Crisis Management and

Communications Plan

Elise Theriot
Department of Communications
Loyola University New Orleans
Professor Nikita Milton
Written May 9, 2022
Contents

Introduction: Sugar Hi! Crisis Communications Plan 3

Acknowledgements 4

Purpose and Objectives 4

Prodromes and Warning Signs of a Crisis 7

List of Key and Notifying Publics 8

The Crisis Communications Team 9

Crisis Directory 9

Crisis Communications Control Center 11

Equipment and Supplies 12

Identifying a Media Spokesperson 12

Tips for Dealing with the Media 13

Potential Trick Questions 13

Emergency Personnel and Local Officials 14

Key Media 16

Website, Blogs, and Social Media 18

Key Messages 19

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Introduction: Sugar Hi! Crisis Communications Plan

What is Sugar Hi! Gourmet Candies?

Sugar Hi! is a candy manufacturing company located in Houma, Louisiana. Sugar Hi! makes a
wide array of candies including hard candy, nut brittles, and gourmet chocolates. The company is
considered a small business, having only 20 employees that make, package, organize, sell, and
ship candy. Sugar Hi! sells candy in their own facility and in local grocery stores like select
Rouses Supermarkets and Cannata’s Markets.

What are likely crises to take place?

Since Sugar Hi! deals with consumables, there is a high risk for contaminations of harmful
bacteria and undisclosed allergens, especially since the company uses nuts and dairy in some of
its products. In the event of a product contamination crisis for either harmful bacteria or unlisted
allergens, a recall on the contaminated product batch will be issued, and all products will be
temporarily removed from the shelves of all retailers until an investigation into the contaminant
is done. A fact sheet on the contaminant and the company’s safety procedures will be released
with the recall. Notice of the contamination will be posted on Sugar Hi!’s social media and
website, and the news media will be notified of the recall in an effort to spread the information to
the public. A press conference will be held to share known information, and regular updates will
be shared across social media and in the news media as more information becomes available.

Why is a crisis plan important for contaminants?

Contaminated products can potentially become very dangerous and cause illness or death of
customers who ingest the contaminated product. A plan must be put in place to address product
contamination because of the relatively high likelihood that a Sugar Hi! product can be
contaminated and the consequences of contamination can be extremely severe. Action must be
taken immediately in the case of product contamination to reduce the harm done to consumers,
which is why a plan for this situation is imperative.

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Acknowledgements

By signing this statement, I verify that I have read, understand, and am prepared to implement
this crisis plan in its entirety in the event that a crisis takes place.

______________________________________
President (sign and date)

______________________________________
Chief Operations Officer (sign and date)

______________________________________
Executive Director of Communications (sign and date)

______________________________________
Head of Candy Packaging and Shipping (sign and date)

______________________________________
Head Chocolatier (sign and date)

______________________________________
Head of Brittle and Hard Candy Production (sign and date)

Purpose and Objectives

Purpose

In the event of any crisis, the purpose of this plan is to maintain consistency in messaging. All
communication with the public should be open and honest, and public health and customer
interest should always be put first.

With the sale of chocolate comes the risk of the Salmonella bacterium being present. This occurs
when contaminated milk is used in the manufacture of the base chocolate, facilities that process
chocolate have a contaminated water supply, or contaminated cocoa beans are used. While
salmonella cannot grow in chocolate, it can live for a long time in chocolate. This means that the
base chocolate that Sugar Hi! buys from manufacturers in order to produce our own products
may be contaminated with Salmonella without us knowing.

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Sugar Hi! also uses the common allergens of peanuts, tree nuts, and dairy in some of our
products. The presence of these allergens within the facility creates the risk of unintentional
cross contamination when a piece of equipment (i.e. dishes, pots, spoons, tables, etc.) is not
washed correctly, the wrong piece of equipment is used in the process of making a particular
product, or the wrong ingredient is accidentally used due to mislabeling or other human error.
The undisclosed presence of these allergens is incredibly dangerous and can potentially cause
severe allergic reactions that may result in illness or death.

Crisis Steps

The following steps reflect the series of events that should occur immediately following the
knowledge that there is a potential contamination crisis.

