Chipotle Appoints Frank Yiannas to Food Safety Advisory Council

Article By Jackie Mitchell Published April 13, 2023
Article Source: Chipotle Appoints Frank Yiannas to Food Safety Advisory Council - Quality Assurance & Food Safety (qualityassurancemag.com)

Joining a group of independent experts, the former FDA Deputy Commissioner will review and advise on ways to further strengthen Chipotle’s food safety culture, policies and procedures.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Chipotle Mexican Grill announced the appointment of Frank Yiannas to the company’s Food Safety Advisory Council.

Most recently serving as the Deputy Commissioner at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Yiannas will join a group of independent experts commissioned to ensure Chipotle’s food safety standards continue to evolve and serve as best practices for the restaurant industry.   

 Chipotle established the Food Safety Advisory Council in 2016 to complement the company’s internal food safety team and combine the best thinking from inside and outside the company. Yiannas joins fellow industry experts Dr. David Acheson, M.D., former FDA Associate Commissioner of Foods; Dr. Elisabeth Hagen, M.D., former United States Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Food Safety; Dr. Hal King, Ph.D., former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) research scientist and director of food safety with Chick-fil-A; and Dr. James Marsden, Ph. D., former head of food safety at Chipotle. 

“In order to make sure our food safety culture and programs are as robust as possible, it’s critical to supplement our internal expertise with independent external guidance,” said Kerry Bridges, vice president of food safety at Chipotle. “Frank’s vast experience with the FDA and other large brands will help guarantee Chipotle’s food safety standards continue to be best-in-class.” 

Yiannas most recently served under two administrations as the Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response at the FDA, a position he held from 2018 to 2023, after spending 30 years in leadership roles with Walmart and the Walt Disney Company.  

Throughout his career, Yiannas has been recognized for his role in strengthening food safety standards in new and innovative ways, as well as building effective food safety management systems based on modern, science-based and tech-enabled prevention principles.  

“I’m delighted to join and collaborate with some of the nation’s foremost food safety authorities and serve on Chipotle’s Food Safety Advisory Council,” said Yiannas. “I look forward to lending my experience to a company committed to ‘cultivating a better world’ that benefits people and the planet.”