As if we needed another reason to love Chipotle, the feel-good fast-food chain has just debuted a dish that can appeal to the growing no-meat and no-dairy crowd.
And it's not a boring salad. And it isn't genetically modified. Sofrita is a spicy, shredded and, most importantly, organic and non-GMO tofu alternative to their meaty toppings (beef, pork and chicken) that the chain added to its menus in the chain's Pacific Coast stores this week. When paired with brown rice and veggies, Sofritas contain significantly fewer calories than most of Chipotle's meat options. The new meatless burritos and burrito bowls are already driving 5 percent of sales and will be rolled out nationwide in the next few months.
Chipotle reps say the chain is trying to expand its offerings for the 50 percent of Americans who say they eat at least one vegan or vegetarian meal a week. And it doesn't hurt that the largest—and perhaps wealthiest—demographic group in the U.S., the Baby Boomers, also comprises the largest percentage of vegetarians in this country. Regarding the Sofrita: "We created it because we wanted to give another option to our vegetarian/vegan customers, but also we wanted it to be something that would appeal to people who just want a nice healthy alternative," a Chipotle spokesperson told Rodale News.
The chain recently made waves by being the first fast food company in the U.S. to label GMOs.
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