Chipotle Mexican Grill is setting its sights on Asia. The fast-casual burrito chain has signed a joint venture agreement with South Korea’s SPC Group to open its first restaurants in South Korea and Singapore in 2026, marking Chipotle’s debut in Asian markets.
The partnership with SPC Group leverages SPC’s established footprint, SPC operates thousands of food and beverage outlets in Korea and has deep experience bringing international brands to the market. Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright described the move as capitalizing on shifting dining trends, especially in markets where consumers increasingly value variety, convenience, and freshly prepared food.
In all its international expansions, Chipotle intends to bring its core menu—which includes burritos, bowls, tacos, seasoned ingredients and its “real food, prepared quickly” ethos—without major alterations. The open-kitchen and customization model is expected to carry over into its South Korea and Singapore outlets.This Asia foray complements Chipotle’s broader international expansion roadmap: it is already operating in North America and Europe and has recent joint-venture/development deals underway in Mexico and the Middle East. The chain runs over 3,800 restaurants globally and aims to open between 315 and 345 new locations in the U.S. and Canada in 2025, a portion of its growth increasingly weighted toward cross-border markets.
