Chipotle marketing chief leaves nearly two years after cocaine bust
Chipotle said Mark Crumpacker — its longtime head of marketing who got caught up in a cocaine ring indictment in 2016 — is leaving the company.
Crumpacker’s departure comes just a week after the struggling burrito chain installed a new CEO as it seeks to revive the brand. Crumpacker, who has led Chipotle’s marketing efforts for nine years, will leave the company Thursday.
Last year, Crumpacker pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug possession charge that would be dismissed after he completes a rehabilitation program.
The charge came after he was named a customer in a 2016 cocaine ring indictment in New York. Chipotle placed him on leave for a few months before he returned to the job.
Chipotle, which has failed to recover from a series of food safety scares, is seeking to rebuild its business and lure customers back. The Denver-based company recently hired Taco Bell executive Brian Niccol as its new CEO. His first day was March 5.
“Mark has been a valued member of our leadership team and played an integral role in shaping and defining the Chipotle brand, and we thank him for his contributions,” a company spokesperson told CNBC.
“We have a very talented marketing team in place and we’ll continue our existing programs while we finalize the plans for a new CMO.”
Shares of Chipotle slipped nearly 2 percent Wednesday.
With the Associated Press