The case of tainted Odwalla apple juice

Best practices in risk and crisis communication: The case of tainted Odwalla apple juice.

Reierson, J. L.

Department of Homeland Security – National Center for Food Protection and Defense. (2007)

Abstract
This paper explains that although most small companies would never have survived an E. coli crisis, Odwalla weathered the storm and is now the subject of a best practice studies on crisis management. The author points out that Odwalla was not innocent and committed major management errors: Significant flaws in its safety procedures, poorly maintained citrus-processing equipment, an insular culture without a clear system of corporate checks and balances, no internal oversight procedure and a board of directors comprised of business friends of its founder. The paper reports that some of the crisis management included the company accepted full responsibility for the crisis, in all interviews with the media, expressed sympathy and regret for all those affected and promised that the company would pay all medical costs.