Chipotle, Like Many Other Businesses

Chipotle ventured into a new territory when it was created, as it had an innovative vision for fast-casual restaurants. By using fresh and quality ingredients, Chipotle raised the bar in their segment. The service line where customers could see their order being prepared enhanced the experience of Chipotle. Consumers who were used to eating at fast-casual restaurants where the food was frozen and made out of sight were able to savor the uniqueness of Chipotle. These differences helped Chipotle become successful. However, as competitors copy the traits that make Chipotle unique, Chipotle must adapt and overcome in order to remain a profitable company.

Additionally, support for local and organic farming has shown a decrease in fast food sales. Recently fast food giant, Mcdonalds, has had to close nearly 700 restaurants due to lack of sales (Wahba). The general public is speaking out more and is stating they want fewer additives and more “real” food to be convenient. According to the WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION “GMO’s or “Genetically Modifies Organisms” are organisms in which the genetic material has been altered in a way that does not naturally occur”. The actual effects of GMO’s in food have had extensive research done to confirm suspicions that they are hazardous to the human body and are not suitable for consumption. Chipotle was the first fast food chain to disclose any artificial ingredients

As we all have a vested interest in the continued success of the company, I think you might find the attached December 16 Chicago Tribune article about the state of affairs at Chipotle somewhat interesting. The e-coli outbreak last year caused a huge setback for the company, but as you are probably aware, they have had a very difficult time recovering. But their stagnant rehabilitation isn’t directly correlated to the stigma left by the outbreak, it’s due to increasingly poor performance and cleanliness standards exhibited at the store level.

Chipotle, on the other hand, “seems to have created a sustainable branding strategy that leverages its good food, humorous ads, distinctive interior design, and in-store world music” (Wikinvest.com, 2010). The company is positioned to capitalize on their organic and farm raised food, and high quality ingredients. “According to the organic Trade Association (OTA), organic food sales are growing at a 20% clip annually in the US, although such food only accounts for 3% of all food and beverage sales” (Wikinvest.com, 2010). Chipotle is also positioned to tap multiple markets: baby boomers who can afford to dine out, Hispanics, two income families who do not have time to cook, and the socially conscious consumer.

Chipotle makes sure that the plants animals are being treated right and are not fed GMOs. Years ago, the carnitas (pork) was removed from restaurants because the animals were not treated right. Our fruits and vegetables are washed and blanched, to remove germs and other harmful bacteria. Our foods and vegetables are hand cut to a certain style. We focus more over quality than with quantity but quantity is still our main concern. We did have a summer rewards program (it was just a test drive. It will be back soon) and we have a few coupons such as the Buy One, Get One Free coupon and the One Free Chorizo coupon. At Chipotle, were always thinking of the customer’s health? From our utensils to our foods, everything has a certain temperature. To make sure that everything is to temperature, we fill out “the Black Book” which is a book that records the temperatures of the foods on the front line, the grill, and the walk-in fridge. These get done periodically throughout the day. Other than temperatures, we have portion sizes to help with your health. Some people may not agree with the portion sizes but portion sizes are here for two reasons; to save food and to not fill you up on so much

One of the biggest epidemics that hit the seen this year is the ongoing e-coil scare that involves six states and 45 people with the fast growing Mexican food chain Chipotle. Currently the Center for Disease Control Prevention has tracked a serious strand of e-coil, to a common meal item or ingredient served at Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants in several states. Out of those 45 people that have came in contact with the strand of e-coil 16 of them have been hospitalized due to the severeness of the strand. This epidemic can be categorized as being serious do to the fact that it has spread over many states and yet it has not been pinpointed to a specific cause.

In Chipotles “The Scare Crow” it shows us the hidden truths of what fast food restaurants are feeding their customers. The commercial not only shows a fantasy world that mocked our real world situations and one of the biggest issues we have. Chipotle sends a message out in this commercial. The message is that they not only want us to be sure of the origin of the food we put in our mouth but also to try and goo back into raising crops and live stock the natural way. They show us this message by exploring our emotions and by giving us a taste of common sense.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of California consumers who bought food from Chipotle after April 27, 2015, says that the advertising campaign is deceptive and misleading because many menu items do contain GMOs and that the plaintiff was injured “by purchasing (or overpaying for) Chipotle’s Food Products” (page 18). and that “[p]laintiff would not have purchased Chipotle’s Food Products (or paid as much for it) had she known the truth” (page 19).

Chipotle is facing numerous challenges due to the fact that E. coli outbreak which requires the corporation from the key stakeholders to keep it under control and apply the new food safety protocols which can aid to bring the regular customers back. Although the main cause remains a mystery, Chipotle’s E. coli outbreak has been authoritatively declared officially over by the experts. However, since the poisoning outbreak, the impact of the reduced number of customers affects the profit which the company used to enjoy before such eventuality (Scholes 27).

This paper explores the mission, vision, values and principles of Chipotle Mexican Grill that guide them in the restaurant industry. Their key mission, vision, and values revolve around providing food with integrity and changing the way people think about and eat fast food. Chipotle’s principles include sticking to the basics of a simple menu and uncomplicated, interactive employee roles.

Chipotle’s is a fast-casual dining concept that has proven people care about their food. Chipotle has been at the forefront of the healthy fast casual concept for years now. They have continually pushed the envelope when it comes to the locally sourced, locally grown movement. Since the launch of Chipotle other companies have tried jumping on board with this movement, some have done well and others not.

Management is the backbone of any good company. In order for a company to successful, a strong management team is needed in order to meet goals in an effective and efficient manner. Chipotle opened its doors in 1993 when Steve Ells took a chance and began his business in San Francisco. Chipotle is a chain of Mexican restaurants that is based in Denver. Chipotle is often cited as the company that started the fast casual movement where customers can get a healthy prepared meal quicker than other traditional styled restaurant. The fast casual restaurant concept was well received and Chipotle’s popularity expanded all across the United States. Customers could not get enough of the Mexican chain and massive lines could be seen stretching outside the stores all across the country. Along with its popular food, Chipotle Mexican Style Grill is a company that contains a successful management style. Why? What sets this companies management apart from the rest? There are many factors that we could analyze to understand the success of Chipotle, yet for the purpose of this paper, we will look into the cooperate culture of the company, human resource management, their leadership style, and how Chipotle deals with and how the company manages in times of crisis.

Steve Ells is the founder and CEO of Chipotle. Steve is a trained chef and opened his first Chipotle store in 1993 at a former Dolly Madison ice cream store in Denver, Colorado. His goal was to serve high quality, delicious food quickly and in a “fast-casual” setting (Ells).

Chipotle Mexican Grill is an American restaurant chain that currently has more than 1700 locations, with most of its locations in the U.S. and several in Canada and Europe. Chipotle has been gradually expanding its international presence since it opened its first location outside the U.S., in Toronto in 2008 (International Strategy, 2015). The restaurant now has 17 locations outside of the U.S. including locations in London, Paris, and Frankfurt. However, like all other international corporations, Chipotle strives to grow its business even further and extend global awareness of its brand. The next step in Chipotle’s global strategic plan would be to venture into new waters and enter Asia. Hence, Chipotle is now analyzing the decision of expanding operations into China.

CMO Mark Crumpacker stated, fast-food marketing typically is a game of trying to obscure the truth; The more people know about fast-food, the less interest they’d want to be a customer. Chipotle’s mission statement “Food with Integrity” reflects its focus on fresh ingredients; great food with a socially responsible message made them one of the first organic oriented fast-food restaurant