage!the!unified!message!that!is!shared!with!all!employees!at!each!retail!location!so!
that!all!staff!is!aware!of!Majas!position!and!their!role!in!the!crisis.!

Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

Situational&Analysis&
E.!coli!is!a!very!serious!form!of!bacteria!that!if!mutated!into!a!specific!stream!can!cause!severe!
bodily!reactions!such!as!bloody!diarrhea,!vomiting,!and!abdominal!cramps.!Contaminated!food!
or!water,!especially!undercooked!ground!beef,!can!cause!exposure!to!E.!coli.!E.!coli!is!most!
commonly!found!in!cows,!although!chickens,!deer,!sheep,!and!pigs!have!also!been!known!to!
carry!it.!Meat!becomes!contaminated!during!slaughter,!when!infected!animal!intestines!or!
feces!come!in!contact!with!the!carcass.!Ground!or!mechanically!tenderized!meats!are!
considered!riskier!than!intact!cuts!of!meat!because!E.!coli!bacteria,!can!be!mixed!throughout!
the!meat!in!the!grinding!process!or!during!tenderization.!
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Other!foods!that!sometimes!become!contaminated!with!E.!coli!bacteria!include!unpasteurized!
milk!and!cheese,!unpasteurized!juices,!alfalfa!and!radish!sprouts,!lettuce,!spinach,!and!water.!
However,!any!food!is!at!risk!of!becoming!contaminated!with!E.!coli!through!cross.
contamination.!One!can!also!get!E.!coli!bacteria!from!contact!with!feces!of!infected!animals!or!
people.!Knowledge!of!proper!washing!and!cooking!procedures!are!the!best!way!to!prevent!the!
spread!of!E.!coli.!!
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Although!most!healthy!adults!recover!from!E.!coli!in!the!span!of!one!week,!young!children,!and!
older!adults!have!a!high!risk!of!developing!life.threatening!symptoms.!
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Life.threatening!symptoms!include!hospitalization,!and!even!death.!The!CDC!will!launch!an!
investigation!when!there!is!a!suspected!E.!coli!outbreak!seeming!to!relate!to!Maja.!
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An!E.!coli!outbreak!could!be!detrimental!to!Majas!brand!if!not!handled!correctly!and!could!
cause!the!public!to!lose!faith!in!the!brand.!Not!only!could!an!E.!coli!outbreak!negatively!affect!
Majas!reputation,!it!could!result!in!the!loss!of!revenue,!closure!of!restaurants,!loss!of!product!
with!food!not!being!served!while!closed,!as!well!as!the!disposal!of!potentially!infected!food,!
restoration!and!sterilization!of!restaurant!locations,!and!possible!legal!costs.!By!implementing!
the!preventative!measures!laid!out!in!this!communication!plan,!each!restaurant!will!become!
more!aware!of!the!procedures!that!need!to!be!put!in!place!to!properly!deal!with!an!E.!coli!
outbreak.!
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Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

SWOT&
Strengths:&
! Ethically!sourced!meat.!
! Prepared!fresh!by!hand!in!each!individual!restaurant.!
! Vegetables!are!grown!in!healthy!soil.!
! GMO!free.!
! No!artificial!flavours!or!fillers.!
! No!factories!just!farms.!
! CEO!is!a!trained!chef.!!
! Maja!takes!the!responsibility!of!training!each!of!its!staff!members!on!how!to!be!a!fully!
qualified!chef.!
! Buy!local.!
! Devoted!to!representing!a!company!that!stands!by!the!health!of!the!environment.!
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Weaknesses:&
! Very!little!focus!on!consumers!and!customer!service!in!terms!of!marketing!strategies.!Not!
many!of!Majas!key!messaging!statements!take!into!account!the!needs!of!the!consumer.!!!
! Being!an!environmentally!friendly!company!means!we!must!spend!more!to!obtain!the!
produce!we!need.!
! This!in!turn!means!our!product!becomes!more!expensive.!
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Opportunities:&
! Ethically!produced!meat,!we!are!not!purposefully!trying!to!harm!our!consumers.!
! Brand!loyalty,!because!of!the!brand!that!Maja!has!developed!over!the!years!brand!
allegiances!across!America!as!well!as!internationally!are!so!strong!that!in!a!situation!such!as!
an!E.!coli!outbreak!consumers!will!continue!to!support!the!organization.!
! Well.known!brand!recognition!
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Threats:&
! In!the!event!of!an!E.!coli!outbreak,!Majas!reputation!is!at!risk!of!being!damaged!if!the!
situation!is!not!addressed!in!a!mindful!manner.!
! Could!tarnish!brand!reputation!in!turn!reducing!or!diminishing!brand!loyalty.!
! The!risk!of!encountering!an!E.!coli!outbreak!could!be!heightened!by!using!locally!grown!
organic!produce!and!locally!raised!steroid!and!antibiotic.free!meats.!!

