Taylor Farms and the Taco Bell Lettuce Outbreak: Key Facts to Know

Taylor Farms, a lettuce supplier for Taco Bell, has been linked to a cyclosporiasis outbreak affecting Taco Bell restaurants across five states. Federal officials have connected shredded iceberg lettuce served at some Taco Bell locations to the outbreak, which has sickened more than 1,600 people.

The company did not immediately respond directly to Business Insider’s request for comment. It later issued a public statement saying it was deeply concerned for those who became ill.

Taylor Farms said Taylor Farms de Mexico was voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the US market. The company also said no Taylor Farms-branded salads or salad kits were associated with the outbreak.

It added that its branded salad kits do not contain iceberg lettuce. For consumers, the key distinction is between the implicated shredded iceberg lettuce used in restaurants and Taylor Farms-branded salads or salad kits described in the company’s statement.

Taylor Farms was founded by Bruce Taylor and partners in 1995 and is based in California. The privately held company has grown into a multi-billion-dollar fresh-produce business with more than 24,000 employees and 22 production locations across North America.

Its business spans packaged salads, fresh-cut vegetables, meal kits, and prepared foods supplied to grocery stores, restaurants, and food-service customers. That broad reach is why food-safety scrutiny around one product line can draw attention across the wider produce supply chain.

Business Insider reported that Taylor Farms products have previously been connected to foodborne illness investigations, including outbreaks involving salad mix and onions served on McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers. Those past cases add context to the current scrutiny facing the company.

The immediate takeaway: the current outbreak focus is on shredded iceberg lettuce served at some Taco Bell restaurants, while Taylor Farms says its branded salad kits are not associated with the outbreak and do not contain iceberg lettuce.