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Chipotle looking to mentor 8 restaurant start-ups

August 24, 2018

Chipotle Mexican Grill has launched an initiative to mentor start-up restaurants that share its vision of "cultivating a better world."

The Chipotle Aluminaries Project is a 7-month-long accelerator program that will provide mentorship and direct coaching from world-renowned industry leaders, said Brian Niccol, chief executive officer at Chipotle.

"Chipotle has been committed to the future of food with integrity since opening our first restaurant 25 years ago," he said in a company press release. "Since then, Chipotle and its Foundation have changed how customers and the industry think about food, which is part of our mission to cultivate a better world. By sponsoring the Chipotle Aluminaries Project, we're looking to advance the work of the next generation of entrepreneurs who are disrupting the food landscape. Are you using technology to make an impact? Are you dreaming up the next sustainable food innovation? If so, we want to support you and help share your story."

Beginning Sept. 12, food-focused companies may submit applications to be one of eight applicants chosen by Uncharted — the non-profit 501 partner selected by the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation to host and run the accelerator.

The Chipotle Aluminaries Project is seeking applicants (both for and non-profits) in the areas of alternative farming and growing systems, farming and agriculture technology, food waste and recovery, and plant and alternative products. Winners will participate in a five-day, in-person boot camp in Newport Beach, California, with direct coaching to build their plan for scale. Plus, they will receive real food to fuel late work-nights with monthly Chipotle catering for their office and a Chipotle celebrity card, because Chipotle believes these entrepreneurs deserve celebrity status.

They'll  receive support and mentorship from hand-selected industry leaders including:

• Richard Blais, a successful chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, television personality and winner of Bravo's Top Chef All-Stars.
• Kimbal Musk, an entrepreneur, philanthropist and restaurateur who sits on the boards of directors of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Tesla Inc. and SpaceX.

Ventures will also work closely with Chipotle execs such as:

• Curt Garner, chief digital and information officer at Chipotle.
• Caitlin Leibert, director of sustainability at Chipotle.
• Laurie Schalow, chief communications officer at Chipotle.
• Tressie Lieberman, vice president of customer engagement marketing at Chipotle

"The Chipotle Aluminaries Project is part of a fresh perspective from the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, which we founded in 2011 to extend our commitment to creating a more sustainable food future," said Caitlin Leibert, director of sustainability at Chipotle. "Chipotle believes that philanthropy is more than check cutting, and this is the first of many efforts from the Cultivate Foundation of investing in new ways."