Step 1: A crisis team meeting must take place once knowledge of a crisis is gained. In this
meeting, this plan must be enacted.

Step 2: Identify the contaminant and the contaminated batch. This is the duty of the head of
packaging. In the event that the head of packaging is not available, the duty falls on the head of
the candy production department in which the contaminated items come from.

Step 3: Recall contaminated items. The executive director of communications must contact the
FDA Recall Coordinator of Division of Human and Animal Food Operations East V (see
Emergency Personnel and Local Officials section on page 14 for contact information) to issue
a formal recall of the product. If the executive director of communications is not available to
contact the recall coordinator, the role will be filled by the president.

Step 4: Notify key publics. This includes posting to social media, notifying key media (as listed
on page 16), and, in the case of a bacterial contamination, notifying the raw ingredient
manufacturer (See Crisis Directory on page 9 for contact information). A statement should
come from the president of the company, preferably in video form. It is the job of the social
media and marketing coordinator to issue press releases about the crisis, fact sheets about Sugar
Hi!’s safety procedures/the contaminant and the president’s video statement. If the social media
and marketing coordinator is not available to notify key publics, the role will be filled by the
executive director of communications.

Step 5: Notify retailers to remove products from shelves. It is the job of the head of the shipping
department to notify retailers and their spokespeople. If the head of the shipping department is
not available, the chief operations officer will notify retailers.

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Step 6: Set up a web page with recall information that people can be directed to for more
information. This should include the batch number, what to do with the contaminated product,
and poison control and hospital numbers (see Emergency Personnel and Local Officials section
on page 14 for contact information). The URL of the page should be www.sugarhi.com/recall,
and it should be linked to an announcement on the homepage of the Sugar Hi! website. The
responsibility for setting up the webpage goes to the social media and marketing coordinator. If
the social media and marketing coordinator is not available to do so, the duty goes to the
executive director of communications.

Step 7: Select a spokesperson according to the guidelines on page 12. This should be done
together by the crisis team as a whole.

Step 8: Cease candy production and begin an investigation of how the contaminant entered the
production line. The head chocolatier and head of brittle and hard candy production are
responsible for overseeing the investigation.

Step 9: Hold a press conference to explain to the press and the public all the details of the
contamination. The executive director of communications is responsible for coordinating and
notifying the press of the conference. Use the Sample Press Conference Opening Statement on
page 20 as a template for the conference.

Step 10: The president or chief operations officer should call the lawyers and legal advisors
listed in the Crisis Directory on page 9. All known information regarding the crisis should be
shared with the lawyers and legal advisors in case of the event of a serious illness, injury or death
lawsuit due to the contamination.

Step 11: In the event of a death, express empathy and concern to the public and personally reach
out to the family of the deceased to give condolences, express regret, and discuss reparations.
This is the responsibility of the president. If the president is not able to complete this duty, the
role goes to the chief operations officer.

Step 12: Once the investigation of the facility is resolved, it is the job of the head chocolatier and
head of brittle and hard candy production in conjunction with the chief operations officer and the
president to examine how the contaminant entered the production line and create new safety
measures to prevent the crisis from occurring again in the same way. All equipment must be
thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before production can start again.

Objectives

The Sugar Hi! will spare no effort to:

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 ● Initiate a crisis response within 2 hours of receiving knowledge of a product
contamination crisis.
● Notify the FDA of the crisis within 3 hours of receiving knowledge of a product
contamination.
● Inform all retailers that stock Sugar Hi! products to remove the product from shelves
within 4 hours of receiving knowledge of a product contamination.
● Issue a statement to the public and to the press within 4 hours of receiving knowledge of
a product contamination.
● Keep public health at the forefront of the company’s concerns.
● Keep the public and all media contacts informed with updated information as it is
received by the Sugar Hi! crisis team.
● Maintain honesty and openness with notifying publics.
● Maintain a professional and, if necessary, empathetic tone with all communications.
● Develop solutions to prevent the crisis from occurring again and initiate them as soon as
possible to resume production.

