Chipotle Mexican Grill arrives in Mexico.
The chain based in California said on Monday that it planned to open a restaurant in Mexico at the start of next year, its first location south of the border during its 30 years of history.
Chipotle is a partnership with Alsea in Mexico City, a company that operates Domino’s, Starbucks, Burger King, Chile and other brands in South America and Europe. Alsea plans to explore an additional expansion in Mexico and other places in the region.
Nate Lawton, director of Chipotle business development, said the company was convinced that its menu would resonate with Mexican guests.
“The country’s familiarity with our ingredients and our affinity for fresh food make it an attractive growth market for our business,” Lawton said in a statement.
But at least one Mexican chain based in the United States had trouble doing it in Mexico. Taco Bell opened a few points of sale in Mexico City in 1992, but they closed in two years. The brand opened another store in Monterrey, Mexico, in 2007, which did not last.
The expansion comes as President Donald Trump Mexican import prices could increase costs for American chipotle locations.
Last week, the US trade department said it plans to withdraw From a 2019 agreement suspending an anti -dumping survey on imports of fresh tomatoes from Mexico. This termination, which should take effect on July 14, means that most tomatoes in Mexico will be subject to a tariff of 20.91%.
Chipotle obtains approximately half of his lawyers from Mexico, but so far, these have not been subject to prices.
Chipotle, founded in Denver in 1993, has 3,700 restaurants and plans to open up to 345 new locations this year.
He focused on the growth of his international footprint. Last year, he joined Alshaya Group to open a restaurant in Kuwait, his first new market in a decade. It now has three restaurants in Kuwait and two in the United Arab Emirates.
