Case study Mexican Grill
Chipotle Mexican Grill is a public company listed on the NYSE,
founded in 1993. The highly recognizable bran dis prolific in the United
States with 837 company-operated units as of the end of 2008. There i
sone operating store in Toronto as of this time, which represents the
only non-U.S. concern. There are plans to open about 120 new stores in
2009. Even though there are quite a few U.S. states in which the firm
has no locations, the management team has been seriously considering
an international expansion program.
Assume you have been retained by the top management team of
Chipotle to evaluate its international expansion options. Management
has concluded that the following options are the most promising:
1. Continue expansion throughout the United States
2. Expand into Mexico
3. Increase expansion throughout Canada
4. Expand to the United Kingdom
Working in teams, select one of the four options. Identify the factors
that work either in favor of or against your strategy. Each team must
prepare a strategy for expansion. Each team is to prepare a presentation
highlighting the strategic advantages and disadvantages of their
assigned country´s opportunities and threats as regards expansion
potential. Each team must also decide which corporate level strategy
should be utilized if their country expansion were chosen and why.