Chipotle CEO Steve Ells, who is scheduled to give the keynote speech at CU-Boulder's graduation on Friday, may be protested by student groups and alumni.
The Denver Post reports that the groups are planning to wear red armbands so as not to be disruptive, and are campaigning for better farm labor conditions and sustainable food awareness. Protestors say they are upset that Ells hasn't signed onto the Campaign for Fair Foods movement.
Students even created a Facebook page critiquing CU's choice of Ells called "Chipocrisy at Commencement."
Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold told HuffPost:
While students certainly have the right to protest, Chipotle is driving more positive change in the food supply than any other restaurant company, including our use of naturally raised meat (about 100 million pounds this year; more than any other restaurant company), our commitment to local and organically grown produce, our increasing use of dairy from pasture raised cows, and our use of Florida tomatoes that come exclusively from growers that have signed on to the CIW's program. No one in our industry has a track record like ours and we have done all of that without agreements with parties. Quite simply, we don't believe you need an agreement to do the right thing.
Ells was chosen because of his CU alumni status and for his successful entrepreneurship, according to sources quoted in the Daily Camera.