The fast-food chain Chipotle has put together a song built from vegetables, a move meant to show off its ‘Real Ingredients’ commitment. It joined forces with the London Vegetable Orchestra to put together “From Ground to Sound,” a track, turning corn, jalapeños, bell peppers and other produce into instruments that actually work. The project came with a press release tied to the song’s release on Spotify and Apple Music.
The Instruments Behind the Track
A five-person band called the London Vegetable Orchestra makes its instruments out of vegetables and plays them. They recorded “From Ground to Sound” at Abbey Road Studios’ Studio Two. It took three months of testing and many attempts to figure out which fruits and vegetables, including corn, jalapeños and bell peppers, would make the right sounds, since their freshness varied so much.
The musicians were given a short period during which they could gather, tune their instruments, run through their pieces and record before the environment started shifting around them. Their ensemble drew on a wide range of produce: flutes fashioned from corn, trumpets constructed from jalapeños, a horn made from peppers and an avocado pit, percussion made from lettuce, and a bass built from an onion.
Fernando Machado’s Brand Push
Chipotle’s amplified brand positioning now includes a new project led by Chief Brand Officer Fernando Machado. Machado explained the move in a statement, saying “Real food has always been at the center of Chipotle. We only use 53 real ingredients, with fresh preparation every day. So, we took this principle in a new direction — creating our own signature sound.”.
He added that the track is “impossible to separate from Chipotle itself.” “Any brand can release a song or develop a sound mnemonic,” he said. “(From Ground to Sound) instruments, sounds, and story are all rooted in what we do every day.”
The Creative Team Behind It
The composition was created by Beacon Street Studios with creative direction from KIDS. The track was teased in the final frames of Chipotle’s 100 Creators ads that premiered in August. In a statement, Icaro Doria, founder and chief creative officer at KIDS, said, “Millions of people know Chipotle’s ingredients by how they look, taste, and smell. Very few have stopped to ask what they sound like. That question led us somewhere now one expected.”
Comparing Chipotle’s Song to Wendy’s
Chipotle’s first-ever dual-LTO launch in August brings together Pollo Asado and Chili Lime Chips, and it comes with a fresh voice from within the brand: Machado, who joined Chipotle in April after more than seven years as CMO at Restaurant Brands International, where his work included Burger King’s “Moldy Whopper” and “Whopper Detour.”.
| Brand | Song/Album | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Chipotle | “From Ground to Sound” | Spotify, Apple Music |
| Wendy’s | “Songs to Listen to in a Wendy’s Parking Lot” | Spotify, all major streaming platforms |
Wendy’s launched an emo album called “Songs to Listen to in a Wendy’s Parking Lot” just a few weeks earlier. The album features six tracks, including “She Said She Didn’t Want Fries” and “I Miss the Sunroom.” Both songs are available on Spotify and all major streaming platforms.
What Chipotle Actually Built
To make food items into instruments that can carry a melody, tuning, assembly and timing are all needed — the performers had only a short window to work before the sound altered. That degree of precision stands out.
The track has arrived on both Spotify and Apple Music, with a “From Ground to Sound” film posted on YouTube. The effort also features the 100 Creators ads, where cameras were handed to creators working at restaurants throughout the U.S., United Kingdom and Canada, filming alongside team members as they prepared, grilled and seasoned chips.
The chain has put together an actual orchestra made up entirely of vegetables, and the recording of it is now available for listening. Listeners can hear corn, jalapeños and bell peppers played together, with the track streaming for all who want to hear it.
It is worth drawing attention to the parallel with Wendy’s. Each campaign follows the same approach: seeking a means for a brand to distinguish itself within a field crowded with fast-food rivals.
See the video the story is built around at Nation’s Restaurant News.
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