Prodromes and Warning Signs of a Crisis

Bacteria

The presence of harmful bacteria in food is a major threat posed to Sugar Hi! Several
organizations have experienced crises in the past involving harmful bacteria like Listeria,
Salmonella, and E. coli. The most likely of these contaminants is Salmonella from contaminated
chocolate. There have been several salmonellosis outbreaks throughout recent history that have
been attributed to contaminated chocolate, and there have been hundreds of recalls of chocolate
products. Some recent Salmonella cases in chocolate include Kinder chocolates being linked to
over 150 salmonellosis outbreaks in Europe from February to April of 2022 and Strauss Israel’s
recall was on their “Elite Chocolate” line of kosher chocolate products.

The handling of bacteria contaminants by various organizations sets important prodromes and
examples for how Sugar Hi! should handle a contamination crisis from bacteria. Proper
responses to a bacterial contamination are displayed by Maple Leaf Foods’ Listeria crisis in
2008. After learning of the contamination of meats and the death of a customer due to an
infection of listeriosis from their product, Maple Leaf Foods released a fact sheet with their
safety procedures and closed the plant that had the outbreak out of an abundance of caution. The
company’s communications with the public and the news media offers valuable lessons in good
crisis communications. Model communication practices displayed in this case include releasing
a personal apology video from the CEO, recalling all contaminated meats, using the crisis to

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improve inspection standards, well thought out messages and open and consistent
communication.

Undeclared Allergens

Undeclared allergens within food and cosmetic products makes them illegal for sale according to
the FDA. In working with allergens like nuts and dairy, there is a possibility that products that
are not intended to include particular allergens may be cross contaminated or accidentally
contain allergens that have not been labeled on the product’s packaging. In 2020, McCormick
and Company’s Sunny Select Au Jus Gravy Mix contained an unlabeled dairy allergen. The
company issued a voluntary recall of the pouches and alerted all retailers that sold the product to
immediately remove them from shelves. The company asked consumers to dispose of the
products with the batch code from the contaminated batch. A similar recall approach will be
taken in the event a Sugar Hi! product contains an undisclosed allergen.

Warning Signs

The warning signs that Sugar Hi! may have produced contaminated products are customers
reporting having nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, fever, headaches, hives, anaphylaxis, or
other symptoms of a harmful bacteria infection or an allergic reaction after consuming the
company’s products; irregular smells from the candy or in the Sugar Hi! facility; reports of
contaminated water sources in the area; and any visible sign of uncleanliness within the Sugar
Hi! facility. The presence of any of these warning signs warrants a test for harmful bacteria
within the facility.

List of Key and Notifying Publics

● Customers are the primary public that a crisis at Sugar Hi! would affect. They should be
the first to know about any crisis, because the company’s mission is to always put the
consumer’s interests first.
● Sellers of Sugar Hi!’s products should be notified immediately of any problems with
products in case they must remove them from shelves and prohibit shoppers from buying
them. The following are retailers to be notified: (See Crisis Directory on page 9 for
contact information)
○ Rouses Supermarkets
○ Cannata's Markets
● The news media is critical for disseminating information of any recalls and crisis updates.
The media should be updated quickly with as much information as is available to prevent
the creation of rumors and misinformation (See list of key media to notify on page 16).

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 ● Mars Wrigley, who is the manufacturer of raw ingredients like base chocolate that Sugar
Hi! uses, should be notified in the event of a bacterial contamination because the bacteria
may have entered the production line within their facilities. They must be notified that
they need to conduct an investigation to find where the bacteria came from in order to get
rid of it.
● Sugar Hi! employees must all be aware of the crisis as much as possible. They act as
unofficial spokespeople in their daily lives and may be asked about the crisis by the news
media or members of the public. It is important that they have correct and complete
information of the crisis so they can dispel and prevent rumors.

The Crisis Communications Team

The crisis communication team is responsible for initiating, overseeing, and managing the crisis
plan. The team is responsible for the control of information and the creation of all messages and
communications between Sugar Hi! and its publics.

The Sugar Hi! crisis communications team should consist of executive leaders and heads of
departments. This includes, the president of the company, the chief operations officer, the
executive director of communications, the social media and marketing team, the head
chocolatier, the head of brittle and hard candy production, and the head of packaging and the
head of shipping.

