Nearly 11 million pounds of frozen foods pulled from shelves
According to USA Today, Rich Products has called for the recall of nearly 11 million pounds of frozen mini cheeseburgers, sandwiches, quesadillas, pizzas and other snacks sold under the Farm Rich, Market Day and Schwan’s brands because of potential E. coli contamination.
So often when we write about recalls, it’s tough to even find mention of the issue on the company page, and we were disappointed to find that was the case on the main Rich Products page as well. To be fair, there are two separate press releases regarding the recall linked in the site’s news center, but it’s a world of difference compared that to the highly transparent way the situation is being handled on the front pages of the websites belonging to both Rich Products-owned Farm Rich, which features a full-page spread on the recall, and independent reseller Market Day, which has installed a large banner at the top of its home screen:
Schwan’s silence
Schwan’s, another independent reseller, neglected to post anything at all on its site regarding the recall, not even in the news section. Instead, it’s pulled all products named in the recall from its virtual shelves without explanation, certainly not the response that Crisis Management 101 would dictate.
Responsible recall
Overall, Rich Products is handling the recall responsibly, voluntarily expanding the number of products included in order to better protect its customers and sharing information with the public. The Farm Rich foods site is where its crisis management really shines, though. Not only does it allow visitors to spot recall information right away, but, as you can see in the image, there is also a link to a full FAQ regarding the FDA and USDA news releases on the topic. When we visited the page, the visibility and amount of information instantly available gave the clear impression that Farm Rich being transparent in its recall process, and that the company cares about the safety and well-being of its customers.
Good work Rich Products, and especially to the Farm Rich web team, you’ve got your priorities straight.
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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., an international crisis management consultancy, author of Manager’s Guide to Crisis Management and Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training. Erik Bernstein is Social Media Manager for the firm, and also editor of its newsletter, Crisis Manager]
Just a small note re “Schwan’s silence”: No, they didn’t post it on their website, but they emailed all of their customers regarding the specific products involved in the recall. And their delivery drivers were very proactive in making sure the customers on their routes knew about the recall and didn’t have (or keep) any of the affected products. Should they have mentioned it somewhere on the website anyway? Yes. But you also have to understand, the website isn’t a main point of contact for Schwan’s customers – about the only thing a customer is using the website for is to pre-order something or to change a delivery date or time between visits. Most of the connection customers have with Schwan’s is face-to-face with the driver who has their route, with secondary communication through email for product news and appointment reminders, and as a customer I thought the recall issue was handled very well by Schwan’s from that end.
Thank you for sharing that Lynn, that’s an entirely different side of Schwan’s crisis management that we wouldn’t have been able to see as outsiders looking in. Sounds like the company had the right idea, and their drivers did them a great service by being so actively involved.
The biggest reason we see the lack of website mention as a negative is that these days people, whether reporters, members of the media, or stakeholders like yourself are very likely to head to a company’s page the second they hear about trouble. By not having a quick, easy-to-find set of facts about the recall on the Schwan main page there is a greater chance of reputation-damaging rumor and innuendo to creep in and fill that void.