Rwanda-born Zipline, famed for delivering blood and vaccines across Africa, is now dropping burritos in Texas for the American fast-food chain, Chipotle.
Zipline, the Rwanda-born drone logistics company, is now delivering Chipotle burritos to homes in Rowlett, Texas, the company said in an August press release.
The deal, branded “Zipotle,” uses Zipline’s autonomous aircraft to transport meals from Chipotle kitchens directly to customers’ backyards and parks, hovering 300 feet above before gently lowering burritos to the ground.
“We are excited to bring our delivery technology, honed in Africa, to U.S. consumers,” said Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, Zipline CEO. “What started as a mission to save lives is now showing how logistics innovation can serve communities globally.”
The Rowlett pilot programme represents Zipline’s first major foray into consumer food delivery in the United States. Customers can order meals weighing up to 5.5 pounds through the Zipline app, with plans to expand capacity and service areas in the coming months.
The launch reflects Zipline’s long-held view that scaling drone logistics hinges on regulatory support.
As Daniel Marfo, Zipline’s Africa Senior Vice President, noted in an interview with bird, during an earlier retail pilot in Ghana, “Other than Jumia, we intend to work with SMEs, but everything depends on critical factors such as government openness and regulatory requirements.”
“If these are checked, then it becomes easier to operate.”
Zipline launched in 2016, flying blood and medical supplies to remote communities in Rwanda. Over time, it has expanded across Africa and beyond, delivering vaccines, essential goods, and now consumer products in countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Today, its drones have delivered more than 15 million vaccine doses, serving nearly 5,000 healthcare facilities and reaching over 49 million people across these countries. Company statements argue that by replacing road transport, Zipline’s electric drones cut emissions by as much as 97%. The social impact is most visible in Ghana, where Zipline has transformed health supply chains.
According to 2023 research by IDinsight (backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), facilities using Zipline’s drone delivery saw 60% shorter vaccine stock-outs and 42% fewer missed vaccination opportunities compared to traditional supply routes.
During the pandemic, Zipline drones distributed 2.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, helping Ghana’s nationwide campaign.
Nigeria offers another case study. In 2023 alone, Zipline delivered 1.5 million vaccine doses to children across the country. Current initiatives supported by the Pfizer Foundation aim to distribute another 1.3 million routine doses, targeting 70,000 zero-dose children in Kaduna, Cross River, and Bayelsa states.
Further east, Kenya has become a fast-growing hub for the company. From its Kisumu centre, Zipline already serves more than 1,000 health facilities.
Drawing from lessons in Ghana, deliveries there are cutting patient turn-aways: facilities have reported a 37% increase in severe malaria cases rejected due to stock-outs and a 56% increase for snakebite cases. In Côte d’Ivoire, Zipline is steadily expanding its footprint.
Four distribution centres licensed in 2023 now connect hospitals and rural clinics with vaccines, blood products, and essential medical goods, extending reliable access to underserved regions.
The company reports it has flown more than 100 million commercial autonomous miles and completed over 1.6 million deliveries worldwide. Its Platform 2 drones are designed for fast, precise, and eco-friendly deliveries, reducing emissions while keeping packages fresh and safe.
Zipotle builds on Zipline’s experience scaling logistics under challenging conditions. Its U.S. expansion follows partnerships with Walmart for grocery deliveries and Toyota Tsusho in Japan for medical logistics, demonstrating how African technical expertise can serve global markets.
According to experts, the partnership underscores a reverse flow of innovation.
“Technology that was first deployed in Africa for health and social impact is now being adapted for mainstream commercial use in the U.S. The same network that first flew blood across Rwanda is today delivering burritos to Texas lawns,” explained Aggrey Misoka, a lecturer at Maseno University, in Kenya.
Misoka added that the shift challenges the long-held narrative that innovation only flows from the Global North to Africa.
“Yet again, we are seeing an African-born solution shaping practices in developed markets. That’s significant because it validates Africa as a frontier for scalable innovation and not just a testing ground…it demonstrates that African innovations can compete and thrive in multiple markets.”
bird story agency
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