Chipotle Mexican Grill is testing plant-based chorizo at locations in Denver and Indianapolis. This is the company’s first new plant-based protein option since the debut of sofritas in 2014.
The plant-based chorizo is made with Ancho Chili and Chipotle peppers, ripe tomato paste, crushed garlic, Spanish smoked paprika, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and a natural protein sourced from freshly grown peas.
"Plant-based lifestyles have continued to accelerate in popularity, and as a longtime leader in the category, we are exploring ways to give more variety to our fans," said Chris Brandt, chief marketing officer, in a statement. "We used real ingredients to create a plant-based protein with a deep, rich chorizo flavor that can be enjoyed by everyone."
Ongoing menu innovation continues to be a top priority for Chipotle and the brand is leveraging its stage-gate process to listen, test, and learn from customer feedback, and iterate before deciding on a national launch strategy for plant-based chorizo.
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Image: Chipotle Mexican Grill