DENVER, CO - Chipotle is reaffirming its commitment to serving customers fresh, local produce with plans to increase its purchases of locally grown bell peppers, cilantro, red onions, jalapeno peppers, oregano, romaine lettuce and tomatoes to over 20 million pounds in 2014. This represents a 33% increase from last year's produce orders. By coordinating purchases with over 45 local farms spaced across the United States so that none will be farther than 350 miles away from the location it will be servicing, Chipotle has drastically increased the amount of locally sourced produce it sells since first starting the program in 2008.
“We are changing the way people think about and eat fast food,” said Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle. “That means pushing ourselves to find the best quality ingredients – ingredients that have traditionally been available only in high-end restaurants and specialty food markets – and making them available in a way that is accessible to really mainstream customers.”
A 2014 National Grocery Association panel showed that 87% of consumers consider it 'very/somewhat important' to have locally grown produce and packaged food choices available to them. This is an 11% increase from when the study was last conducted in 2009.
Recognizing this growing market demand early on, Chipotle was among the first to make locally grown choices available to consumers when going out to eat.
Chipotle also prides itself on its organic food selections. According to a press release, Chipotle restaurants use 2 acres of organic cilantro every day, along with 7 million pounds of organic black beans and 1.2 million pounds of organic wheat each year. In addition Chipotle is the leading provider of Responsibly Raised® meat among all US restaurant companies and ensures that its dairy products are free of the synthetic hormone rBGH and come from pasture-raised cows.
