Chipotle's Sour Cream From Pasture-Raised Cattle

The animals must also have access to shelter, housing or windbreaks that provide adequate protection from the elements.

Chipotle Mexican Grill announced that it has reached a milestone in its effort to serve sour cream and cheese made with milk from pasture-raised dairy cows. Beginning this month, 100% of the sour cream served in its restaurants is produced with dairy from pasture-raised cattle. Under this protocol, cows have daily access to outdoor pastures, are never given added hormones, and are fed an all vegetarian, plant-based diet. 

The animals must also have access to shelter, housing or windbreaks that provide adequate protection from the elements.

According to Farm Sanctuary, a leading farm animal protection organization, three out of four dairy cows in the United States never graze in pasture, and a significant amount of dairy cows are denied routine access to the outdoors.

Chipotle serves all naturally raised meat – from animals that are raised in a humane way and never given antibiotics or added hormones – in all of its restaurants.

Chipotle’s pasture-raised dairy protocol states that dairy cattle must have regular access to pasture and that all natural resources, including plants, soil and water, must be sustainably managed. The animals must also have access to shelter, housing or windbreaks that provide adequate protection from the elements.

In addition to its sour cream, 65% of the cheese served at Chipotle restaurants is produced with dairy from pasture-raised cows.