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WHAT DOES NON-GMO MEAN?

The World Health Organization defines genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as “organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally.” We're actively working to source more chickens that have not been fed any GMO grains.

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Antibiotics Avoided

Avoiding the use of antibiotics in raising meat and dairy animals is part of Chipotle’s award-winning animal welfare standards.

What goes into animal welfare

Our Animal Welfare Program program sets us apart. For us, it means that all cows that produce dairy for Chipotle’s sour cream and shredded cheese are given daily access to pasture, 365 days a year, weather permitting. Our pork program ensures that the pigs are given access to outdoor pasture or are raised in open barns with deeply bedded pens. It’s important to us to support pasture-based systems that provide animals with the ability to roam freely, breathe fresh air, live in natural sunlight, and simply be animals.

Calculating Antibiotics avoided

When you choose Chipotle ingredients over conventional ones, you’re choosing to support the highest animal welfare standards, including the avoidance of sub-therapeutic antibiotics and added hormones. Your Real Foodprint will reflect that, showing you a calculation of how many milligrams of antibiotics were not given to animals as a result of Chipotle’s sourcing practices for ingredients like those in your order.

How We back it up

We partnered with HowGood, an independent research company, with the world’s largest database on food sustainability. They assessed each of our 53 ingredients and compared them to the industry average agricultural impact against five key metrics (reduced carbon emissions, antibiotics avoided, water saved, improved soil health, and supported organic land). For antibiotics avoided specifically, they also relied on these additional resources for measurement.
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World Health Organization United States Food & Drug Administration National Research Council (US) Committee to Study the Human Health Effects of Sub-therapeutic Antibiotic Use in Animal Feeds Journal of Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control

ANIMAL WELFARE

When ordering any dairy or meat at Chipotle, we’ll show you antibiotics avoided as part of your score. We only partner with farmers and ranchers that provide us dairy and meat from animals raised without sub-therapeutic antibiotics.

100% of our chicken, beef and pork has no antibiotics, no added hormones, and iS
humanely raised
100% vegetarian diet for all cows, chicken, and pigs

THE BIGGEST IMPACT

We’re committed to humanely and ethically-sourced ingredients, which means the animals used for our meat and dairy are given no sub-therapeutic antibiotics and no added hormones. Analysis by HowGood, including the Real Foodprint estimate of antibiotics avoided, shows us that these three proteins make the biggest impact.

beef

Our animal welfare standards ensure that all of our cattle get no sub-therapeutic antibiotics. Animals that are sick are treated by a veterinarian and kept apart from the herd.

our Animal Welfare Standards
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Pork

Just like our beef, our pork gets no sub-therapeutic antibiotics ever. They’re also not confined in crates, cages, or stalls—100% of our pork comes from sows raised outdoors or in open barns with deeply bedded pens. A percentage of our pork is also Red Tractor and Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) approved.

our commitment to no antibiotics or hormones
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Chicken

Beyond being raised without any antibiotics, 100% of our chickens are humanely raised and fed a 100% vegetarian diet.

Our American Humane Certified chicken
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Room for Improvement

Chicken is our most-ordered protein, and while all of our chicken is humanely raised without antibiotics and fed a 100% vegetarian diet, we’re continuing to look for ways to improve its impact. Using standards aligned with the new requirements of the Global Animal Partnership's (G.A.P) Standard for Broiler Chickens, Chipotle will work to achieve the following goals by 2024 in the U.S. and Canada, and 2026 in Europe:

  • Improved breeding by transition to genetic strains of birds that will grow slower and allow for better welfare outcomes
  • Provide more space by reducing maximum stocking density to six pounds per square foot
  • Give chickens housing that includes improved lighting, litter, and floor enrichments that allow chickens to express natural behaviors
  • Process chickens in a manner that utilizes a multi-step controlled-atmosphere processing system

REAL CARE COMES THROUGH

Whether it’s the beef for our Carne Asada or the Monterey Jack cheese for our QuesoBlanco, our partner farms do things the right way, even when it’s the hard way.

GRASS VALLEY BEEF

When cattle are raised responsibly with no antibiotics or added hormones, like those from Grass Valley Beef, you can taste the difference.

Watch the Video

MEister Cheese

Together with Meister, a family-owned cheese company, we started the Cows First Program, supporting both of our dreams for a better future for food.

Watch the Video

OTher animal welfare EFFORTS WE'RE MAKING

For meat and dairy products we only partner with farmers and ranchers that meet our highest Food with Integrity standards, like animals raised without sub-therapeutic antibiotics or added hormones. While that means we have to be more choosy about the farms from which we source, it matters. We believe there’s a real connection between how these animals are raised and cared for and their quality and taste.

responsibly raised

Our chicken, beef, and pork is sourced from animals given no sub-therapeutic antibiotics, no added hormones, and that were humanely raised*.

*Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in raising pork and poultry.

a+ Humane society award

In 2020, we were awarded an A+ score on the Humane Society United States’ Food Industry Scorecard, which ranked the animal welfare progress of nearly 100 major food companies. Chipotle is the highest ranked restaurant on the list.

100% Vegetarian Feed

Our feed for all cows, chicken, and pigs is strictly vegetarian.

ANIMAL WELFARE GUIDELINES

We work to avoid confinement of animals throughout our supply chain and set minimum space requirements, from pigs raised outdoors or in deeply bedded pens to cattle that have access to the outdoors (weather permitting).

GFAW Award

The Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards gave Chipotle the Good Sow Commendation in Pig Welfare in 2019.

What is the GFAW Award?

Calculate your real foodprint

Build your favorite Chipotle entrées in our Real Foodprint order simulator and we’ll show you the impact you’re helping to make when you choose Chipotle.

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