Most product recalls begin before anyone knows exactly what went wrong, leaving leaders to decide what to tell the public long before an investigation explains the cause.
Organic children’s food company Once Upon a Farm, co-founded by Jennifer Garner, is in that position now. On Oct. 30, it recalled every flavor and lot of its Tractor Wheels toddler soft-baked bars after three reports of toddlers choking. The FDA’s advisory describes children suffering complete airway obstruction, with some incidents requiring emergency response and hospital observation.
Three days later, CEO John Foraker told investors the investigation had not yet identified a root cause the company could link directly to those reports. Tractor Wheels made up about 18% of the company’s net sales this year, and its stock fell roughly 37% the next trading day.
For any brand, the stretch between a recall and its answers is where credibility is most exposed.
Explain the Recall Without Downplaying the Risk
Customers can accept uncertainty when a company is clear about where its knowledge ends.
A credible recall announcement draws a clear line between what the company knows and what it is still working to learn. Customers need to hear which products are affected, what the risk is, what they should do right now and what the company is doing to find the cause.
Once Upon a Farm explained that it pulled the entire Tractor Wheels line because it could not yet pinpoint the affected flavors or production lots, giving parents a clear reason for the breadth of the response.
Word choice matters as well, since a phrase like “out of an abundance of caution” can make a danger sound minor when a regulator is describing the same situation in far more serious terms. Company statements should acknowledge the full severity of what has been reported, so customers never feel they have to choose between the brand’s account and the regulator’s.
Be Careful Promising a Fix Before the Cause Is Known
The most durable commitments describe the process that will lead to a solution.
Customers want to know when a recalled product will be safe again. Once Upon a Farm announced a reformulation of Tractor Wheels alongside its recall, and Foraker later said retailers expect the bars back on shelves once the matter is resolved.
A commitment to a fix can reassure customers, though announcing one before the cause is known carries real risk. If the investigation points somewhere unexpected, the company may have to revise its plan in public.
Brands stand on firmer ground when they explain how the fix will be found, including who is reviewing the product and what standard it must meet before it returns. Once Upon a Farm has said a third party is assessing the recalled bars and that any safety changes will be validated before the bars return to shelves. Details like these give customers a way to measure progress without the company promising answers it does not yet have.
Keep Customers and Retailers Updated Throughout the Recall and Investigation
A predictable update schedule keeps people from filling the silence on their own.
Long gaps between updates invite speculation, so brands should tell customers and retail partners when the next update will come and deliver it on schedule, even when the only news is that the investigation continues.
Frontline partners need preparation of their own, since store employees and customer service teams are often the first people a worried parent talks to. Once Upon a Farm gave retailers in-store notices, call scripts and a hotline, and it added temporary consumer relations staff for families. That groundwork keeps the message consistent everywhere customers encounter the brand.
Public companies face an added constraint, since earnings schedules can limit what leaders say between formal announcements. Once Upon a Farm has said it will share further updates with its third-quarter results on Nov. 12. Recall pages and customer emails should still carry new safety information as soon as it is confirmed, so families never wait on an earnings call for guidance.
Trust Is Earned Before the Answers Arrive
The weeks without answers often decide whether customers believe the final ones.
Most recalls eventually reach the point where the cause is known and the fix is in place, and how customers feel at that point depends largely on how the company communicated while it lacked those answers. Brands that share verified facts on a predictable schedule, stay honest about the risk and are specific about what remains unknown give customers reason to believe them when the final answers come.
Crisis PR firms like Red Banyan help companies prepare for that period before a crisis begins and guide their communications when a recall is already underway.
Once Upon a Farm Recall: Frequently Asked Questions
Once Upon a Farm recalled all flavors and lots of its Tractor Wheels toddler soft-baked bars on Oct. 30, 2026, after three reports of toddlers choking. The FDA advised families to return the product for a refund or throw it away.
It should explain what is affected, what the risk is and what customers should do, while being specific about what remains under investigation.
A company should set a predictable schedule and tell customers when to expect the next update, since regular updates reduce speculation even when they are brief.
A company can commit to fixing the problem, though promising a specific solution or timeline too early can force a public revision if the investigation changes course. Explaining who is reviewing the product and what standard it must meet before returning gives customers a commitment the company can keep.
