Chipotle Heads to the Middle East

Chipotle Mexican Grill (Newport Beach, Calif.) has signed its first-ever development agreement to open restaurants in the Middle East as part of its accelerating international expansion. In partnership with franchise retail operator Alshaya Group (Kuwait City), the restauranteur will initially open new restaurants in Dubai and Kuwait early next year before expanding further in the region.

“Leveraging Alshaya’s market expertise will enable us to quickly gain access to these vibrant economies,” said Chipotle Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol. “We are excited to offer guests in the Middle East our responsibly sourced, classically cooked real food, and look forward to furthering our purpose to cultivate a better world in this new territory.”

Mohammed Alshaya, Executive Chairman of Alshaya Group said, “We are proud to be Chipotle’s first and only franchise partner, as we continue to enhance our portfolio by bringing world leading brands to our customers across our markets.”

Chipotle’s existing international portfolio of owned and operated restaurants includes 34 locations in Canada; 15 in the United Kingdom with three more opening there this summer; six locations in France; and two in Germany. In North America, the company owns and operates over 3200 restaurants and is targeting 8 to 10 percent growth per year for the foreseeable future, with at least 80 percent incorporating the chain’s Chipotlane drive-through layout. Chipotle plans to open more than 255 new restaurants this year, with a long-term target of 7000 locations in North America.