SAN JOSE, Calif.–Hyphen, a foodservice company that automates meal production and augments labor with its Makeline and KitchenOS, announced a strategic investment from Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) via its Cultivate Next venture fund. Tiger Global and existing strategic investors also participated in the financing. Chipotle’s investment in Hyphen will fuel R&D, accelerate hiring plans, and expand Hyphen’s field support capabilities.
Chipotle’s $50 million Cultivate Next fund was designed for strategic investments in companies looking to create meaningful improvements at scale, and Cultivate A Better World. This aligns well with Hyphen’s mission and focus, which starts with its automated makeline. Hyphen’s makeline assembles meals in seconds, plates perfectly, and portions accurately so customers get their food fresh, fast, and consistent. Hyphen’s KitchenOS allows chefs to develop recipes and push new menus to a fleet of restaurants via over-the-air updates.
“Hyphen is reimagining the intersection between makelines and digital kitchens, with a focus on improving speed and order accuracy,” said Curt Garner, Chief Technology Officer at Chipotle. “Their use of robotics to enhance the employee and guest experience aligns with the mission of the Cultivate Next venture fund as it leverages emerging technology to increase access to real food.”
“Chipotle’s investment in Hyphen will accelerate our hiring plans; allowing us to invest more heavily in R&D, all while providing the necessary infrastructure to scale sustainably,” said Stephen Klein, Co-founder and CEO of Hyphen. “We’re thrilled to work with Chipotle to find more innovative solutions by removing repetitive tasks from the employee experience so they can focus on creating delicious dishes and providing outstanding hospitality.”
About Hyphen
Hyphen automates meal production and augments labor, which increases profitability and efficiency in foodservice. Hyphen’s automated makeline produces over 350 meals an hour while eliminating order defects such as missing ingredients and cross-contamination. Through its KitchenOS, Hyphen’s platform allows restaurants to create recipes in seconds, fulfill multiple orders from digital channels, and put kitchens on autopilot with streamlined workflows and closed-loop feedback from its fully instrumented systems. Customers include some of the world’s most innovative restaurant chains, virtual brands, and co-packers. For more information visit www.usehyphen.com.
About Chipotle
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) is cultivating a better world by serving responsibly sourced, classically cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Chipotle had over 3,000 restaurants as of March 31, 2022, in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany and is the only restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all its restaurants. Chipotle is ranked on the Fortune 500 and is recognized on the 2022 list for Fortune’s Most Admired Companies. With over 100,000 employees passionate about providing a great guest experience, Chipotle is a longtime leader and innovator in the food industry. Chipotle is committed to making its food more accessible to everyone while continuing to be a brand with a demonstrated purpose as it leads the way in digital, technology and sustainable business practices. For more information or to place an order online, visit WWW.CHIPOTLE.COM.
