Chipotle announced its latest minority investments as part of its Cultivate Next Venture Fund, including Plantible, a Texas-based biology company that uses duckweed to create a plant-based protein, and CH4 Global, an Australian-based company that scales production of Asparagopsis seaweed to reduce enteric methane emissions of cattle.
Plantible, founded in 2018, has developed a vertically integrated manufacturing platform to produce Rubi Protein from Lemna, more commonly known as duckweed. Rubi Protein is a natural, plant-based protein that can mimic the texture of animal-based proteins and can replace synthetic emulsifiers and binders. According to Plantible, its manufacturing technology harnesses the aquatic growth of Lemna, limits fresh water usage through recirculation, and minimizes carbon emissions through an efficient growing process.
“Plantible’s vertically integrated and traceable supply chain aligns with our commitment to ingredient transparency and Food with Integrity standards,” Chipotle’s chief customer and technology officer Curt Garner said in a statement. “Investing in a like-minded venture that strives to transform the global food supply could help the entire industry unlock new opportunities for plant-based menu offerings.”
CH4 Global’s mission is to deliver gigaton-scale emissions reductions over the next decade using whole, dried Asparagopsis seaweed targeting livestock methane. The company's flagship product, Methane Tamer, is a feed additive that uses the algae with a goal of reducing methane emissions in cattle by up to 90%. Chipotle’s investment will help CH4 Global scale production of Methane Tamer to meet the growing demand for natural solutions to methane emissions from cattle.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, a fully developed cow can emit up to 500 liters of methane each day, which accounts for approximately 3.7% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Chipotle’s investment will help the company scale even further to meet the global demand to mitigate such emissions.
“As we all work toward the goal of minimizing global greenhouse gas emissions, it’s vital for us to invest in companies like CH4 Global that are engineering scalable solutions to reduce harmful global emissions,” Cultivate Next Fund Manager Christian Gammill said in a statement. “Our investment in CH4 Global will help the team scale production of Methane Tamer to meet its current outstripped demand.”
Chipotle’s Cultivate Next venture fund was introduced in 2022 to provide early-stage investments to companies that align with the chain’s mission. Prior investments include fast casual Mediterranean concept Brassica, GreenField Robotics, Hyphen, Meati Foods, Zero Acre Farms, Vebu, and more.
Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]
