What Type Of Cheese Chipotle Uses, And Exactly Where It Comes From

Chipotle may have a deliciously well-kept secret menu, but when it comes to the chain's ingredients, there are no secrets here. After hungrily pleading "burrito" or "bowl," picking a protein, pinto or refried beans, and mild-medium-or-hot salsa, it's time to load your dish with sour cream and shredded cheese. At Chipotle, the cheese game is all about Monterey Jack, sourced from Meister Cheese in Wisconsin.

Unlike some of the other legendary cheese shops in Wisconsin that help uphold the state's cheesemaking tradition, Meister Cheese is a large-scale global distributor of cheese and whey products. Meister's has been family-owned and operated since 1916, when it opened as a small-scale rural cheesemonger. In the years since, this artisanal firm has expanded into one of the largest cheesemaking operations in America with over a century of tradition under its belt and a history of collaboration with Chipotle.

In 2020, Chipotle launched a virtual farmers' market to help promote business for its four largest agricultural supply chain partners during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Chipotle's official press release, the company noted that, "Each supplier is essential to Chipotle's existing restaurant supply chain and has been working with the brand for over a decade." While this also includes suppliers such as Niman Ranch, Petaluma Creamery, and McKaskle Family Farm, it's Meister Cheese that makes Chipotle's Monterey Jack so delicious.

Not to be confused with Colby Jack, Monterey Jack is a semi-firm cow's milk cheese hailing from the eponymous region of Monterey, California, named for the crooked landowner who invented it. Its buttery, mild flavor allows the other, bolder flavors in Chipotle's signature lineup to shine, such as the vibrant corn salsa or the well-seasoned barbacoa. Its high moisture content also means Monterey Jack melts easily and evenly. In addition to serving as the shredded cheese topping on burritos and bowls, this is the same cheese used to make Chipotle's queso blanco dip, along with white cheddar. At the prestigious World Champion Cheese Contest in 2020, Meister Farms won four Best of Class awards, one of which was for its Monterey Jack.

Beyond crafting artisanal cheeses, Meister's is also dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture. Meister Cheese developed the Cows First program, which incentivizes better treatment of cattle by paying dairy farmers higher rates for abiding by three business pillars: clean and spacious shelters, vegetarian feed, and no artificial hormones or antibiotics. Additionally, Meister Cheese recycles its wastewater and natural gas using an anaerobic lagoon system and powers the plant using leftover wood chips sourced from a nearby Wisconsin sawmill. Echoing these values, Chipotle also requires that all of the beef and chicken supplied to its restaurants be produced with zero antibiotics. According to the brand's 2023 sustainability report update, Chipotle has "achieved 94% of [its] goal to transition 400 acres of farmland to organic growing practices."