Once knowledge of a crisis or a potential crisis reaches one of these team members, the member
must notify the rest of the crisis team and call a meeting about initiating a crisis plan. The crisis
team will communicate with each other primarily in person and through text, phone calls, and
emails. It is required that everyone included in the crisis team keep a cellular device near them
at all times. If they cannot have a device near them for any reason, they must contact another
member of the crisis team to inform them of the inability to communicate via cell phones, the
reason why, and an alternate way to communicate with them.

Crisis Directory

The following is a directory of people and contact information that may be important during a
crisis. This includes information for the Sugar Hi! facility, Sugar Hi!’s crisis communication
team, lawyers and legal advisors, and related organizations. (For contact information for the
news media or emergency personnel see the Key Media section on page 16 and Emergency
Personnel and Local Officials section on page 14.)

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Facility Information

Sugar Hi! Gourmet Candies

● Address:
1234 Main Street
Houma, LA 70360
● Phone: 985-547-9338
● Fax: 985-547-6268
● Information Email: info@sugarhi.com
● Website: www.sugarhi.com

The Crisis Team

Sally Sweets, President and Owner Candi Caine, Chief Operations Officer
● Office Phone: 985-547-9338 ext. 100 ● Office Phone: 985-547-9338 ext. 102
● Mobile Phone: 985-377-2559 ● Mobile Phone: 985-462-2634
● Email: sallysweets@sugarhi.com ● Email: candycaine@sugarhi.com

Sarah Sugar, Executive Director of
Communications
● Office Phone: 985-547-9338 ext. 103
● Mobile Phone: 985-833-7842
● Email: sarahsugar@sugarhi.com
Linda Licorice, Social Media and Marketing
Coordinator
● Office Phone: 985-547-9338 ext. 119
● Mobile Phone: 504-542-6742
● Email: lindalicorice@sugarhi.com

Molly Mint, Head of Candy Packaging and
Shipping
● Office Phone: 985-547-9338 ext. 112
● Mobile Phone: 504-595-4724
● Email: mollymint@sugarhi.com
Peter Nutt, Head of Brittle and Hard Candy
Production
● Office Phone: 985-547-9338 ext. 108
● Mobile Phone: 985-667-9090
● Email: peternutt@sugarhi.com

Harvey Cocoa, Head Chocolatier

● Office Phone: 985-547-9338 ext. 107
● Mobile Phone: 504-337-4859
● Email: harveycocoa@sugarhi.com

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Lawyers and Legal Advisors

Law Offices of Greg G. Graffagnino Damon J. Baldone and Associates

○ Address: ○ Address:
7836 W Park Ave 162 New Orleans Blvd
Houma, LA 70364 Houma LA 70364
○ Phone: 985-872-0075 ○ Phone: 985-868-3427
○ Email: gregg@gregggraffagnino.com

Related Organizations and their Spokespeople

Rouses Corporate Headquarters Cannata’s Corporate Headquarters

● Address: ● Address:
179 Rouses Drive 6307 West Park Avenue
Schriever, LA 70395 Houma, LA 70364
● Phone: 985-447-5998 ● Phone: (985) 873-9102

Spokesperson: Steve Black, President and Spokesperson: Vince Cannata, President and
Chief Operating Officer Owner

Mars Wrigley Confectionery

● Address:
○ 1132 West Blackhawk Street
Chicago, IL60642 USA
● Phone: 1-800-432-2331
● Email Webpage:
https://www.marsfoodservices.com/co
ntact-us
Spokesperson: Grant F. Reid, CEO

Crisis Communications Control Center

The primary control center for Sugar Hi!’s crisis communications is the conference room at the
Sugar Hi! facility at 1234 Main Street, Houma, LA 70360. If this room is unavailable, the
control center will be the break room at the Sugar Hi! facility. If the Sugar Hi! facility is not
feasible to meet at due to damage, construction, or any other constraints, the control center will
move to the home of Sally Sweets, Sugar Hi!’s president, at 678 Central Avenue, Houma, LA

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70364. A digital and print copy of this crisis plan will be kept in all potential control center
locations.

