Answer

Taco Bell Corporation: Public Perception and Brand Protection

Taco Bell Corporation Memorandum

Date:               March 16, 2017

To:                  Ms. Laurie Gannon, Public Relations Director at Taco Bell Corporation

From:                         XXXX, Senior Manager at Taco Bell Corporation

Subject:          Impending Negative Coverage of Taco Bell in the Media

Background

This memo is in regard to a notification received by Laurie Gannon, the public relations director, regarding the ingredients of Taco Bell-branded taco shells that are sold and distributed by our partner organization, Kraft Foods, Inc. Upon further inquiry, it was evident that a non-governmental organization known as “Friends of the Earth” was going to publish an expose on the taco shells sold by Kraft Foods, as they contained the “Cry9c” protein,’ a pesticide that had not been approved for human consumption. Taco Bell would like to highlight the following steps taken by the firm in response to the new information obtained recently:

• The company requested that Kraft Foods recall all its Taco Bell Home Originals taco shells as well as the taco kits sold under the Taco Bell brand.
• The company also categorically stands behind all the products sold at its 6,500 restaurants as they do not contain any ingredients unfit for human consumption.
• Kraft Foods discontinued the production of taco shells and worked in collaboration to ensure that the product was in full compliance before resuming production.

Discussion

Firstly, we have to acknowledge that the recent study has identified an ingredient kwon as StarLink or the Cry9c” protein as being unfit for human consumption. Taco Bell would like to communicate that in collaboration with Kraft Foods, they have immediately stopped any further production of the affected Taco Bell Home Originals taco shells. Kraft Foods has agreed to work with the FDA to rework the ingredients of the taco shells before resuming production. Kraft Foods has also recalled all the taco bells that had been supplied to retail outlets and those with its distributors and would advice its loyal customers to refrain from purchasing the same.

Moreover, Taco Bell would like to reassure its esteemed restaurant customers that the Cry9c” protein is not an ingredient in any of our hotel meals. The identified protein was only used as an ingredient in the taco shells manufactured for retail stores, and our customers can continue to enjoy their meals at all our restaurants. Our parent company, Yum! Brands has implemented extensive health standards that meet all government standards and regulations and these standards apply to all our restaurants.

Recommendations

1. Create a PR strategy to handle the issue: I would like to recommend that the public relations department crafts a PR strategy to mitigate the effects of the bad press generated by this issue. The PR strategy should also reassure our customers that food at our restaurants is fit for human consumption.
2. Ensure FDA compliance: The quality department should constantly work with the FDA to identify food substances that have been banned so that they are not part of Taco Bell products. The department should also work with Kraft Food on the taco shell ingredients to ensure that they meet FDA standards.
3. Keep abreast of current food studies: The research department should continuously keep track of new food studies in order to ensure that the company is among the first to know of any food substances that have been deemed as unhealthy.