Chipotle Mexican Grill will expand its local produce program this summer, purchasing at least 35 percent of at least one bulk produce item in all of its restaurants from local farmers when it is seasonally available. This represents a 10 percent increase over last year’s program, the first of its kind for any national restaurant chain.

    Under its local produce program, Chipotle expects to have more than 25 local farms in its network that will supply some of the romaine lettuce, green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, red onions and/or oregano served at the 860-plus Chipotle restaurants nationwide.

 

According to a survey commissioned by Chipotle and conducted by Harris Interactive, consumers say that sourcing their food locally is becoming increasingly important for them; half of adults (51 percent) say that it is important for restaurants and markets in their local area to purchase produce and other ingredients from local farms in their area. Additionally, a majority of adults (52 percent) are likely to dine at restaurants that purchase produce from farms in their local area.

    In addition to its commitment to serving locally grown produce, Chipotle serves more naturally raised meat (from animals that are raised in a humane way, never given antibiotics or added hormones, and fed a pure vegetarian diet) than any restaurant in the world. This year, about 35 percent of all of its beans will be organically grown, and all of the dairy (cheese and sour cream) it serves is made with milk from cows that are never given the synthetic hormone rBGH.