Chipotle to open new restaurant called Farmesa focused on healthy bowls
Chipotle Mexican Grill is launching a spinoff restaurant, Farmesa, that will serve up customizable bowls focusing on healthier foods, the fast-casual chain announced Wednesday.
Farmesa won't have a dining room and instead will take orders for takeout or delivery. Chipotle is testing the spinoff in Santa Monica, California, in partnership with "ghost kitchen" company Kitchen United Mix. The restaurant is set to debt later this month with a limited menu and hours ahead of its official opening in March.
Customers can place orders on-site, place pickup orders through Farmesa's test kitchen website or order delivery through apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats. If the concept proves successful, Chipotle plans to expand Farmesa by opening other brick-and-mortar locations, a company spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch. She did not disclose other potential markets.
Farmesa's main menu offering is a bowl composed of a protein, veggies or grains accompanied by two sides, which can be topped with one of five sauces and an additional topping. Prices will range from $11.95 to $16.95.
Nate Appleman, a 2009 winner of the James Beard award, designed the spinoff's health-focused menu, which will also feature 100% certified organic, non-GMO and all-natural drinks from Tractor Beverage Co.
Farmesa's launch comes as Chipotle aims to cater to health-conscious customers, who are gravitating toward more wellness-focused food choices. In January, Chipotle debuted a menu of seven lifestyle bowls with more balanced nutritional profiles than the chain's largely highly caloric existing offerings.
"One of our strategic objectives is to create or invest in emerging culinary spaces and restaurant concepts that fit within Chipotle's food with integrity mission and make fresh food daily," Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol said in a statement.
Chipotle previously made forays into new cuisines through spinoff restaurants. In 2011, the company opened Asian ShopHouse, a restaurant chain specializing in Southeast Asian cuisine, which was followed by burger-and-fries joint Tasty Made's launch in 2016. Both restaurants closed their doors in 2017.