Equipment and Supplies

Internet and phone access are required for the dissemination of information in these
circumstances. All crisis control centers will have a computer, Wi-Fi/internet access, a landline
phone, and a copy of this crisis plan.

Identifying a Media Spokesperson

The assigned spokesperson is responsible for being the face of Sugar Hi! throughout the entire
crisis. The spokesperson must appear at press conferences, interviews, and broadcasts that
concern the situation, and they must be able to honestly answer questions while displaying the
values and mission of the company.

Criteria for spokespersons

Sugar Hi!’s spokesperson for a crisis must:

● Have the power to make decisions within the company
● Know a significant amount about the crisis
● Present themselves as articulate, reasonable, and knowledgeable
● Be media trained to answer questions and avoid trick questions
● Appear empathetic, rational, and with an attitude that matches the tone of the crisis

List of potential media spokespersons

The role of spokesperson will be determined by the following list, starting from the top. In the
event that a person on the list is not available or does not have ample knowledge of the crisis, the
role of spokesperson will be assigned to the next person on the list.

● First Spokesperson: President

● Second Spokesperson: Executive Director of Communications
● Third Spokesperson: Chief Operating Officer
● Fourth Spokesperson: Social Media and Marketing Coordinator

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 ● Fifth Spokesperson: The head of the department which the crisis concerns (i.e. Head
Chocolatier, Head of Brittle and Hard Candy Production, Head of Packaging and
Shipping)

Tips for Dealing with the Media

● Prepare to answer who, what, when, where, why, and how questions.
● Be honest. If an aspect of the crisis is unknown, express that.
● Maintain a calm, respectful, professional, polite, and, if needed, empathetic tone.
● Focus on three important messages. Communicate and repeat them throughout the
interview.
● Avoid saying “no comment.” This creates room for rumors to spread and gives the
impression that Sugar Hi! has something to hide.
● Maintain professional composure both while working and while not. The spokesperson
is the face of Sugar Hi! as a brand. Inappropriate conduct will create further crisis.
● Stay up to date on all developments of the crisis. The spokesperson should know the most
about the crisis in any room.
● Face the reporter that asked the question. Do not look at the ground, the microphone, or
any other reporters.
● Do not wear any hats or sunglasses while answering questions. This gives the impression
that the spokesperson has something to hide.
● Gather background information on the crisis topic for interviews. For example, if there is
a Salmonella contamination, research information on the Salmonella bacterium and
salmonellosis.
● Rehearse in advance for media responses. This will make the spokesperson feel more
prepared for questions and look more put together.

Potential Trick Questions

● Leading questions:
○ “The salmonella contamination could have been avoided, right?”
○ “Isn’t it true that you knew of possible undisclosed allergens in the product?”
○ “You knew of the possibility of salmonella in the chocolate. Is that correct?”
● Know-it-all questions:
○ “We are aware of all the facts of the outbreak, but can I confirm a few details?”
● Silence
○ Many reporters use silence as a technique to get a subject to divulge more
information. If there is a silence within an interview, don’t try to fill it.

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 ● Speculative questions:
○ “If the product was left on store shelves for another day, how many people would
have been affected by the bacteria?”
○ “If the product would have been made in a different part of the facility, would the
cross contamination have happened?”
● Accusatory questions:
○ “Who is responsible for the bacteria getting into the product?”
○ “Who failed to disclose the allergen on the product’s package?”
● “Friendly” questions:
○ “Hey buddy, off the record, how do you think the product got cross
contaminated?”
● Naive questions:
○ “Does Sugar Hi! make anything else besides chocolates?”
● Multiple part questions:
○ “How close of in proximity do you keep products with allergens from other
products, and is that the standard according to the FDA? If the products were kept
far enough apart, how could they be contaminated?”
● False questions:
○ “There were ten people who experienced allergic reactions from the contaminated
product, right?”
○ “Everyone who ingested the product experienced symptoms of salmonellosis,
correct?”

