Chipotle's Time to Get Its Groove Back

Great article. I would add another piece of advice to Chipotle: Contemporize your ingredients to regain credibility.

Having built the brand largely on the quality of their fresh ingredients advertised ad infinitum, Chipotle lost the trust of the consumer with their safety issues. No focus on sourcing will ever regain that innocence. A focus on new ingredients however would remain consistent with who they were while also leveraging their credit as the brand that broadcast Mexican flavors into the mainstream.

New flavors equate to new experiences. Experimentation is part of customization. Chipotle can offer new buzz-y vegetables, fruits, seasonings and proteins to bring their focus back to ingredients in a new, compelling and trustworthy way. Jicama, guajillo peppers, ancho-orange, prickly pear, plancha, and plantains fit the concept but expand the flavor palate beyond a strict Mexican menu. Consumers are looking for quality more than authenticity.