Chipotle is hopping on the locavore bandwagon by promising to buy from small to mid-size local farms a significant amount of the produce used at its 730-plus locations. The starting commitment is to source 25 percent of one particular item per season from the locals: Frank Donio Farms, of Hammonton, New Jersey, harvested romaine lettuce and cilantro for New York, New Jersey, and Long Island locations during the program’s yearlong trial run and is currently supplying bell peppers, along with other members of a co-op. Chipotle founder Steve Ells cites Dan Barber as an inspiration, which shows just how powerful the Greenmarket movement has become. If you’re a hard-core locavore, however, take note: Chipotle has deemed beans and avocados too tricky to be grown locally, so hold the guac.
