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Chipotle: Ingredients will be safer

Posted at 10:54 AM, Feb 08, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-08 12:54:09-05

Your lunchtime burrito bowl will have to wait until Tuesday.

Chipotle has closed all restaurants until 3 p.m. (local time) Monday for a company-wide employee training.

The company live streamed a portion of the meeting on Periscope.

CEO Steve Ells announced the Chipotle Local Grower Support Initiative, pledging up to $10 million to help local growers provide Chipotle with safe produce and meats.  

RELATED: Several local Chipotle locations have multiple inspection violations

"The money will be used to provide safety support and education that's necessary to meet our standards and to help offset the cost of enhanced testing and food safety practices for some smaller farmers already involved in our local produce program," said Ells.

The restaurant known for its fresh, farm-to-fork approach to preparing food has been under the microscope after norovirus and E. coli outbreaks sickened hundreds across the country.

Chipotle has been in damage control mode, trying to salvage its image after sales plunged 36 percent in January at stores open at least 13 months.

According to Chipotle's Twitter page, Ells led the meeting that was shown to employees at more than 400 locations across the country, first apologizing for the illness cases, then thanking the Centers for Disease Control for declaring the E. Coli outbreak over.