Emergency Personnel and Local Officials

The following is a list of emergency personnel and local officials to potentially notify in the
event of a crisis.

Emergency Personnel

Houma Police Department Louisiana Sheriff’s Department

• Address: • Terrebonne Parish:
500 Honduras Street o Address:
Houma, LA 70360 3441 West Park Ave.
• Phone: (985) 873-6371 Gray, La 70359
• Chief of Police: Dana T. Coleman o Phone: 985-876-2500
o Fax: 985-857-0274

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 FDA Recall Division of Human and Animal Louisiana Poison Center (LSUHSC -
Food Operations East V Shreveport)
● Recall Coordinator: Caitlin • Hotline: 800-222-1222
Almonrode • Address:
● Office Address: 1455 Wilkinson Street
404 BNA Drive, Suite 500 Shreveport, LA 71103
Nashville, TN 37217 • Managing Director: Mark Ryan,
● Phone: 615-366-7859 PharmD
Email: orahafeast5recalls@fda.hhs.gov • Medical Director: Thomas Arnold,
MD, ACMT
• Administrative telephone: 318-813-
3300

Bayou Cane Fire Department Terrebonne General Health System (Hospital)

• Address: ● Address:
6166 W Main Street 8166 W Main St
Houma, LA 70360 Houma, LA 70360
• Phone: (985) 580-7230 ● Phone: (985) 873-4141
Fire Chief: Ken Himel

Elected Officials

U.S. Representatives for Houma Terrebonne Parish State Legislators

● Congressman Garret Graves (House ● Senator Michael Fesi (Senate District
District 6) 20)
○ Contact Webpage: ○ Email: sen20@legis.la.gov
https://garretgraves.house.gov/ ○ Phone: 985-858-2979
contact ● Senator Brett Allain (Senate District
○ Thibodaux Office Phone: 985- 21)
448-4103 ○ Email: allainb@legis.la.gov
● Congressman Steve Scalise (House ○ Phone: 985-850-2738
District 1) ● Representative Tanner Magee (House
○ Contact Webpage: District 53)
https://scaliseforms.house.gov/ ○ Email: mageet@legis.la.gov
contact/ ○ Phone: 985-858-2970
○ Houma Office Phone: 985-
879-2300

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 Other Terrebonne Parish Elected Officials
● Parish President Gordon E. Dove
○ Email: gdove@tpcg.org
○ Phone: 985.873.6401
● Sheriff Tim Soignet
○ Email:
tim@timsoignetforsheriff.com
○ Phone: 985.665.8648
● District Attorney Joseph Waitz
○ Email: joewaitzjr@tpda.org
○ Phone: 985.873.6500

Key Media

In the event of a crisis, local and state news outlets should be notified to spread information. It is
imperative to notify media outlets with complete information in order to relay news concerning
the contamination quickly and prevent the spread of rumors and misinformation. A press release
and announcements for any press conferences should be sent to all of these outlets. (See the Key
Messages section on page 19 for press releases and press conference statement templates.)

Television Stations

HTV (KFOL/KJUN) WWLTV

○ Address: ○ Address:
7938 Main Street 1024 North Rampart Street
Houma, LA 70360 New Orleans, LA 70116
○ Phone: 985-876-3456 ○ News Desk Phone: 529-6298
○ News Email: news10@htv10.tv ○ Fax: 504-529-6471
○ Business Office Email: ○ Website: https://www.wwltv.com
folse10@htv10.tv
○ Website: https://www.htv10.tv

WGNO Fox 8 Local News/WVUE

○ Address: ○ Address:
1 Galleria Boulevard, Ste 850 1025 S. Norman C. Francis
Metairie, LA 70001 Parkway
○ News email: news@wgno.com New Orleans, LA 70125

