Chipotle Introduces Naturally Raised Chicken in Arizona, Naturally Raised Chicken & Beef in Nevada

DENVER-- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG and CMG.B) is now serving naturally raised chicken in all of its 28 Arizona restaurants, and naturally raised chicken and beef in its seven Nevada restaurants. The naturally raised meats are raised by farmers practicing humane animal husbandry, never given antibiotics or added hormones, and fed a strict vegetarian diet.

“We want to make socially responsible, gourmet food affordable and available, so everyone can eat better,” said Steve Ells, founder, chairman and CEO of Chipotle. “That’s how we’re changing the way the world thinks about and eats fast food.”

Already, Chipotle serves more naturally raised meat than any other restaurant in the world. In fact, Chipotle will serve nearly 40 million pounds of naturally raised meat this year at its more than 670 restaurants across the country. Today, all of its restaurants serve naturally raised pork, while naturally raised chicken is in more than 80 percent of its restaurants, and nearly half of its restaurants serve naturally raised beef. Chipotle began serving naturally raised pork in 2000 and since then has steadily increased the amount of naturally raised meat it serves.

“Chipotle has made it possible for everyday people to vote with their food dollars for high welfare farming,” said Diane Halverson of the Animal Welfare Institute, which certifies animal welfare practices on farms. “Only with examples like Chipotle in place will public officials be swayed to ban bad practices and require welfare practices.”

Chipotle has also been a leader driving change in other parts of the food supply system.

• Most recently, Chipotle became the first national restaurant chain to eliminate rBGH entirely, serving cheese and sour cream made with milk from cows not treated with the synthetic hormone.
• This year, 25 percent of all of the beans Chipotle serves are organically grown. Chipotle began buying organically grown beans in 2004. Initially, 10 percent of all of the beans it bought were organically grown, but that percentage has increased annually as the supply has grown.
• Chipotle eliminated trans fats from its food in 2004, well before it became an industry standard and mandates began forcing restaurants to eliminate trans fat use.

The company’s efforts to drive change extend beyond its commitment to serving sustainably raised food. Chipotle is working to design and construct more sustainable buildings and will open one of the most environmentally friendly restaurants in the country next year. This prototype building near Chicago will include more energy efficient lighting, and heating and cooling systems, many building materials made with recycled content, and its own wind turbine to provide some of its power.

Chipotle is also leading the industry with innovative programs for its people. Through its Restaurateur program, Chipotle is recognizing and rewarding its top managers for developing people and building business at their restaurants. And through its pledge to promote managers from within, it’s creating opportunities for its highest performing crew members to build careers at Chipotle. In just the last year, the company has more than doubled the percentage of internally promoted managers, from about 30 percent a year ago to about 60 percent today.

“Changing the way the world thinks about and eats fast food is a difficult thing to do,” said Ells. “But the more companies that follow our lead, the more impact we can have.”

About Chipotle

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG and CMG.B) offers a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls (a burrito without the tortilla) and salads made from fresh, high-quality raw ingredients, prepared using classic cooking methods and served in a distinctive atmosphere. Through our vision of Food With Integrity, Chipotle is seeking better food not only from using fresh ingredients, but ingredients that are sustainably grown and naturally raised with respect for the animals, the land, and the farmers who produce the food. Chipotle opened its first restaurant in 1993 and currently operates more than 670 restaurants. For more information, visit www.chipotle.com.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chris Arnold, 303-222-5912