Chipotle Mexican Grill today announced its first seasonal beverage, Watermelon Limeade, is available for a limited time at all restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, with 5% of profits from its sale of these beverages being donated to causes that support farmers.
A New Flavor of the Season
Harvesting the classic taste of summer, the new Watermelon Limeade from farmer-created Tractor Beverage Co. features the bright and refreshing flavor of sweet watermelon and real lime. Tractor’s Watermelon Limeade is made with all-natural, certified organic, non-GMO ingredients and no additives or preservatives.
Chipotle’s Culinary team partnered with Tractor Beverage to create a Watermelon Limeade recipe that complements Chipotle’s 53 real ingredients1. Watermelon Limeade builds upon Chipotle’s successful organic beverage program with Tractor, offering a new way for fans to experience their go-to order with seasonal flavors. In 2021, Chipotle leveraged its stage-gate process to test Watermelon Limeade in Atlanta, Kansas City, and Orange County, Calif., before deciding on a launch strategy.
“We’re thrilled to introduce our first seasonal beverage with the freshest flavors of summer,” says Stephanie Perdue, Vice President of Marketing at Chipotle. “The consumer response to Watermelon Limeade surpassed expectations as it quickly became our bestselling Tractor Beverage in test markets last year.”
For a limited time, Watermelon Limeade joins Chipotle’s organic beverage lineup of Tractor’s Lemonade, Mandarin Agua Fresca, and Berry Agua Fresca, which are available for dine-in and carry out. Made exclusively for Chipotle, the bottled Tractor Beverage Lemonade and Black Tea are also available for dine-in, takeout, and delivery.
Created by a Farmer, Supporting Farmers
Real food deserves real drinks, which is why Chipotle partnered with Tractor Beverage Co. in 2020 to serve delicious non-GMO, certified organic Lemonades, Agua Frescas and Tea. Tractor Beverages are made with natural, sustainably grown ingredients, meeting Chipotle’s rigorous Food with Integrity standards. The handcrafted recipes are created by a farmer with responsibly sourced ingredients and the same care as Chipotle’s real food.
“Creating real drinks that enhance real food is in our DNA, and this first-ever seasonal collaboration with Chipotle takes that commitment to a whole new level,” says Travis Potter, co-founder of Tractor Beverage. “We’re thrilled to bring the handcrafted flavor and entirely natural ingredients of our Watermelon Limeade to Chipotle’s fans this summer, while working together to support the farmers who make all of our certified organic drinks possible.”
Organic farmer Travis Potter founded Tractor Beverage Co. in 2015 with a simple goal to create better beverages for all. The company’s entire drink portfolio features clean ingredients that deliver on taste and functionality while serving a platform to expand organic farm practices and lead a more sustainable future.
Chipotle’s Commitment to the Ag Community
Beyond Chipotle’s organic beverage program, the brand is committed to sourcing organic ingredients. In 2021, Chipotle purchased more than 40 million pounds of organic and transitional ingredients for its food. Chipotle has also committed $5 million by the end of 2025 to support the future of farming and is helping secure long-term contracts for farmers under the age of 40 who meet its Food with Integrity standards.
Chipotle also supports the National Young Farmers Coalition’s movement to advocate for policy change in the 2023 Farm Bill to facilitate equitable access to up to one million acres of land for the next generation of farmers. To drive awareness and action, Chipotle created an emotionally charged short film, “A FUTURE BEGINS,” to encourage guests to join the campaign to impact the 2023 Farm Bill at WWW.CHIPOTLE.COM/FARMERS. Adding your name will help the National Young Farmers Coalition advocate for Congress to invest $2.5 billion toward securing access to up to one million acres for young farmers.
