Scott Boatwright, the new CEO of Chipotle, is leading a push to integrate robots into the kitchen and double the number of locations, as part of a broader modernisation strategy.
Scott Boatwright, the new CEO of Chipotle, is spearheading a significant overhaul of the restaurant’s operations, aiming to incorporate robots into the kitchen as part of a broader strategy to modernise the brand. Speaking to Yahoo Finance, Boatwright expressed his commitment to transforming Chipotle’s kitchen, stating, “It is my endeavor to really modernize the kitchen. It’s been exactly the same for 30 years.”
As part of this modernisation effort, Chipotle has set an ambitious target of expanding its locations from the current 3,600 to 7,000. The integration of automation is seen as crucial to achieving this goal. Last year, the company partnered with Hyphen, a firm focused on automating meal preparation in the foodservice sector, to test a digital makeline. This innovative system allows a burrito bowl or salad to glide along a conveyor belt, with ingredients being automatically dispensed, significantly streamlining the preparation process.
Currently, the Hyphen makeline is undergoing testing at select locations in Southern California. According to Boatwright, “Chipotle fully intends to leverage that automation” to fulfil online orders, which constitute 65 percent of bowl and salad sales. The efficiency of Hyphen’s system is noteworthy, capable of completing a bowl in just 30 to 60 seconds. This enhancement would enable staff to devote more time to preparing burritos and addressing in-store orders.
Further innovations being tested include a robot named Autocado, which autonomously peels and cores avocados designated for guacamole, alongside the rollout of produce slicers intended to guarantee uniform cut sizes. These technological strides come as Chipotle navigates customer feedback regarding price hikes and portion sizes. Reflecting on the company’s approach to pricing, Boatwright noted, “We think about value very differently [than competitors] at Chipotle.” He elaborated on this viewpoint by explaining, “I think about it as an equation, as benefit over price. As price moves up, benefit has to improve at the same pace to keep value the same for the consumer.”
The recently announced initiatives signal a significant shift in how Chipotle plans to approach business operations in a competitive marketplace increasingly influenced by automation and efficiency-enhancing technologies.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-ceo-trying-to-keep-robots-away-burrito-assembly-line-2024-12 – Corroborates Scott Boatwright’s commitment to modernizing Chipotle’s kitchen and his emphasis on the human touch in the assembly line.
- https://www.fastcompany.com/91191517/chipotles-new-robot-can-cut-core-and-peel-an-avocado-in-26-seconds – Details the integration of robots like Autocado and the Augmented Makeline in Chipotle’s kitchens to automate tasks such as avocado prep and bowl/salad making.
- https://www.gurufocus.com/news/2632854/chipotle-revolutionizes-kitchens-with-robots-and-expands-global-reach – Supports the expansion plans from 3,600 to 7,000 locations and the role of automation in achieving this goal, including the partnership with Hyphen.
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chipotle-mexican-grill-robots/ – Provides information on the testing of robots like Autocado and the Augmented Makeline in Southern California locations and their impact on efficiency.
- https://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-ceo-trying-to-keep-robots-away-burrito-assembly-line-2024-12 – Discusses customer feedback on price hikes and portion sizes, and Boatwright’s perspective on value and pricing.
- https://www.fastcompany.com/91191517/chipotles-new-robot-can-cut-core-and-peel-an-avocado-in-26-seconds – Explains the efficiency of Hyphen’s digital makeline, which can complete a bowl in 30 to 60 seconds, and its impact on staff workload.
- https://www.gurufocus.com/news/2632854/chipotle-revolutionizes-kitchens-with-robots-and-expands-global-reach – Details the significance of online orders, which constitute 65% of bowl and salad sales, and how automation will help fulfill these orders.
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chipotle-mexican-grill-robots/ – Corroborates the use of robots to ensure uniform cut sizes and the overall modernization strategy of Chipotle.
- https://www.fastcompany.com/91191517/chipotles-new-robot-can-cut-core-and-peel-an-avocado-in-26-seconds – Describes the collaborative robots (cobots) and their role in maintaining Chipotle’s high culinary standards while enhancing operational efficiency.
- https://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-ceo-trying-to-keep-robots-away-burrito-assembly-line-2024-12 – Highlights the importance of human interaction and the ‘theater’ of Chipotle, where human workers perform tasks in view of customers.
- https://www.gurufocus.com/news/2632854/chipotle-revolutionizes-kitchens-with-robots-and-expands-global-reach – Supports the broader strategy of modernization and expansion, including international growth and partnerships like the one with Alshaya Group.
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