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Chipotle's Cultivate Next fund invests in aquatic plant-based technologies that aim to emulate animal protein and scale more sustainable cattle feed.
January 20, 2025
Chipotle Mexican Grill announced it is making minority investments in Plantible, a company harnessing the power of Lemna, an aquatic plant, to create a functional plant-based protein, and CH4 Global, a company focused on methane-reducing innovations to help address climate change. Launched in 2022, Cultivate Next makes early-stage investments in companies that align with Chipotle's mission to Cultivate a Better World and support its long-term growth plans to operate 7,000 restaurants.
Founded in 2018, Plantible has developed a vertically integrated manufacturing platform to produce Rubi Protein from Lemna, commonly known as duckweed. Rubi Protein is a natural, plant-based protein that mimics the quality, taste and texture of popular animal-based proteins and can replace synthetic emulsifiers and binders. By leveraging Rubi's functional and nutritional profile, Plantible aims to help build a healthier, allergen-friendly food system. Its manufacturing technology harnesses the aquatic growth of Lemna, using minimal fresh water through recirculation and minimizing carbon emissions through its efficient growing process.
"Plantible's vertically integrated and traceable supply chain aligns with our commitment to ingredient transparency and Food with Integrity standards," said Curt Garner, chief customer and technology officer at Chipotle. "Investing in a like-minded venture that strives to transform the global food supply could open up new opportunities for plant-based menu offerings."
Plantible has developed a vertically integrated manufacturing platform to produce Rubi Protein from Lemna, more commonly known as duckweed. Photo: Chipotle
CH4 Global is focused on providing scalable solutions to reduce methane emissions from livestock. The company's flagship product, Methane Tamer, is a feed additive made from Asparagopsis seaweed, designed to reduce methane emissions in cattle by up to 90%.
Chipotle's investment will help CH4 Global scale production of Methane Tamer to meet growing global demand for natural solutions to mitigate methane emissions from the world’s 1.5 billion cattle.
In addition to reducing methane output, Asparagopsis may also improve feed efficiency, helping cattle absorb more energy and nutrition from the same amount of food. This can lead to better growth and milk production while reducing environmental impact.
"As we all work toward reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, it's important to support companies like CH4 Global that are developing scalable solutions to address this challenge," said Christian Gammill, Cultivate Next fund nanager. "Our investment in CH4 Global will help the team scale production of Methane Tamer to meet its growing demand."
CH4 Global's Methane Tamer is a feed additive that leverages Asparagopsis seaweed, with a goal of reducing methane emissions in cattle by up to 90%. Photo: Chipotle
Chipotle's Cultivate Next venture fund portfolio includes: Brassica, CH4 Global, GreenField Robotics, Hyphen, Local Line, Lumachain, Meati Foods, Nitricity, Plantible, Vebu, and Zero Acre Farms. Companies interested in collaborating with Chipotle through the Cultivate Next venture fund can apply by emailing [email protected].
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