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 ○ Main phone: 504-525-3838
○ News phone: 504-619-6363
○ Fax: 504-619-6332
○ Website: https://wgno.com
Newspapers
The Daily Comet
○ Address:
1629 Saint Mary Street
Thibodaux, LA 70301
○ Phone: 1-985-448-7623
○ Fax: 985-448-7606
○ Website: https://www.dailycomet.com
The Times Picayune/The New Orleans
Advocate
○ Address:
1010 Common Street
New Orleans, LA
○ Phone: 504-636-7400
○ Email: online@theadvocate.com
○ Website: https://www.nola.com
Radio Stations
Bayou Radio Group
WGUO Gumbo 94.9/ KCIL 96.7
○ Email: fox8news@fox8live.com
○ Main Phone: 504-486-6161
○ News Phone: 504-483-1503
○ Fax: 504-483-1543
○ Website:
https://www.fox8live.com/about-
us/contact-us/
Houma Today
○ Address:
3030 Barrow Street
Houma, LA 70360
○ Phone: 1-985-857-2222
○ Reporter Dan Copp Email:
dan.copp@houmatoday.com
○ Reporter Emily Effinger Email:
eenfinger@gannett.com
○ Website:
https://www.houmatoday.com
Lafourche Gazette
○ Address:
12958 E Main St
Larose, LA 70373
○ Phone: 985-693-7229
○ Reporter Abby Lazard Email:
abbylazard@yahoo.com
○ Website:
https://www.lafourchegazette.com
Entercom Radio of New Orleans
WLMG Magic 101.9/WWL FM
○ Address
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 ○ Address
6282 West Main Street
Houma, LA 70360
○ WGUO Phone: 985-274-0117
○ KCIL Phone: 985-387-4967
○ Email: larryhyatt.lcntv@gmail.com
○ WGUO Facebook Message Page:
https://www.facebook.com/Gumbo949
○ KCIL Facebook Message Page:
○ https://www.facebook.com/96.7KCIL/
○ WGUO Website:
http://gumbo949.com/
○ KCIL Website: http://967kcil.com/
400 Poydras Street, Suite 800
New Orleans, LA, 70130
○ WLMG Phone: 504-526-3000
○ WWL News Phone: 504-593-6397
○ WWL Fax: 504-593-1850
○ Entercom New Orleans Website:
https://entercom.com/markets/neworle
ans/
○ WWL Website:
https://www.audacy.com/wwl
○ WLMG Website:
https://www.audacy.com/magic1019

Website, Blogs, and Social Media

Statements and updates should be posted to Sugar Hi!’s social media and website. Updates
should be posted on platforms in the following order:

● Facebook: Sugar Hi! Candies

● Twitter: @SugarHiCandies
○ Since Twitter has a small character limit, statements posted to Twitter should be
in the form of a well-designed image. The image should be designed enough to
show professionalism while not being over-designed. Too much of a design
element will take away from the statement while giving the impression that the
company is trying to hide something.
● Instagram: @SugarHiCandies
○ Since Instagram is an image-based platform, any statements posted to Instagram
should be well-designed images that signify an official statement. The main idea
of the statement should be stated within the image, and more details should be
included within the caption.
● Website: www.sugarhi.com
○ The recall announcement should be posted to the front page where it can be seen
by the most people. Further information can be posted to a linked webpage on the
site.
● Pinterest: SugarHiCandies

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Key Messages

All messages coming from Sugar Hi! should keep one consistent and clear voice. There should
be no contradicting statements. Communication with the public and the media must be open and
honest, and details should be given to the public and press as they are learned. Any form of
communication from Sugar Hi! should include the following key messages:
● Our number one concern is for those affected by this crisis. The wellbeing of our
customers is our first priority.
● We are sorry that this crisis happened and will work to make it right.
● We do not know how this happened, but we will find out and keep everyone updated with
information as it is given to us.
● We have strict safety procedures when it comes to our products, and we take safety very
seriously. We will use this crisis to learn and further better our procedures.

Sample Press Release

(CONTAMINANT) FOUND IN SUGAR HI! (NAME OF PRODUCT)

Houma, Louisiana, (date)

Sugar Hi! Gourmet Candy Company has found (contaminant) in their product, (product name),
after thorough investigation following reports of customers experiencing (illness/allergic
reaction) after ingesting the product. Sugar Hi! is issuing an emergency recall on the product
with batch code (batch code). The batch tested positive for (contaminant) on (date) at (time), and
Sugar Hi! is instructing customers who are in possession of a contaminated product to not ingest
them and either discard them or return them to the Sugar Hi! facility at 1234 Main Street,
Houma, LA 70360 with proof of purchase from any retailer that sells the product for a full
refund.

