IwasPoisoned.com Food Risk Signals Featured at Respected Research Firm Hedgeye

  In 2015, before the widely publicized E. coli and norovirus outbreaks that significantly impacted Chipotle's reputation and stock value, our team at Iwaspoisoned.com had already noticed an unusually high rate of illness reports related to this restaurant chain. By mid-July, after numerous reports of severe gastrointestinal symptoms from customers of the Sterling, Virginia Chipotle location, the restaurant was forced to close temporarily. These incidents were later attributed to norovirus linked to lapses in safety protocols, rather than supply chain issues, as Chipotle clarified in a subsequent earnings call.

On August 1st, 2017, Patrick Quade, founder of iwaspoisoned.com, had the privilege of participating in the Hedgeye Thought Leader Series, alongside Hedgeye Restaurants analyst Howard Penney. This series, hosted by Hedgeye, a respected financial research and media company, invites experts and industry leaders to share their insights on various topics. The series has featured a variety of influential speakers, offering diverse perspectives on economic and sector-specific trends. Notable participants have included renowned economists, leading financial analysts, and other industry experts, who have shared valuable insights into market trends, investment strategies, and sector evaluations.

During this event, we emphasized that the Sterling incident at Chipotle was not an isolated case. Our data had been indicating since 2012 that Chipotle customers were reporting illnesses at rates higher than seen with other brands. This was a pivotal moment for Iwaspoisoned, recalling our initial surprise in 2012 when we first observed the trend in Chipotle's data. At the time, Chipotle was celebrated for its quality, making the idea of it being a health risk seem far-fetched. Yet, the data from Iwaspoisoned.com, a platform established in 2009 to fill the gap in national food reporting systems, clearly indicated a serious issue.

The opportunity to present our findings on such a prestigious platform as the Hedgeye Thought Leader Series was a testament to the importance of our work at iwaspoisoned.com. It underscored the need for greater scrutiny in the food industry, something that our platform was uniquely positioned to provide. Howard Penney, a respected figure in restaurant industry analysis, further enriched the discussion with his expertise, highlighting the critical role of data-driven insights in shaping industry practices and consumer awareness. The presence of other distinguished speakers at the event further validated the significance of the discussions and the impact of the insights shared.

View an excerpt of the interview here for insights on Iwaspoisoned.com's role in identifying food safety concerns at Chipotle.