Beans at Taco Bell

[Guest guest]

Not too long ago, someone posted an email saying that there was lard in

the beans at Taco Bell at the Dallas airport. VRG's researcher contacted

Taco Bell's corporate office and were told " In regards to the beans, the

stores are required to use only approved suppliers. The current

formulations provided by our approved suppliers do not contain lard. The

menu items and ingredients are required to be the same no matter what

region or status. "

[Guest guest]

Debra,

 

Thanks for looking into that! I'm glad they have this corporate

policy but this type of detail falls under a level of quality

assurance that I do not see as being maintained by Taco Bell or any

fast food restaruant (or most businesses). I am sure that every Taco

Bell manager strives to adhere to corporate policy (clean bathrooms,

non-harassment policies between employees, dress code etc...) yet

sometimes rules get broken or things fall through the cracks. The

only point I am trying to make is that a sweeping corporate policy is

not enough to insure me that the beans I get at Taco Bell are going to

be vegan each and every time I go to a Taco Bell. This may be a

logical falacy on my part, but I can't help but wonder... if they

can't keep their bathrooms clean or their employees groomed according

to corporate policy then is it so far of a leap to wonder if the

manager makes errors when stocking the inventory?

 

It's also a matter of pocket book activism, for me. I don't wear fake

fur, for example, because it promotes the style and doesn't promote

veganism. If Taco Bell heavily marketed itself as having vegan

options or being vegan friendly then I would feel really, really good

about going there and would make an effort to buy their vegan products

from time to time even with the small risk that the occasional taco

bell might slip in policy.

 

I get the notion of supporting mainstream businesses who have

vegan-friendly products but I do not have confidence that it does much

good unless the product has a bold reputation as vegan and advertised

as vegan (or at least healthy, organic or whole food oriented) so that

the company can see how well their vegan/health/organic products are

selling.

 

Maggie

 

 

 

On Fri, May 9, 2008 at 9:43 AM, Debra Wasserman <debra wrote:

> Not too long ago, someone posted an email saying that there was lard in

> the beans at Taco Bell at the Dallas airport. VRG's researcher contacted

> Taco Bell's corporate office and were told " In regards to the beans, the

> stores are required to use only approved suppliers. The current

> formulations provided by our approved suppliers do not contain lard. The

> menu items and ingredients are required to be the same no matter what

> region or status. "

>

[Guest guest]

Debra,

 

Thank you so much for the follow up. I appreciate it. I actually saw the

label and the ingredients and while I appreciate what the corporate office

is saying, I saw what the regional franchise was actually using- I am not

sure what to say in response other than I cannot go to this chain based on

my experience. I will have to let everyone else in the group make that

decision for themselves.

 

 

 

I work in a corporate office that is in a majority of the United States and

we are also supposed to do things consistently. Our policy and practice are

often not always in alignment though.

 

 

 

Thank you for the diligence and response on behalf of VRG,

 

Paige

 

 

 

_____

 

On

Behalf Of Debra Wasserman

Friday, May 09, 2008 7:43 AM

 

[Norton AntiSpam] Beans at Taco Bell

 

 

 

Not too long ago, someone posted an email saying that there was lard in

the beans at Taco Bell at the Dallas airport. VRG's researcher contacted

Taco Bell's corporate office and were told " In regards to the beans, the

stores are required to use only approved suppliers. The current

formulations provided by our approved suppliers do not contain lard. The

menu items and ingredients are required to be the same no matter what

region or status. "