Chipotle’s menu officially GMO-free

Unprecedented decision gives company fresh ammunition to use against fast-food rivals

NEW YORK— Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has eliminated genetically modified (GMO) food from all its ingredients, an unprecedented move for a national U.S. restaurant chain that may give it a marketing edge over fast-food rivals.

The company, which began labelling its GMO ingredients two years ago and vowed to remove them, has now taken the final step of stripping them from tortillas and cooking oil. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said that GMOs are safe, they have been increasingly targeted by consumer activists. Vermont recently became the first state to require the labelling of genetically modified ingredients.

“There is a lot of debate about genetically modified foods,” Steve Ells, co-chief executive officer of Chipotle, said in a statement. “Though many countries have already restricted or banned the use of GMO crops, it’s clear that a lot of research is still needed before we can truly understand all of the implications of widespread GMO cultivation and consumption. While that debate continues, we decided to move to non-GMO ingredients.”

The move coincides with a Chipotle marketing campaign that will tout its use of simple, unprocessed ingredients. Removing the remaining GMOs from its menu gives the company fresh ammunition as Chipotle criticizes the food of rival chains.

“There are more than 800 artificial ingredients, preservatives and processing aids used in processed foods,” said Mark Crumpacker, Chipotle’s chief creative officer. “In fact, there are 85 ingredients in a single fast-food burrito served by one of our competitors.” The push to remove GMOs has come at a price, though. Chipotle said last week that it’s spending on tortillas has increased, adding to its escalating meat costs. The company warned that it may have to raise beef prices 4 per cent to 6 per cent as soon as the third quarter, following another price hike last year.

Eschewing GMOs also limits Chipotle’s pool of suppliers. The company has struggled to keep items in stock, with a shortage of pork this year leading to “rolling blackouts” of the carnitas at its restaurants.