A chicken burrito, guacamole, a bag of chips and a drink at Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. of El Segundo, California.
Patrick T. Fallon | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Chipotle Mexican Grill said Tuesday it will open a new restaurant in Canada for the first time since 2018 as it accelerates its Canadian expansion over the next 12 months.
The new restaurant will open on March 30. The burritos chain said it will add eight new locations in Canada, including one with a “Chipotlane” to pick up digital orders. Chipotle operates 23 Canadian restaurants, most of which are concentrated in and around Vancouver and Toronto.
“We will be experimenting with different location formats and restaurant designs across the country to measure consumer preferences in the various markets,” CFO Jack Hartung said in a statement.
Chipotle has taken longer than its peers to consolidate its international presence, as it focused on reviving sales in the United States after a series of food-borne disease outbreaks a few years ago plagued its business. Chipotle implemented new security measures and added menu items to attract customers. He has also built several locations with Chipotlanes.
The company has more than 2,750 locations worldwide, most of them in the United States
Chipotle shares have risen more than 5% this year, giving it a market value of more than $ 41 billion. Shares gained 1.6% on Tuesday.