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Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

Internal&Crisis&Communication&Roles&
The!crisis!communication!plan!should!be!shared!with!all!employees!during!orientation!in!order!
to!ensure!that!every!level!of!staff!at!each!restaurant!is!aware!of!the!procedures!beforehand!if!
an!E.!coli!crisis!were!ever!to!occur.!The!Restaurateur,!General!Manger,!Apprentice,!Service!
Manger,!and!Kitchen!Manger!will!be!expected!to!study!the!plan!in!a!thorough!manner!due!to!
the!majority!of!the!responsibilities!being!shared!among!the!managerial!staff.!Although!the!Crew!
will!be!informed!in!order!to!ensure!that!all!staff!understands!that!they!represent!the!Maja!
brand.!!
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The!Crisis!Communication!Team:!
! Restaurateur!(store!owner).!
! General!Manager.!
! Apprentice!(assistant!general!manager).!
! Service!Manger.!
! Kitchen!Manger.!
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The!role!of!the!crisis!communication!team!is!to!ensure!the!reputation!and!integrity!of!Maja!is!
protected.!To!achieve!this!goal!the!crisis!communication!team!must:!
! Ensure!that!all!team!members!are!informed!about!their!specific!roles!in!the!event!of!an!
E.!coli!crisis.!!
! Designate!an!individual!that!will!act!as!the!official!spokesperson!for!the!restaurant!and!
the!Maja!Corporation.!This!individual!will!answer!media!questions!and!address!public!
concerns.!!
! Determine!the!position!of!the!restaurant!in!the!E.!coli!crisis;!create!messaging!that!
relayed!this!information!in!an!effective!way!to!the!media!and!the!general!public.!!
! On!the!event!of!an!E.!coli!crisis,!evaluate!the!crisis!plan!following!its!implementation.!!
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Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

Policies&for&Crisis&Communication&
During!an!E.!coli!outbreak,!all!crisis!situations!should!be!reported!to!Restaurateur,!General!
Manager,!Manager,!Apprentice,!Service!Manager,!and!Kitchen!Manager!immediately.!
Only!the!designated!spokesperson!appointed!by!the!crisis!communications!team!may!speak!
with!the!media!or!respond!to!any!external!questions!regarding!the!locations!position!in!the!
event!of!an!outbreak.!All!other!staff!are!prohibited!from!speaking!directly!to!the!media!and!
providing!any!information.!
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All!media!inquiries!should!be!responded!to!in!an!honest,!factual,!professional,!and!appropriate!
manner.!All!statements!made!to!the!media!should!be!expressed!in!a!manner!that!reinforces!the!
credibility!of!Maja.!
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All!stores!should!respond!to!the!media!in!a!timely!manner!as!avoiding!interactions!with!the!
press!will!only!aggravate!the!public.!
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All!personal!information!will!remain!confidential.!
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Media!Relations!is!of!the!utmost!importance!during!a!crisis.!In!order!to!maintain!these!
relationships,!all!interactions!should!be!professional!as!they!have!a!direct!effect!on!our!
relationship!with!the!public.!
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Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

