Chipotle and a Truly Differentiated Positioning Territory. *Each Monday, Prophet’s Chief Curator and Provocateur, Andy Stefanovich, or a member of our innovation team* shares a Monday on-ramp with Prophet employees across the globe. We’ll begin sharing them here, and encourage you to join the conversation by answering questions and providing your own comments below. Happy Monday! Food with integrity. This may seem like the most unlikely of positionings for a fast-food chain, but one “fast-casual” Mexican restaurant has staked out a territory that is ringing true for many consumers. Chipotle, known for its signature burritos and tacos, is positioning itself as “dedicated to creating a sustainable, healthful and equitable food future.” Chipotle’s higher order purpose is anchored in three areas - local farms, animal welfare and health / nutrition. And each is characterized by a functional and emotional dimension relevant to the restaurant’s core consumer. Local Farmers and Communities. “Each week in America, 330 farmers leave their land.” Chipotle highlights the struggles of small farms, as well as the economic multiplier effect small farms have benefiting local businesses and communities. This year the restaurant increased its goal of using locally grown produce, like bell peppers and lettuce, to 10 million pounds (up from five). “Not only is local produce fresher and better tasting, but it also helps support … regional farming communities around the country,” Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Steve Ells said in a statement. Animal Welfare and the Environment. “More than 97% of US pork comes from confinement methods.” Chipotle buys more naturally raised meat than any other restaurant in the country. By focusing on pasture-raised livestock, the company offers an environmentally friendly alternative to industrial farms. Consumer Health and Nutrition. “Nearly 1/3 of American children are overweight or obese.” Through grants and partnerships Chipotle is helping educate Americans around the “pleasures and benefits of eating well.” Additionally, through its sourcing efforts the company is reducing it’s reliance on processed foods - focusing instead on fresh. By focusing on a higher order purpose, food with integrity, Chipotle has differentiated itself in the crowded fast food marketplace. Its same store sales continue to see year over year growth and the company has expanded to Europe with a flagship store in London. The company is also expanding the positioning of “food with integrity” to other cuisines, opening ShopHouse, a Southeast Asian inspired fast casual restaurant in Washington DC. *This week’s on-ramp was brought to you by Geof Hammond in our Richmond office. 

Chipotle and a Truly Differentiated Positioning Territory.

*Each Monday, Prophet’s Chief Curator and Provocateur, Andy Stefanovich, or a member of our innovation team* shares a Monday on-ramp with Prophet employees across the globe. We’ll begin sharing them here, and encourage you to join the conversation by answering questions and providing your own comments below. Happy Monday!

Food with integrity. This may seem like the most unlikely of positionings for a fast-food chain, but one “fast-casual” Mexican restaurant has staked out a territory that is ringing true for many consumers. Chipotle, known for its signature burritos and tacos, is positioning itself as “dedicated to creating a sustainable, healthful and equitable food future.”

Chipotle’s higher order purpose is anchored in three areas - local farms, animal welfare and health / nutrition. And each is characterized by a functional and emotional dimension relevant to the restaurant’s core consumer.

Local Farmers and Communities. “Each week in America, 330 farmers leave their land.” Chipotle highlights the struggles of small farms, as well as the economic multiplier effect small farms have benefiting local businesses and communities. This year the restaurant increased its goal of using locally grown produce, like bell peppers and lettuce, to 10 million pounds (up from five). “Not only is local produce fresher and better tasting, but it also helps support … regional farming communities around the country,” Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Steve Ells said in a statement.

Animal Welfare and the Environment. “More than 97% of US pork comes from confinement methods.” Chipotle buys more naturally raised meat than any other restaurant in the country. By focusing on pasture-raised livestock, the company offers an environmentally friendly alternative to industrial farms.

Consumer Health and Nutrition. “Nearly 1/3 of American children are overweight or obese.” Through grants and partnerships Chipotle is helping educate Americans around the “pleasures and benefits of eating well.” Additionally, through its sourcing efforts the company is reducing it’s reliance on processed foods - focusing instead on fresh.

By focusing on a higher order purpose, food with integrity, Chipotle has differentiated itself in the crowded fast food marketplace. Its same store sales continue to see year over year growth and the company has expanded to Europe with a flagship store in London. The company is also expanding the positioning of “food with integrity” to other cuisines, opening ShopHouse, a Southeast Asian inspired fast casual restaurant in Washington DC.

*This week’s on-ramp was brought to you by Geof Hammond in our Richmond office. 

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