An angry reader wrote us yesterday asking if the photos he’s been finding in his bag along with his Chipotle veggie burrito were legit. Matt wrote:
Last time I got the pigs out on the plains of super green grass (Grass won’t last more than a day under pigs). Today was a lone adult chicken in an otherwise empty commercial coop, perfectly clean bird, on a perfectly clean floor. I know for fact chickens don’t get moved from the time they are chicks, until the vacuum machine comes to box them for transport to the slaughter house. So where is all the bird shit and carcasses that succumbed to walking on the ammonia soaked floor?This green-washing portrayal is so unrealistic, its possibly criminal. I’ll keep an eye out for the ‘happy frolicking cattle’ one.
We asked Chipotle where they got these bucolic photos of chickens and pigs, and they responded. The photos of happy chickens and pigs are, in fact, from farms that supply Chipotle. Read Chipotle’s response inside.
Chris from Chipotle writes:
Meghann -
It’s a sad state of affairs when someone sees images of animals that are raised right and automatically assumes they are misleading, though many in our industry have provided ample reason for such an impression.
In our case, there’s nothing misleading about the pig and chicken images you’ve mentioned (we also use images of beef cattle in that series). All of these images are from farms that supply our naturally raised meat – meat that comes from animals that are fed a pure vegetarian diet, never given hormones or antibiotics, and raised in a humane way. In all, Chipotle serves more naturally raised meat than any restaurant in the world, including 100% of our pork, about two-thirds of our chicken and nearly half of our beef. Under a philosophy we call “Food With Integrity,” we’ve been working hard to improve the quality of the ingredients we use in our food and the progress we’ve made sourcing naturally raised meat is the most visible manifestation of our progress, but it doesn’t end there. We’ve been working to source organically grown beans and buy more and more each year as the supply increases (this year, 25% of all of our beans are organically grown), and most recently we worked with our sour cream supplier to be sure all of the milk that’s used to make it comes from cows that aren’t treated with the synthetic hormone rBGH.
If there’s anything more you need on this, please let me know. Otherwise, I hope you’ll share this info with your reader. Their skepticism is certainly understandable, but in this case, I hope they’ll be pleased to learn that it’s unfounded.
Best…
Chris
Chris, what were you thinking!? The pigs are so cute, it makes you not want to eat them. Oh well, we love carnitas. Sorry, pigs. —MEGHANN MARCO
(Photo: Chipotle)
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@Troy F.:
Oh noes! I would never go to Chipotle again! I do NOT want my children exposed to bean pr0n!
@bringafajita: You’ve obviously never been to a pig farm…or downwind from one…or flown over one…
Wilbur?
Marketing is meant to make you believe what they want you to…provide me a list of these “farms” and their addresses and I’ll go check them out myself.
Notice how Chipotle won’t post their nutritional info online or in the store? What up with that?
Oh noes, a vegetarian got a flier about meats!
Personally, those pictures make me hungry. Mmmm… ethically farmed chicken fajita burrito.
Another vote for Freebirds burritos. Chipotle’s meat is flavorless… as if it were boiled instead of barbecued. More customization options at Freebirds as well.
But it’s good to learn that Chipotle is no longer owned by McD’s.
I hear a lot of whining about “militant vegans” and other such nonsense on this thread and I’m annoyed to no end.
Just because somebody says “pro-slaughter”, he gets branded a militant vegan? Or a PETA-member?
I do not eat animals but will drink their milk and eat their eggs. I do not judge people who do eat meat although I do like to see those people who do take a more active role in understanding where their meat has come from.
Slaughtering is what is done to any animal that is ultimately eaten. They don’t lay down in a bed of flowers while fluffy bunnies hop them to death.
If you don’t like the terminology, that’s your problem. Don’t push your anger on somebody who knows to call a spade a spade.
With apologies to Dorothy Parker, eating meat isn’t necessarily normal, it’s just common.
Seriously, pigs, cows and chickens are here for my pleaure. So what if only half of them are having a happy life, hell, I’d rather be one of the ones living in a hell, those pigs are the ones that embrace the sweet freedom of death.
Better than being a happy cow, chilling one day and “ooooh, what’s this conveyor belt doing here?…oh, no, no, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO”
Wormfather, if you think pigs and cows are here solely for your pleasure, check out the new documentary _Zoo_ – it sounds like it’d be right up your alley.