Pre?Crisis&Preparation&
Documentation&system:!Ensure!that!all!consumers!claims!of!E.!coli!symptoms!in!the!restaurant!
are!documented!and!sent!to!Maja!headquarters!along!with!being!passed!along!to!the!Centers!
for!Disease!Control!and!Prevention!(CDC).!!
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Media?trained&spokesperson:&The!designated!spokesperson!will!be!chosen!by!the!crisis!
communication!team!and!will!have!a!weeklong!training!session!in!how!to!facilitate!questions!
from!the!media!and!the!general!public.!!
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Update&media&list&and&background&information:&Ensure!that!all!media!contact!information!is!
up!to!date!to!make!sure!that!contacting!media!in!the!event!of!a!crisis!is!quick!and!effective.!
Also,!the!background!information!on!Maja!must!be!up!to!date!to!ensure!that!the!media!can!get!
relevant!and!timely!information!on!the!corporation.!!
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Position&statement/key&messages:&A!position!statement!along!with!key!messages!is!created!to!
facilitate!an!E.!coli!outbreak.!The!position!statement!will!include!all!facts!that!are!available!at!
the!time!and!reinforce!Majas!mission!statement!of!creating!food!with!integrity.!The!key!
messages!will!be!created!to!respond!to!common!media!inquiries!and!will!be!adjusted!
dependent!on!the!specific!crisis.!!
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Yearly&staff&awareness:&A!yearly!staff!meeting!will!be!held!at!all!Maja!locations!reviewing!all!
crisis!procedures,!this!ensures!that!all!employees!have!up!to!date!information!if!the!policies!
change!and!can!effectively!react!to!a!crisis!if!it!were!to!occur.!!
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Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

Crisis&Management&Checklist&
This!is!a!checklist!for!E.!coli!outbreak!crisis!management.!It!should!be!reviewed!by!each!
restaurant!should!an!outbreak!occur,!and!be!adjusted!to!meet!the!needs!of!the!crisis!at!hand.!
! Secure&the&safety&of&patrons&and&staff.&
.! Call!911!if!needed.!
! Close&restaurant&location.&
! During!this!time!make!sure!all!patrons!have!been!safely!evacuated!from!the!building!
and!staff!are!secure.!The!General!Manager!may!answer!all!questions!patrons!may!
have!with!honesty!and!fact,!but!do!not!assume!anything!you!are!not!sure!of.!
! Notify&the&crisis&communication&team&and&all&staff&members&that&are&not&onsite.&
! Notify!all!members!that!are!not!onsite.!Follow!the!phone!chain!provided!in!the!
appendices.!
! Determine!what!information!should!be!provided!to!staff!and!which!should!not.!
! Document&the&stages&of&the&incident&and&fact&check.&
! Before!speaking!with!the!press!ensure!all!statements!made!have!been!reviewed!by!
each!level!of!the!phone!chain!provided.!For!clarity!purposes,!it!is!integral!to!
thoroughly!document!each!stage!of!the!incident.!
! Prepare&to&address&the&public.&
! Assess!the!incident.!
.!Because!of!the!sensitivity!of!this!crisis!medias!level!of!interest!will!be!high!
.!The!CDC!will!have!involvement!in!this!case.!!
.!Create!talking!points!for!the!person!responsible!for!speaking!to!the!media.!
! Identify!audience!concerns.!
.!Safety!will!likely!be!priority!concern!for!consumers.!
! Refer!to!key!messages!to!prepare!statements!for!communication!with!media.!
.!See!key!messages!in!appendix!pg.!12.!
! Address&the&public&
! First!contact!critical!internal!audiences!(head!office).!
! Begin!contacting!media.!
.!Create!a!list!of!media!outlets!you!need!to!contact.!
.!Create!a!media!release!(appendix,!pg.!11).!
! Constant!correspondence!with!staff,!stakeholders,!and!the!media!is!essential.!!
! Maintain!open!lines!of!communication!post.crisis.!
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Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

Crisis&Management&Evaluation&
After!an!E.!coli!crisis!occurs!and!the!crisis!communications!plan!is!implemented,!the!plan!will!be!
evaluated!on!its!effectiveness!by!analyzing!media!and!public!response.!
! Ensure&that&crisis&is&solved:!Before!evaluating!the!crisis,!it!must!be!resolved!and!all!
media!and!public!inquiries!must!be!replied!to.!!
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! Crisis&communication&review:!A!review!must!be!done!on!the!effectiveness!of!the!
messages!being!relayed!to!the!public.!This!is!accomplished!by!analyzing!media!response!
to!the!messaging.!The!review!will!have!an!overall!conclusion!on!the!whether!the!plan!
met!expectations!and!why,!or!why!not.!!
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! Media&coverage&assessment:!Assess!the!initial!response!to!the!crisis!and!analyze!
whether!public!opinion!changed!throughout!the!duration!of!the!crisis!and!at!the!
conclusion!of!the!crisis.!!
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! Revision&of&plan:!After!completing!assessments!and!reviews!of!the!plan,!revisions!will!
occur!using!information!gathered!during!the!crisis!in!order!to!better!the!plan!for!future!
use.!!
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Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

