The Importance of Maintaining Consumer Trust During Recalls

The dairy industry has experienced multiple recalls lately, with companies like Clover Hill Dairy, LLC voluntarily recalling soft ricotta/requeson cheese and The Ambriola Company issuing a proactive recall of their Pecorino Romano cheese, both due to possible Listeria contamination. In each of these cases, the companies acted swiftly and properly to protect public health, providing clear explanations about what happened and what happens next.

In contrast, the recent Raw Farm incident is a case study of what not to do in a recall. When consumers became ill after eating Raw Farm’s cheddar cheese, the FDA found E. coli contamination, issued a consumer notice, and recommended a recall.

Raw Farm:

• Refused to comply, contesting the FDA’s findings and arguing that their internal testing found no pathogens in their products.
• Kept potentially compromised products on store shelves for two weeks during their standoff with the FDA, prolonging public health risks.
• Recalled 170,000 pounds of cheese “under protest,” showing that they had to be forced to act when public health was at risk.
• Issued messages that denied, deflected, and showed a lack of compassion.

When Raw Farm Chief Executive Mark McAfee publicly argued with the FDA, rather than reassuring consumers about the company’s commitment to food safety, his stance fueled the perception that the company prioritized sales and profits over public safety. The brand’s reputation eroded further when McAfee criticized the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for advising consumers to avoid all raw dairy products due to the increased foodborne illness risks.

In fact, research has shown that consumers are nearly 100x more likely to get foodborne illness from drinking raw vs. pasteurized milk. McAfee complained that the CDPH’s statements went beyond the cheese-specific recall scope, rather than taking this opportunity to make sure his company’s safety and quality control protocols minimize risk to consumers.

 In a recent interview with CNN, McAfee explained that when pathogens are detected in their raw milk, rather than discard the contaminated products, they use them in their raw cheese. McAfee explained that “cheese is resistant to pathogens.” Per CNN, research has shown that raw cheese is not necessarily resistant to pathogens and, while aging can reduce some risk, harmful bacteria can survive the typical 60-day cheese maturation process.

Notably, this latest incident was not Raw Farm’s first recall; it was their 15^th recall since 2006. The company has experienced outbreaks of salmonella, E. coli, and evenbird flu in their products over the years.

After Raw Farm recalled their cheese “under protest,” the brand experienced financial repercussions, business disruption, negative press, and reputational damage. They lost multiple retail partners. But, perhaps the most damaging and long-lasting repercussion is the loss of consumer trust, which may be difficult to win back.

THE COMPLEXITY OF RECALL DECISIONS

The decision about whether to issue a food or beverage recall is never simple. Many factors come into play — including potential reputational damage, financial ramifications, legal considerations and supply chain complexity. However, protecting public health must be the primary driver in recall decisions.

Increasingly, consumers recognize that recalls aren’t necessarily a brand failure, and are often issued as a precaution to protect public health. Consumers won’t automatically fault a brand for issuing a recall, especially if the company demonstrates that they’re taking the proper actions to keep consumers safe. Consumers are watching to see what companies do and say about recalls, and whether they’re transparent, forthcoming, and trustworthy about it.

In the Raw Farm incident, consumers saw a brand seemingly prioritizing sales and other business metrics over public safety. They witnessed the company’s leadership acting defensively, publicly arguing with one of the nation’s leading regulatory agencies, rather than issuing messages about their commitment to food safety. Consumers saw that, because Raw Farm refused to immediately pull product from supply, potentially compromised cheese lingered on store shelves for weeks, prolonging public health risks.

The way companies manage or mismanage a recall can be the difference between maintaining or eroding customer trust.

CONVEY TRUSTWORTHINESS DURING RECALLS

During a recall, build trust with consumers by:

• Being cooperative and proactive. If a respected regulatory body like the FDA finds evidence of contamination, take it seriously. Demonstrate that you’re prioritizing public health, even if it means disruption and unplanned expense for your company.
• Minding your messages. Arguing, denying, and deflecting is the opposite of being trustworthy. Demonstrating that you’re not compassionate can be incredibly damaging. “We don’t feel bad at all,” McAfee told CNN about the cheddar cheese recall of spring 2026. Arguing with well-respected regulatory agencies can be a huge turnoff for consumers. 
• Prioritizing consumer health. If there’s any chance that food products may have been compromised, brands must act quickly and properly to mitigate these risks and protect public health. When Raw Farm resisted an immediate recall and eventually acted under duress, they lost credibility, and may never completely recover.

Resisting a recall will likely be far more damaging than any proactive, voluntary recall. Learn from Raw Farm’s mistakes to avoid similar fallout, including the loss of consumer trust.

Roger Hancock, chief executive of Recall InfoLink, is one of the world’s foremost experts on recalls, with experience that spans the retail, tech, data, regulatory and supply chain. Recall InfoLink (www.recallinfolink.com/) makes recalls faster, easier, and more accurate across the supply chain to protect consumers and brands. As the only company focused entirely on recalls, Recall InfoLink’s solutions drive immediate action, streamline the recall process, and simplify compliance. Roger is also a steering committee member of the Alliance for Recall Ready Communities.