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Chipotle takes another step toward helping young farmers

Chipotle executive Haris Khan advises Alexander McCoy, founder and CEO of American Ostrich Farms, during the 2019 Chipotle Aluminaries bootcamp. Provided.

January 29, 2020

Chipotle Mexican Grill has rolled out the second phase of its missionto help young farmers succeed in America. The Chipotle Aluminaries Project 2.0, an accelerator program designed to support companies offering solutions to common problems that plague agriculture — such as lack of access to land, finance and labor — is accepting applications now through March from farmer-focused companies that stand to gain eight months of customized support and mentorship.

Sponsored by the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation in partnership with Uncharted, a social impact accelerator that scales solutions to pressing problems of this generation, the program will also consider solutions in AgTech, education and wellness that focus on the next generation of farmers, Laurie Schalow, chief corporate reputation officer, said in the release.

"As an organization that prioritizes corporate citizenship, Chipotle acknowledges that no one individual or company can cultivate a better world on their own," she said. "American farming is at a crossroads and we must work together to identify solutions to overcome its great challenges."

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farm debt is projected to hit a record $416 billion, up almost 40% since 2012.  Many small and mid-size farmers committed to farming in an ethical and sustainable way need help to have a chance to succeed — both for the sake of the future of real nutritious food and the communities that rely on those farms.

In December, Chipotle announced that it was implementing a scalable solution to these challenges via three-year contracts through approved suppliers, seed grants and increased local sourcing. Over the last month, Chipotle has donated over $385,000 to the National Young Farmers Coalition to help farmers during this steep agriculture downturn. 

The perks
The selected ventures will receive support and mentorship from industry leaders, including Seth Goldman, founder of Honest Tea; Ken Meyer, former Global VP of Whole Foods Market; Robyn O'Brien, co-founder of rePlant Capital and Brian Irving, CMO of Eventbrite; as well as Chipotle executives.

The winners will participate in a five-day, in-person summit hosted by Chipotle in Newport Beach, California with direct access to mentors who will focus on key areas of scale like strategy, leadership, finances and systems. Attendees will also receive individualized investor introductions throughout the program and Chipotle VIP cards, which will provide real food to fuel work sessions all year long.

In 2019, Chipotle selected eight growth-stage food-focused ventures to participate in the inaugural program, including AgVoice, American Ostrich Farms, Asarasi, GrubTubs, ImpactVision, Novolyze, Rex Animal Health and Sophie's Kitchen Plant-Based Seafood.

"The Aluminaries Project is the first accelerator program we've seen that emphasizes the accelerations of sustainable business practices," Eugene Wang, founder of Sophie's Kitchen Plant-Based Seafood, said in the release. "As mission-driven entrepreneurs, we believe this program helped us strengthen our value and stay true to our purpose."

Companies interested in applying for the project can find more information and apply at uncharted.org/program/chipotle-aluminaries-project-2.