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Appendices&
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Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

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MEDIA&RELEASE&
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FOR&IMMEDIATE&RELEASE:&[DATE]&
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Maja&Issuing&a&Public&Warning&on&a&Possible&E.&coli&Outbreak&
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[CITY]&?!Fast!food!restaurant!chain!Maja!is!reporting!a!possible!E.!coli!outbreak!at![NUMBER&OF&
RESTAURANTS]&[LOCATIONS(S)].!Maja!was!notified!by!the!Centre!for!Disease!Control!(CDC)!on!
[DATE]!when![#]&[CASE(S)]!of!E.!coli!were!reported.!After!an!investigation!said!cases!reported!
they!had!recently!eaten!at!Maja.!!
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The!cause!of!the!outbreak!is!unknown!at!this!time,!says!spokesperson![INSERT&NAME].!The!
safety!of!our!customers!is!our!number!one!priority,!therefore,!we!have!closed!the!location(s)!
where!the!reported!outbreak(s)!may!have!occurred.!
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At!this!time,!the!CDC!asks!those!who!have!eaten!at!said!Maja!location(s)!in!the!last![#]!days,!
who!are!experiencing!unexpected!symptoms!such!as!bloody!diarrhea,!vomiting,!and!abdominal!
cramps,!seek!immediate!medical!attention!at!the!nearest!hospital.!!
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Maja!takes!pride!in!providing!its!customers!with!the!best.quality,!fresh!ingredients!that!are!
hand!selected!from!sustainable!farms.!It!has!made!the!decision!to!have!each!location!
disinfected!and!tested!to!guarantee!that!each!one!of!Majas!location(s)!is!safe.!
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We!will!be!working!closely!with!authorities!to!provide!any!assistance!that!may!be!asked!of!us.!
It!is!our!duty!to!make!sure!something!like!this!does!not!happen!again,!says![SPOKESPERSON].!
Maja!will!release!additional!information!as!it!becomes!known.!
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MEDIA&CONTACT&
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Spokesperson!Name!
Position!
Phone!Number!
E.mail!
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Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

12

Key&Messages&for&Media&
1.! At!Maja,!the!safety!of!our!customer!and!the!integrity!of!our!food!supply!have!always!been!
our!number!one!priorities.!These!facts!are!the!pride!of!the!business!and!will!not!waver.!
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2.! We!are!currently!working!closely!with!FDA!authorities!to!thoroughly!investigate!the!E.!coli!
outbreak!by!conducting!the!necessary!tests!at!each!of!the!compromised!locations,!as!well!
as!tests!of!the!companies!food!supply!from!distributors,!to!help!identify!a!potential!source!
for!the!E.!coli!outbreak.!Following!our!assessment!and!threat.containment!actions!
performed!in!partnership!with!the!FDA,!each!location!will!be!thoroughly!disinfected,!
sanitized,!and!resupplied!with!all!of!the!necessary!ingredients!to!ensure!their!quality!and!
absence!of!any!other!food.borne!illnesses.!Rest!assured,!this!issue!will!be!contained!and!
dealt!with!in!a!timely!manner!while!offering!full!disclosure!to!the!public!and!related!health!
officials.!!
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3.! Furthermore,!preventative!measures!will!be!put!in!place!through!a!re.evaluation!of!the!
companies!emergency!food!policies!and!procedures!to!ensure!something!like!this!will!not!
occur!in!the!future.!Know!that!we!at!Maja!remain!committed!to!the!safety!of!our!
customers,!and!the!integrity!of!our!food!supplies!at!all!times.!!
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Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

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Sample&Phone&Chain&

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In!the!event!of!a!crisis,!this!phone!chain!should!be!implemented!to!direct!communication.!The!
chain!of!communication!starts!with!the!Restauranteur!and!should!be!read!in!a!top!to!bottom!
fashion.!This!chain!is!exemplary!and!should!be!adjusted!to!fit!the!needs!of!the!situation!and!
each!location.!
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Maja
Crisis Communication Plan

