Chipotle Mexican Grill is releasing pollo asado for a limited time only.
Source Chipotle Mexican Grill
Chipotle Mexican Grill announced on Thursday that it is launching pollo asado as its latest menu item in the US and Canada.
Pollo asado is made with grilled chicken, garlic, fresh lime, guajillo peppers, and hand-cut cilantro.
For the first time since its inception, Chipotle has released another chicken variant. Existing adobo chicken is the cheapest meat on the menu and the best-selling protein option.
“Chicken is our most popular protein and many of our most loyal Chipotle customers order it most of the time,” Chief Marketing Officer Chris Brandt said in a statement.
A pollo asado dish will sell for an average US$9.11, 65 cents more than the standard chicken option.
The burrito chain has been testing the pollo asado at dozens of restaurants in Cincinnati and Sacramento since November. Chipotle said reviews and sales of the dough were on par with Smoked Brisket, the chain’s top-selling new menu item in recent memory.
The launch of smoked brisket and pollo asado is part of the company’s broader menu strategy.
The chain is known for its relatively short menu, but under CEO Brian Niccol, it is expanding with limited-life products that draw customers to its restaurants. Prior to taking over Chipotle, Niccol was the chief executive of Taco Bell, which is owned by Yum Brands and is known for its varied menu with many rotating options.
Chipotle shares have fallen 2% over the past 12 months, dropping their market value to $38.9 billion. Despite strong sales growth, investors’ concerns about inflation and wider market volatility weighed on its results.