Reuters — Chipotle Mexican Grill on Monday said the 46 ingredients used in its roughly 1,800 restaurants were now free of genetically modified organisms, becoming the first major U.S. restaurant chain to make that switch.
U.S. diners, particularly those in the sought-after young millennial generation, are seeking fresh foods that are less processed and more natural or organic. Part of that trend includes GMO-free foods.
GMO advocates have warned that producing foods that are not genetically engineered would increase costs. Chipotle, however, said its move did not result in significantly higher ingredient costs, and it did not raise prices as a result of going GMO-free.
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Some of the most popular U.S. GM crops are corn, soybeans and canola, which are staple ingredients in virtually every type of prepared and packaged food, from soup and tofu to breakfast cereals and chips. The crops’ proponents and critics disagree over the safety, environmental impacts and effectiveness.
“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,” Chipotle CEO Steve Ells said in a statement.
“While that debate continues, we decided to move to non-GMO ingredients.”
The company said its small ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen chain also became GMO-free. The company has also moved to remove tortilla additives such as preservatives and dough conditioners.
Chipotle, which so far in Canada includes seven restaurants, launched a high-profile multimedia campaign in 2013 dubbed “The Scarecrow,” touting the chain’s “naturally raised beef” among its other products, followed by a web TV series, “Farmed and Dangerous,” criticizing production methods of “factory farms.”
— Lisa Baertlein is a Reuters correspondent covering the U.S. food industry from Los Angeles.