All retailers that carry Sugar Hi! products have been informed to remove items from the batch
from shelves, and Sugar Hi! has temporarily shut down production at their facility in order to
further investigate how the (contaminant) entered the batch.

(Number of people affected) have experienced symptoms of (illness/allergic reaction) after

ingesting the contaminated product. There have been no related deaths reported at this time.

How the contaminant entered the batch is currently under investigation, but results will be shared
with the public as soon as they are available. While production from the facility has ceased,
Sugar Hi! will be using information from the investigation of the facility to improve their already

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stringent safety measures. Sugar Hi! is committed to putting public health first and taking
measures to prevent another contamination from occurring.

Sample Press Conference Opening Statement

It came to our attention (when crisis team became aware of incident) that (number of customers
affected) of our customers have (state disease contracted or allergy reaction experienced) after
ingesting a batch of our (product name). After some investigation, we have identified that a
batch of our Assorted chocolates was contaminated with (bacteria name/undisclosed allergen
name) due to (state reason/reasons that are under investigation). We have issued a voluntary
recall of this product and notified all retailers to remove the product from their shelves. The
contaminated product contains the batch code (batch code). All customers are urged to dispose
of products containing this batch code or return them to the Sugar Hi! facility for a full refund.
Do not ingest the product and please seek medical attention if product from this batch has been
ingested. The safety of our customers is of our utmost concern. We want to apologize to all those
who have been affected by the contaminated product and want to assure our customers that we
are sparing no effort in eliminating the (bacteria/allergen) from our facility. We are committed
to providing updated information to the press and the public as it becomes available to us. We
are taking this incident very seriously, and we are determined to use it as a learning opportunity
to better our already strict production standards.

Social media and website home page statement

EMERGENCY RECALL

Sugar Hi! is issuing an emergency recall of (name of product) products with batch code (batch
code) due to the presence of (contaminant). Customers in possession of these products are urged
not to ingest them and to dispose of them promptly. The reason for the presence of the
(contaminant) is under investigation, and we will post details as soon as we know them. We
apologize for the inconvenience and to all those affected. For more details, visit
www.sugarhi.com/recall

Sample Fact Sheet

WHAT IS SALMONELLA?
Salmonella is a bacterium that can sometimes be found in food. When Salmonella contaminated
food or water is eaten, it can cause salmonellosis, a disease in the intestines.

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SYMPTOMS OF SALMONELLOSIS
According to the CDC, symptoms of salmonellosis include:
● Diarrhea (which may be bloody)
● Stomach cramps
● Fever
● Headache
● Vomiting
● Nausea

Symptoms can start within 6 days of ingesting contaminated food, and sometimes symptoms can
be severe. If experiencing severe symptoms, please seek medical attention. If you are unsure if
your symptoms are severe, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/general/salmonella-
symptoms.html to help you determine if you should seek medical attention.

HOW DOES SALMONELLA GET INTO CHOCOLATE?

There are several ways Salmonella can get into chocolate. Salmonella cannot grow in chocolate,
but it can survive well in chocolate. Ways chocolate may become contaminated include:
● Using contaminated milk when manufacturing the chocolate
● Water sources in facilities being unclean or contaminated
● Using contaminated cocoa beans
Sugar Hi! does not manufacture any chocolate. Rather, we use chocolate from a reputable
manufacturer and use it to produce gourmet candy creations.

WHAT ARE SUGAR HI!’S FOOD SAFETY PROCEDURES?

Sugar Hi! follows intense cleaning and food safety procedures including daily inspections,
cleanings and sanitation of the entire facility and its equipment. Some food safety procedures
Sugar Hi! takes include:
● Using reputable sources for all of the raw ingredients we use
● Cleaning and sanitizing all equipment used in the production of our products several
times daily
● Testing the quality and microbial content of our water supply once per month
● Sanitizing the entire Sugar Hi! facility including production areas, sale areas, and office
areas

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