McDonald’s customers are now able to see the ingredients sourced from Ireland that make some of the fast food giant’s key meals, “and just how close they are to the farmers and growers that produce them”, the company has revealed.
The new Map My McDonald’s interactive tool, unveiled today (Tuesday, October 20), enables customers to see which ingredients are grown in their region, and to “meet” some of the farmers that supply them.
The map has been created as a new study shows that Irish people care more about local farmers and locally sourced food since the introduction of Covid-19 restrictions in March, the multinational firm says.
The YouGov poll of more than 1,000 Irish adults also found that over half of people (57%) say their appreciation for locally sourced food has increased since March, with eggs (80%) and beef (76%) taking the top spots for ingredients that Irish people most want restaurants to source from local suppliers.
Alongside the map, McDonald’s is also shining a light on real-life McDonald’s farmers in its latest advertising campaign, paying tribute to the 7,000 Irish farmers that are McDonald’s ‘essential ingredient’.
Fans are being invited to go to MapMyMcDonalds to learn all about the ingredients like beef, pork, eggs and milk that are grown and produced in their region and meet some the farmers that live and work in their local area.
Nina Prichard, head of sustainable and ethical sourcing at McDonald’s UK and Ireland, said: “This has been a challenging year for farmers so we wanted to shine a light on the incredible work farmers and suppliers do across Ireland to produce the quality ingredients for our best-loved menu items.”
John Power, a McDonald’s flagship beef farmer based in Waterford, said:
Through the McDonald’s Flagship Farmer programme, we have been able to avail of a range of supports that has ultimately helped our farm and business thrive.
CEO of Bord Bia Tara McCarthy said: “We are acutely aware that the past six months has been a hugely challenging time for all involved in the Irish food and drink industry, but we’re also aware that both restauranteurs and producers have displayed incredible resilience and flexibility in the face of adversity.
“From a consumer point of view, reassurance regarding the provenance and quality of the food we eat and knowing there is a sustainable supply chain in place is increasingly important, not just when shopping, but also when eating out,” McCarthy added.