Chipotle Mexican Grill is catering to customers who’ve made New Year's resolutions.
The Newport Beach, Calif.-based burrito chain on Wednesday launched a selection of Lifestyle Bowls aimed at dieters. The bowls are available exclusively through the chain’s mobile and online ordering channels and are designed to make it easier for such customers to order a diet-friendly option.
The bowls include a Whole30 Salad Bowl with lettuce, carnitas, fajita vegetables, tomato salsa and guacamole; a Paleo Salad Bowl with lettuce, barbacoa, vegetables, green salsa and guacamole; a Keto Salad Bowl with lettuce, carnitas, red salsa, cheese and guacamole; and a Double Protein Bowl with white rice, black beans, chicken, steak, red salsa, lettuce and sour cream.
The bowls represent the latest shift by Chipotle toward marketing specific products over its traditional customization strategy. Nothing, for instance, has stopped keto dieters from making that same salad at Chipotle for years.
They also represent a direct play for a growing group of consumers on specific diet plans—the keto diet in particular exploded in popularity last year, boosted by a group of celebrities who swear by its weight-loss capabilities.
According to the International Food Information Council Foundation, for instance, 36% of Americans are following a specific diet, many of which cut back on carbohydrates and sugar. That includes 7% who are following a paleo diet, 5% doing Whole30, 4% high protein and 3% ketogenic diet.
“Now more than ever, Americans are embracing new and varied approaches to healthy living and wellness,” Chris Brandt, chief marketing officer for Chipotle, said in a statement. “We’ve watched guests custom create lifestyle-specific bowls when ordering in our restaurants, so it made sense to offer delicious options via our online channels that help people easily order bowls with real ingredients that fit their wellness goals.”
The company said it worked with Whole30 co-founder Melissa Hartwig Urban on the Whole30 Bowl.
“We are always looking for ways to make the Whole30 easier and more accessible, and travel has always been a pain point,” she said in a statement. “It’s not always easy to find compliant options on the road.”
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.