Chipotle Mexican Grill was originally opened in 1993, in Denver, Colorado. By 1996, there were eight Chipotle serving the Denver area. Chipotle brings on outside investors in 1998, and by 1999 McDonald’s became Chipotle’s majority holder. The company went public in 2006 and listed under NYSE with symbol: CME. As of Dec 2011, the company operates 1,230 restaurants in the U.S., two in Toronto, Canada, and two in London, England. The founder and CEO, Steve Ells, started with a philosophy known as “Food With Integrity” in 2001. This philosophy encompasses the fact that Chipotle wants to offer food that is “sustainable sources – naturally raised meat – locally or organically grown – and fresh” (Chipotle Mexican Grill, 2009). Always aiming to improve the business, Chipotle has neglected the option to send its brand into the global competitive market due to potential risks involved.
The original strategy was to “demonstrate that food served fast doesn’t have to be a ‘‘fast-food’’ experience. The “Food With Integrity” strategy is a combination of both intended and emergent strategies. The company is on its path of achieving the strategy. For example, Chipotle starts serving all naturally raised pork in 2000; all naturally chicken 2002, and by 2007, 60% of beef supplies are naturally raised. The company also has the ultimate goal of 100% natural beef.
Mission Statement:
Chipotle mission’s statement is “Food With Integrity.” Its primary goal is to serve all naturally raised meats in all restaurants.
Leadership:
Steve Ells is the founder and current Co-CEO of Chipotle. Steve is not a typical CEO with a business degree. He was a cook. He was able to combine his passion for cooking with current trends and continue to improve his product to serve his niche market.
SWOT:
In analyzing Chipotle’s current position to identify the strategies that the company should pursue, a SWOT analysis will give important insight into the business internal