We were all so excited to hear about vegan burritos that we didn’t notice something more shocking in Chipotle’s annual SEC report: the chain may have to suspend guacamole from its menu, thanks to climate change.
But slow down! You don’t have to start stockpiling guac (yet).
A spokesman for the company told the Huffington Post the concern remains theoretical for now.
Here’s the warning from Chipotle’s report:
Increasing weather volatility or other long-term changes in global weather patterns, including any changes associated with global climate change, could have a significant impact on the price or availability of some of our ingredients. Any increase in the prices of the ingredients most critical to our menu, such as chicken, beef, cheese, avocados, beans, rice, tomatoes and pork, would adversely affect our operating results. Alternatively, in the event of cost increases with respect to one or more of our raw ingredients, we may choose to temporarily suspend serving menu items, such as guacamole or one or more of our salsas, rather than paying the increased cost for the ingredients. Any such changes to our available menu may negatively impact our restaurant traffic and comparable restaurant sales, and could also have an adverse impact on our brand.