@jeff303: I wouldn’t be so quick to say that 100% grass fed cattle is the best. You’ll find some angry midwestern farmers that disagree. I’m no expert (other than at eating it) but I believe many farmers use a combo of grass and grain/corn, as the corn helps fatten the cattle and encourage marbling. Just my $.02
@Rey: “Just because somebody says “pro-slaughter”, he gets branded a militant vegan?”
No, read his statement. He said “pro-slaughter PROPAGANDA”. In my experience in the slow food movement, everytime I hear someone preface their statements with “I’m a vegetarian” and then launching into a diatribe against how the world is FORCING them to eat meat, is a militant vegan, PETA supporter, or just someone who wants to shove their “clean living, no meat” stance down others throats.
We all know animals are slaughtered. No one had a problem with that. In fact, Chipotle’s pictures are a good thing – they’ll (hopefully) help a lot of consumers THINK about where their food comes from and the sacrifices that must be made for that food – not just by animals but farmers, ranchers, butchers, etc.
I think a lot of people have a problem with militant vegans because, not only are they ALWAYS attempting to force their viewpoint upon others, but because they ultimately hurt the very very movements that they supposedly agree with – openness about food production, education abotu safe farming for the general public, etc.
@Rey: If you were reading closely you would see the ire comes from the perception of the picture representing “pro-slaughter” propaganda. In other words, some sort of surreptitious bit of carni-vangelism to try and convince vegetarians they should be eating meat, which all I can say is…come on, now.
@b612markt: It’s funny, because (being from CO where Chipotle started) ten years ago Chipotle was just a local place.
all i want when it comes to chipotle is for people to stop pronounding it “chipolte.” for the love of god, it’s not that hard. just read the sign: the t comes first.
Hey kids, no need to get nasty – McDonald’s only divested LAST YEAR. Sincerest apologies for not ‘keeping up’.
Bah. So some angry veggie-burrito eater wants to spread unfounded rumors and consumerist.com is willing to provide a platform. Sorry, this is not news — just a speculative rant. Very nice response from Chipotle, by the way.
@latrevo:
And I can find “angry” farmers who disagree with those farmers. The “marbling” (i.e. excess fat) and general taste may be better (that is of course a matter of personal preference), but we must be prepared to accept the consequences of raising the beef in an unnatural way, the decreased nutritional value in particular (more total fat, less omega 3, etc.)
Disclaimer: We lived just down the street from the original Chipotle when it first opened, so I love them a little extra just for being my homies.
I was as nervous as anyone when McDonald’s bought into it. But they somehow managed to stay good through that period. Now that they’re larger and more influential (and as others have pointed out, no longer owned by McD), they are in a position to create a workable model of a large, ethical, but still profitable business.
They really do seem to be the good guys. They support sustainable farming, sustainable architecture, and public radio, and their burritos are really really good.
Too bad the closest one is upwards of 100 miles away from me.
Chipotle tastes good, and they try to do good. Nice combination.
Eat there one a week.
mmm, burritos!
“An angry reader…”
The adjective “angry” is redundant. This is Consumerist, after all. As far as I can tell, readers start at “angry” and range from there to “apoplectic”. A merely angry reader is the like a zen monk around here.
@royal72 (and thanks for illustrating my previous point so clearly):
Your anger seems to come from confusing “natural” with “no hormones, no antibiotics.” People less fetishistic about being angry will realize that 100% of the beef can be without hormones or antibiotics while only 50% counts as naturally raised. The former is a subset of the later. That is, not all no-hormones, no-antibiotics beef counts as “natural.” What they’re saying is that they have achieved 100% of the former, but have only gotten to 50% on the latter.
There is nothin mexican about plain white rice in your burrito. Support your local roller!
@Rey: If I ever heard someone using the term “pro-slaughter”, I’d immediately think of them as a crazy vegan. Just like when I hear the term “pro-abortion”, I know I’m dealing with a crazy fundie.
*Disclosure: I’m a recently converted vegan of 2 months, so you can summon your ignorant assumptions and negative attitudes now.
I’ve never understood why vegetarians and vegans continue to eat fast food. One of the primary reasons one makes that lifestyle change is for the health benefits: lower risks of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. These are serious illnesses; heart disease is the leading killer in America. [www.cdc.gov]
“In 1961, the Journal of the American Medical Association stated that ninety to ninety-seven percent of heart disease, the cause of more than half the deaths in the United States, could be prevented by a vegetarian diet.”
