Chipotle Sets Sights on Korea, Singapore

The brand’s current international portfolio includes over 60 units in Canada; 20 in the U.K.; six in France; and two in Germany.

September 10, 2025

Heesoo Hur (left), executive vice president and owner of SPC Group, and Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright sign a joint venture agreement. Courtesy of Chipotle Mexican Grill.

More international growth is on the menu for Chipotle, which just announced plans to open in Asia for the first time. It will partner with SPC Group to open units in Korea and Singapore in 2026, details the Sept. 10 announcement.

SPC Group has previously introduced global brands to the Korean market, including Baskin Robbins, Dunkin, Pascucci, LINA’s, Jamba and Shake Shack. SPC owns 30 brands and operates 7,000 stores worldwide, including Paris Baguette, Paris Croissant, Passion 5, Coffee@Works and StrEAT.

“With a rapidly evolving dining-out business, fueled by preferences for variety and convenience, expanding into Asia presents an incredible growth opportunity for Chipotle,” says Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright in a release. “Real food prepared fast is in high demand in these markets and with notable brand awareness among consumers, we see potential for strong adoption out of the gate.”

Earlier this year, Chipotle announced that it would break ground in Mexico in 2026. The company currently operates over 3,800 restaurants and plans to open up to 345 new restaurants this year. Long-term, it aims to operate 7,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada.