Chipotle Launches $50 Million Venture Fund to Foster Innovation

Chipotle is launching a $50 million venture fund.

Chipotle Mexican Grill is hoping to revolutionize the restaurant industry.

The quick-service restaurant chain announced the launch of Cultivate Next, a venture fund that will support seed-to-Series B stage companies that focus on increasing technology and innovation in restaurant operations and align with its mission to “Cultivate a Better World.” The fund will have an initial size of $50 million and will be financed solely by Chipotle.

The fund launch comes as the company is continuing its...

Shawarma Press® Named to Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers and Shakers List

Shawarma Press, the first authentic shawarma franchise in the states, has been named to fastcasual.com's Top 100 Movers & Shakers list. Selected annually from thousands of fast casual restaurants nationwide, the list recognizes the industry's most successful brands based on criteria such as profitability, expansion, creativity, and dedication to innovation, leadership, and resilience.

Shawarma Press co-founders Sawsan Abublan and Dr. Ehap Sabri will join other top 100 winners at an awards gala on May 22 at LondonHouse in Chicago. The specific order of the...

Beyond Meat® to Strengthen its Global Innovation Capabilities with New R&D Center

Beyond Meat, Inc., a leader in plant-based meat, today announced that it has finalized the lease for a new, state-of-the-art R&D center in Shanghai, China as part of its larger global expansion strategy. With increased capabilities in science, technology and culinary arts, it will be the company’s first dedicated R&D facility outside of the United States. The facility will serve as a hub for innovation with a world-class team of scientists and researchers focused on developing high-quality...