Teaching Note: Not just another burrito: can California Burrito scale without losing its essence?

Set in India in 2025, this case explores the strategic dilemma faced by Bert Mueller, the American co-founder and CEO of California Burrito, a fast-casual Mexican-Californian restaurant chain that had grown from a single outlet in Bengaluru to over 100 company-owned stores across major Indian cities. Known for its fresh ingredients, centralised kitchens and hyper-local supply chains, the brand built its identity through a disciplined company-owned, company-operated (COCO) model. As revenues reached US$23m, the company faced mounting pressure to accelerate expansion towards a 300-store goal by 2030. However, scaling posed serious risks to consistency, quality and operational control – especially...