CALIFORNIA, USA – Chipotle Mexican Grill announced it is bringing back Carne Asada to restaurants across the US for a limited time. The premium steak option will also return to the menu in Canada and make its debut in France, where it will become Chipotle’s first new protein introduced in the European market.
Chipotle’s Carne Asada is grilled fresh in small batches, seasoned with a blend of signature spices, hand cut into tender slices, and is finished with fresh squeezed lime and hand-chopped cilantro. The protein is officially approved for the Whole30® program and is compliant with Keto and Paleo diets.
“To bring back Carne Asada to our menu, we underwent an extensive vetting process to find more suppliers that meet our stringent Food with Integrity standards,” said Chris Brandt, Chief Marketing Officer. “Our fans love our Carne Asada because they can taste the care and culinary expertise that goes into this recipe from farm to bowl.”
Carne With Integrity
Only 5 percent of US beef meets Chipotle’s strict sourcing standards for Carne Asada, which means it comes from animals given no antibiotics or added hormones and that are raised responsibly. To grow its Carne Asada supply chain without sacrificing its Food with Integrity standards, Chipotle has taken on a year-long mission to partner with new farmers, ranchers, and other suppliers whose practices emphasize quality and responsibility.
Chipotle is committed to Food with Integrity because it understands the direct connection between how food is raised and prepared, and how it tastes. The brand is proud to be the only national restaurant group to receive an A+ rating from the Humane Society Food Industry Scorecard.
The Rollout
Chipotle’s more than 16 million Rewards members in the US will get exclusive access to Carne Asada on September 22 and September 23 via the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com.
From September 24 through September 27, the premium protein will be available as a digital-only menu item for all fans via the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com.
Starting September 28, Carne Asada will be available in-restaurant and across all digital channels including third-party delivery services.
A Storied Run
Available from late 2019 to early 2020, Carne Asada was Chipotle’s fastest-selling new protein launch in history and up to four times as popular as Chipotle’s previous limited-time protein offering. More than 10 million fans tried Carne Asada when it was first available, and the brand estimates that nearly half of those customers were first time guests at Chipotle.