14

Case&Studies&
Jack&in&the&Box&
In!1993,!Jack!in!the!Box!took!part!in!the!first!major!E.!coli!outbreak!in!United!States!history.!The!
outbreak!affected!600!hundred!people!and!killed!four,!including!children.!Jack!in!the!Boxs!first!
move!was!to!immediately!distance!itself!from!the!outbreak,!denying!any!sense!of!fault!or!
responsibility.!The!consequences!of!their!actions!resulted!in!a!diminished!reputation!and!
millions!of!dollars!in!revenue!loss.!
!
! Foodmaker,!Jack!in!the!Boxs!parent!company,!lost!$138!million.!!
! Foodmaker!stock!dropped!30!per!cent!in!immediate!aftermath.!
! $20.30!million!in!losses!total!for!Jack!in!the!Box!Four!days!after!the!initial!
public!release!of!the!E.!coli!outbreak!Jack!in!the!Box!was!found!guilty!as!the!
source!for!the!outbreak.!!
Jack!in!the!Box!finally!took!responsibility!of!the!situation!by!pledging!to!do!everything!that!is!
morally!right!for!those!individuals!who!had!experienced!illness!after!eating!at!its!restaurants!as!
well!as!their!families.!Jack!in!the!Box!then!began!the!process!of!destroying!their!meat!and!
switching!distributors.!The!company!also!paid!the!medical!cost!of!those!infected!that!were!
infected.!The!Jack!in!the!Box!E.!coli!outbreak!led!to!new!standards!and!laws!in!the!food!
industry.!
!
Odwalla&
!
In!1996,!apple!and!carrot!juices!produced!by!Odwalla!were!connected!to!an!E.!coli!outbreak!
that!started!in!the!United!States.!On!October!30,!1996,!Odwalla!was!notified!of!the!potential!
link!between!their!juices!and!the!deadly!bacterium!by!the!health!officials!in!the!state!of!
Washington.!After!learning!of!the!link,!Odwalla!immediately!held!a!meeting!where,!although!
there!was!no!concrete!proof!of!the!link,!they!decided!to!recall!any!products!containing!apple!or!
carrot!products.!Supposedly!spending!$6.5!million!on!the!recall,!Odwalla!removed!their!
products!from!approximately!4,600!retail!outlets!in!seven!states!in!only!48!hours.!Despite!
Odwallas!quick!action,!tragedy!struck!a!month!later!when!a!16.month.old!child!died!from!E.!
coli!after!drinking!Odwalla!apple!juice.!It!was!determined!that!Odwalla!was,!in!fact,!the!source!
of!the!outbreak!after!approximately!60!consumers!were!hospitalized!at!the!peak!of!the!crisis.!
!
! Odwalla!faced!the!problem!head!on!and!implemented!a!media!strategy!
which!consisted!of:!!
o! daily!statements!to!the!press.!
o! internal!conference!calls!where!managers!were!given!updates,!
and!!
o! a!website!to!distribute!information.!
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! Odwalla!promised!to!pay!the!medical!expenses!for!all!consumers!affected!
and!re.evaluated!manufacturing!processes.!
! Unfortunately,!stock!prices!dropped!34!per!cent!and!sales!fell!90!per!cent!in!
the!span!of!a!month.!
! The!company!was!fined!$1.5!million!by!the!food!and!drug!administration!
! Odwalla!did!not!lay!off!any!employees!and!continued!to!donate!to!
community!charities.!
! After!all!of!the!above,!Odwalla!decided!to!hire!Edelman!Public!Relations.!
! CEO,!Stephen!Williamson,!was!then!appointed!as!spokesperson!for!Odwalla.!
! Odwalla!did!not!survive!by!accident,!.!CEO!Stephen!Williamson.!
Today!Odwalla!is!a!subsidiary!of!Coca.Cola!and!remains!a!solid!brand!that!maintains!the!same!
values!as!they!did!in!1986.!Had!Odwalla!not!been!so!quick!to!react!to!the!crisis!by!making!the!
recall!and!hiring!a!PR!specialist!to!help!them!navigate!through!the!tough!spots,!they!may!not!be!
the!brand!they!are!today.!It!took!knowledge!and!expertise!to!let!the!public!know!that!Odwalla!
was!taking!responsibility!for!the!crisis!and!that!they!were!doing!all!they!could!to!fix!the!issue.!
!
!
!

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