Stew Leonard Jr. promotes greenhouse-grown lettuce to consumers as a cyclosporiasis outbreak impacts national produce sales.
Stew Leonard Jr. is pivoting his grocery chain to greenhouse-grown lettuce to combat a national cyclosporiasis outbreak that has infected approximately 7,000 people. The parasitic infection, characterized by explosive diarrhea and bloating, has primarily affected mass-processed bagged salads and shredded iceberg lettuce. The administration announced that the Food and Drug Administration warned consumers to avoid shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico at Taco Bell locations across several Midwestern and Appalachian states. While the specific supplier has not been officially confirmed, reports indicate Taylor Farms is the likely source. To address consumer anxiety, Stew Leonard Jr. is stocking greenhouse-grown options from Little Leaf Farms. He believes these are safer than field-grown greens because they rely on rainwater rather than irrigation systems, which are often contaminated by human feces. Despite the outbreak, Stew Leonard Jr. remains optimistic about the transition, noting that while lettuce sales remain negative, greenhouse-grown produce offers a reliable alternative for cautious shoppers.