CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL DONATES 1,500 TOMATO PLANTS TO COMO PARK ZOO GUESTS

On June 14, Chipotle will hand out Laughing Loon Farm Roma tomato plants to kick off the zoos Chipotle Edible Garden

WHO: Chipotle (Chi-POAT-lay) Mexican Grill, the chain of burrito restaurants committed to serving food made from sustainably raised ingredients; Laughing Loon Farm, the local and sustainable vegetable and herb farm; and all Minneapolis burrito, fresh produce and food lovers.

WHAT: On Friday, June 14, Chipotle will be purchasing and giving away Laughing Loon Farm Roma tomato plants to the first 1,500 children who enter the gates of Como Zoo Parks Incredible Edible Garden.

The celebration will mark this seasons kickoff of Chipotles sponsorship and the opening of the Incredible Edible Garden, the zoos exhibit for visitors of all ages designed to teach about planting and preparing foods that can be grown at home. All tomato plants purchased by Chipotle are locally grown by Dayna Burtness of Laughing Loon Farm, the local and sustainable vegetable and herb farm.

WHEN Friday, June 14, 2013 beginning at 10:00 a.m.; while supplies last

WHERE: Como Zoo and Conservatory

1225 Estabrook Drive

Saint Paul, MN 55103

WHY: As part of its ongoing community efforts, Chipotle often supports like-minded local organizations, including sustainable farms in and around Minneapolis. Just as Laughing Loon Farm places high importance on sustainably-minded practices and harvesting quality produce, Chipotle maintains a commitment to supporting sustainable food choices by purchasing only the best ingredients possible, including locally grown produce, when available, as well as some organic options. Chipotle menu items are all made with premium quality ingredients from more sustainable sources, including naturally raised meats, local and organically grown veggies, and cheese and sour cream made with milk from cows that are never treated with the synthetic hormone rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone.)

MORE ABOUT

CHIPOTLE: Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO, started Chipotle with the idea that food served fast did not have to be a typical fast food experience. Today, Chipotle continues to offer a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls (a burrito without the tortilla) and salads made from fresh, high-quality raw ingredients, prepared using classic cooking methods and served in a distinctive atmosphere. Through our vision of Food With Integrity, Chipotle is seeking better food from using ingredients that are not only fresh, but thatwhere possibleare sustainably grown and naturally raised with respect for the animals, the land, and the farmers who produce the food. A similarly focused people culture, with an emphasis on identifying and empowering top performing employees, enables us to develop future leaders from within. Chipotle opened with a single restaurant in 1993 and currently operates more than 1,450 restaurants. For more information, visit Chipotle.com.

CONTACT: Caren Leonard, Wagstaff Worldwide Chicago: 312-943-6900 / caren@wagstaffworldwide.com

###