It’s a shame that it’s normal to consider that vegetarian/vegans are “extreme” in our society. Many Americans have been conditioned since we were young to believe meat and dairy as being good for your health. For example, did you know the Dairy Council and the Beef Council helped shape the Food Pyramid? Conflict of interests?
I wasn’t aware of the amount of suffering that was involved, and as I learned more about it, I felt that to be consistent with my moral beliefs, that I need to pursue veganism.
Let me introduce you to the animal welfare vs. animal abolition argument. Here Chipotle is exercising animal welfare: green grass, no battery cages, “humane” treatment. Here’s the thing about “free range” meat. It’s a myth. For example as Chipotle states:
“All of these images are from farms that supply our naturally raised meat – meat that comes from animals that are fed a pure vegetarian diet, never given hormones or antibiotics, and raised in a humane way.”
They failed to mention they still get slaughtered in the most inhumane way: hung upside-down, throat slit, and bled out. So then we need to reexamine, what is a “humane” way to kill animals? Isn’t this asking how a human would want to be killed, if it were truly humane?
That brings us to animal abolition. In short, we don’t want bigger cages, we want empty ones.
Also please don’t use vegetarian/veggie in the same sentence as PETA, we don’t like them. We get our information elsewhere, to name a few:
[video.google.com] (not sponsored by PETA)
[www.animal-law.org] (Gary L. Francione, Professor of Law at Rutgers University, about 15min long)
If you do happen to watch any of these arguments, do so with an open mind and don’t pass judgment so easily. I’d also request you don’t stop watching halfway through, as it’s important to consider the entire message that is being presented, without passing judgment before you’ve seen the entire thing. I’d like to hear your (mature) comments.
@aiken: “realize that 100% of the beef can be without hormones or antibiotics while only 50% counts as naturally raised. The former is a subset of the later. That is, not all no-hormones, no-antibiotics beef counts as “natural.” What they’re saying is that they have achieved 100% of the former, but have only gotten to 50% on the latter.”
thank you for reiterating that it’s marketing/pr spun bullshit.
There is simply one question to ask:
How much of the pork that Chipotle sells in one day comes from the pictured farm?
What would be more impressive would be if they posted a list of ALL suppliers on their website complete with photo tours and addresses.
The mental shortcut that they want you to make is to believe that all their meat comes from such bucolic environs. It’s like BP and their ads. Even greenie hippies have to buy gas.
@gondaba:
then don’t order beef. I prefer chicken or carnitas anyway. It’s your choice, speak with your wallet
Dude, if yer a vegetarian, why are you at Chipotle of all places? Might as well just go to McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, etc and get a veggie burger.
At least Chipotle is trying to be sensitive to the origins of our food products.
I thought I told you guys to stop with the Chipotle topics, they still haven’t opened one near me and I still have that same damn craving for a hot burrito with smoked tabassco. You guys are just mean.
@flyingcoach:
“It’s a shame that it’s normal to consider that vegetarian/vegans are “extreme” in our society.”
You answered your own question….
“That brings us to animal abolition. In short, we don’t want bigger cages, we want empty ones.”
Which is entirely the reason why there’s such ire directed @ most veggies and vegans – with you there is no middle ground. Instead of attempting to work with the food industry and farmers/ranchers, you seek to abolish it completely. Militant vegans engage in misinformation, propaganda, and criminal activity to achieve your anti-meat whack fantasies.
@ancientsociety: That was unecessarily rude. The ppister hardly seems an extremist, yet you’re willing to label him “whack” for not agreeing.
I mainly got angry at the original letter (to Consumerist from Matt). He’s willing to sit there and call these things lies that border on the “criminal” with no information at all regarding their accuracy.
My family and our neighbors, every spring, buy an entire cow (organs and other unneeded parts excluded) from a local farm. I’ve visited the place. The animals are free range, treated humanely, and are in good health. It’s not fair to label every single farm as an evil hellhole just because you don’t like what they do there. Most people out there do live ethically- and morally-right lives.
as someone that lives in southern cali i can officially say that Chipotle is so nassssssty!
The Cows… They TALK!
[www.mentallyincontinent.com]