The CDC is warning of an increase in cyclosporiasis cases. Here’s what you need to know:
Cases of cyclosporiasis are increasing across the United States as authorities warn of contaminated produce and symptoms.
Taylor Farms produces much of the lettuce sold in American supermarkets and fast food restaurants.
At the moment, many consumers want to know which one is which.
Taylor Farms has been in the news for a historic outbreak of cyclosporiasis, an “explosive diarrhea” disease that has seen cases spike in more than 30 states in recent weeks.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that as of July 19, no lettuce samples from Taylor Farms tested positive for Cyclospora. On July 18, the FDA announced that lettuce samples taken from Taylor Farms tested positive for Cyclospora. The agency later announced that the test was a false positive.
The agency said it continues to work with Taylor Farms to continue tracing the source.
On July 17, Taylor Farms announced a voluntary recall of its iceberg lettuce products as a result of the outbreak and investigation. Initially, lettuce from Mexico’s Taylor Farms, which was partially sold through Taco Bell stores in five states, was thought to be the source of the illness.
The FDA has told Americans not to eat some iceberg lettuce produced by Taylor Farms.
Consumers may have difficulty following the instructions. It’s hard to know exactly where the lettuce in a restaurant’s tacos, burgers, or subs comes from.
Here’s a primer on Taylor Farms and its global reach.
How big is Taylor Farms?
According to the company’s website, Taylor Farms is “the world’s leading producer of salads and healthy fresh produce,” with facilities in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe.
Taylor Farms has $7 billion in revenue, more than 25,000 employees and 30 processing facilities, according to a spring 2026 profile in UC Berkeley Haas Magazine.
“Taylor Farms has a broad range of retail, food service and prepared foods operations, partnering with every major retail group, club store and quick-service restaurant chain in the country,” the profile says.
Which supermarket chains sell Taylor Farms lettuce?
many.
Visit the company’s “Find a Product” page and enter your location to see the names of U.S. supermarkets and big box stores that carry Taylor Farms salad kits and other products.
The list includes Walmart, Target, Safeway, Whole Foods, Meijer, Vons, Food 4 Less, HEB, Sprouts, Fry’s, Albertsons and Kroger.
Which restaurant chains serve Taylor Farms lettuce?
That question is difficult to answer.
Thanks to a much-debated recall, we know Taco Bell was serving Taylor Farms lettuce.
Chipotle also offers produce from Taylor Farms, company officials confirmed on July 20.
“We continue to follow the Cyclospora investigation very closely, but at this time we do not believe the ingredients we source are related,” said Laurie Sharrow, Chipotle’s chief executive officer and food safety officer.
Taylor Farms’ website does not include a complete list of major chain restaurants that will serve its lettuce in 2026. So it’s difficult to guess which brands consumers want to avoid.
Thanks to a 2014 report from Capital & Main and The Huffington Post, we know which chains have offered Taylor Farms lettuce and other produce in the past.
The list includes McDonald’s, Subway, KFC, Long John Silver’s and Pizza Hut, as well as Darden Restaurants, which has brands such as Olive Garden.
Has Taylor Farms ever had a recall?
Yes, but some past recalls may have involved mislabeled products rather than potential pathogens.
Some examples:
Company officials attribute the large number of recalls to the company’s size.
“If you just do the math, we have fewer recalls than anyone else for our size,” Taylor Farms CEO Bruce Taylor told the Times.
What is the Taylor Farm story?
Taylor Farms was founded in 1995 by Mr. Taylor, a third-generation lettuce grower in California’s Salinas Valley, and several partners. The company’s goal was to become “North America’s favorite producer of salads and healthy fresh foods,” according to its website.
Taylor Farms has grown into a major maker of salads and other health foods, according to a Berkeley Business School profile.
Taylor Farms has also played an important role in promoting food safety.
Around 2007, Taylor partnered with the Produce Marketing Association to form the Produce Safety Center. Taylor Farms has worked with other producers to standardize food safety practices in the industry.
In 2009, Taylor Farms introduced the “SmartWash Solution.” Berkeley’s profile called it “an innovative wash water monitoring system that disinfects and prevents microbial cross-contamination.”
Taylor Farms entered the supermarket industry in 2012 with “the first-ever branded prepackaged chopped salads with dressings and seasonings,” according to the profile.
According to a 2026 report in trade journal Western Farm Press, Taylor Farms also revolutionized the industry by “transforming into a fixed-price business that provides guaranteed profits to producers while providing a steady supply to customers.”
For the past few years, restaurateurs and supermarkets have been plagued by unpredictable prices for produce. Taylor Farms changed that.
“McDonald’s wanted shredded lettuce,” Bruce Taylor said in a trade report. “They wanted a consistent product at a stable price.”
Contributor: Melina Khan
