Chipotle rolls out new protein

A spicy new protein Chipotle previously tested in two U.S. cities last year will soon have a global limited-time launch, the Mexican fast-food chain announced Tuesday.

The new option, chicken al pastor, will become available to Chipotle customers "for a limited time" in the countries where the company has locations, according to the news release. Its addition to Chipotle menus across the world will occur this week. 

The countries where the Mexican fast-food chain’s roughly 3,200 restaurants are located include the U.S., Canada, U.K., France and Germany, the company said.

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Testing of the chicken al pastor by Chipotle previously took place at Denver and Indianapolis-area restaurants. The "strong feedback" it received from that prompted the company into "proceeding with its first global launch plan," the news release said.

"Guests are looking to restaurants for unique menu items they cannot make at home, and al pastor has been gaining mass appeal in recent years," Chipotle Chief Marketing Officer Chris Brandt said. 

Chipotle’s chicken al pastor features flavors of the company’s signature adobe, morita peppers, ground achiote, pineapple, fresh lime and cilantro, the company said. The restaurants will batch-cook the protein in small amounts over the course of the day.

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Chipotle is also doing a promotion in which the company will do free delivery for chicken al pastor orders during a 10-day period spanning March 16-26. To get the $0 delivery fee, customers of participating U.S. locations must buy at least one al pastor entree via the company’s website or app. 

CEO Brian Niccol appeared to foreshadow the chicken al pastor rollout announced Tuesday while speaking with analysts and investors about Chipotle’s fourth-quarter financial results in February. 

"I’m delighted to share that chicken al pastor has been validated and ready to be rolled out in the near future," he said at the time. "This new menu item is operationally simple to execute while still providing a new exciting flavor that drives transactions and sales."

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In February, Chipotle said it experienced an approximately 11% year-over-year increase in total fourth-quarter revenue, with that figure coming in at $2.18 billion. Net income, meanwhile, was $223.73 million, compared to $133.48 million in the same period the prior year.