Blink:

Kudos to Chipotle Mexican Grill. Known for being a technology innovator, they are leveraging their digital expertise to launch Chipotle Virtual Farmers’ Market. The eCommerce platform will create a new revenue stream for their supply chain partners by facilitating direct sales to consumers. Great move Chipotle. A Cut Above!

Read On:

I have been closely monitoring consumer behavior throughout the COVID-19 health crisis via numerous sources. For starters, according to the International Food Information Council’s (IFIC), 85% Americans made changes to how they eat. Specifically, IFIC’s survey revealed consumers will no longer rely solely on restaurants for good food – 60% plan to partake in more home cooked meals. Another major shift was a spike in online sales primarily driven by two demographic groups: Millennials and higher-income consumers. They will continue to adapt to the convenience of digital technologies. eMarketer projects 7.4 million new digital buyers in 2020. Bottomline, this is a great time for Chipotle’s suppliers to sell consumers directly via an eCommerce platform.

One closing thought. The COVID-19 pandemic has made our planet look like a shaken snow globe. Everybody is re-evaluating everything searching for the silver linings. Back in late April I wrote about one silver lining, community, community, community – “To build a better world, start in your community.” Innovative community initiative by Chipotle. They will provide the technology resources and cover their suppliers hosting fees for two years. By doing so, they will help their supply chain partners generate new revenue paths, thus stay the course of sustainable farming practices to better navigate the uncharted road ahead through the new coronavirus world.

Chipotle, A Cut Above!