Big news, grown from the ground up: Chipotle Mexican Grill’s Cultivate Next venture fund has made a strategic investment in SIMPLi. The investment places SIMPLi among six emerging companies selected by Chipotle for their potential to strengthen agriculture, supply chains, sustainability, food systems, and the restaurant experience. For us, this investment is about more than growth. It is recognition that the future of food starts long before it reaches your plate.
Why Chipotle Invested in SIMPLi
Through its Cultivate Next fund, Chipotle invests in early-stage companies working toward a more resilient, transparent, and sustainable food ecosystem.
Chipotle identified SIMPLi specifically for our work in three areas:
- Supply-chain transparency
- Nutrient density
- Regenerative Organic Certified® sourcing
According to Chipotle's announcement, SIMPLi’s regenerative organic sourcing, third-party nutrient-density testing, and sustainability tracking align with growing consumer demand to understand where food comes from and how it is produced.
We work directly with farmers committed to practices that help rebuild soil, restore ecosystems, and produce exceptional food. By creating shorter, more transparent supply chains, we can connect the people growing our ingredients more closely with the people bringing them home.
What This Investment Means for SIMPLi
Cultivate Next launched in 2022 and expanded to a $100 million investment fund in 2024. Its portfolio companies receive more than capital; they also gain access to Chipotle’s industry expertise, operational insights, and potential collaboration opportunities.
The amount of Chipotle’s investment in SIMPLi has not been publicly disclosed. Its significance, however, is clear.
This support can help us continue working toward:
- Expanding access to Regenerative Organic Certified® pantry staples
- Growing direct relationships with farming communities
- Strengthening traceability from farm to shelf
- Advancing independent nutrient-density testing
- Measuring and communicating environmental impact
- Building supply chains designed for long-term resilience
What It Means for Your Pantry
You should not need a degree in food science or an extra hour at the grocery store to feel good about feeding your family.
Chipotle’s investment helps validate a model in which better outcomes do not begin with more processing. They begin with healthier soil, close farmer partnerships, and crops grown with intention. It can support farming practices that restore the land, supply chains that value transparency, and meals that nourish the people you love.
Chipotle’s investment marks an exciting new chapter, but our purpose remains the same: grow food the right way, honor its origins, and make it easier for more people to bring better ingredients to the table
