Fresh Produce Fears and the Fleeting Nature of Consumer Trust The cyclospora outbreak, which has sickened over 10,000 people, has cast a long shadow over the restaurant industry, but none more so than on salad chain Sweetgreen.
The company's decision to cut its full year outlook is a stark reminder that consumer trust can be fleeting and fragile.
While Sweetgreen itself has not been implicated in the outbreak, which was linked to contaminated iceberg lettuce from a Mexican supplier, consumers' fear of fresh produce has weighed heavily on their appetites for salads and other prepared foods.