The CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Brian Niccol, says the company is excited to be expanding across Canada.

The American fast casual restaurant chain is a familiar name in Canada, with 41 locations serving up customized burritos, bowls and tacos.

The US$10-billion company beat expectations in its first-quarter earnings last week and says its strong performance in Canada has set it up for rapid expansion in this country.

In an interview with BNN Bloomberg, Niccol said the launch of Chipotle’s first restaurant in Calgary last fall was one of their biggest-ever openings.

He said the company would continue to focus on the Toronto and Vancouver regions even as a restaurant opening in Edmonton is imminent.

Niccol pointed to the low turnover of staff in its restaurants and said, “I think it’s a real testament to the leadership in our Canadian restaurants and above.” He foresees a 25-30 per cent expansion in Canada in the near future.

Chipotle also expanded the role of its Canadian unit recently to oversee its growing business in Europe.

In the company's latest earnings call last month, Niccol had said, “Canada is leading our company in many operational KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).”

Asked about consumer spending trends in the current environment, Niccol acknowledged that low-income customers were under pressure, but said that Chipotle was scoring across income segments and was able to raise its sales forecast.

“We’ve been able to maintain the right balance on what you get for what you pay,” he said, "The combination of great food, great culinary, great speed and great customization for the price points we offer makes it a very affordable and attractive proposition regardless of your income situation.”

Talking about the use of technology in the company, Niccol said it used AI in areas like forecasting and scheduling.

Chipotle is testing Autocado, which would help in peeling and mashing avocados, and Hyphen, which would automate the assembly of bowls.

Niccol said Chipotle plans to introduce both into a restaurant this year, but emphasized that he did not see robotics “completely replacing” the experience at Chipotle. “We think it’s a human experience that carries the day at Chipotle,” he said.

Niccol referred to plans to seek shareholder approval for a 50-for-1 stock split later this year, which would make it one of the largest in the NYSE’s history.

He said the stock split would not change the value of the company, but would make the stock more affordable for its own team members. “Part of our rewards program is giving team members stock benefits. We want everyone to participate in the stock growth of our company,” Niccol said.