McDonald's has introduced a new fruit product, the P'tite Poire (or little pear), to its range, supplied by long-time partner Florette Food Service, reports Végétable.
P'tite Poire follows the success of the restaurant chain's P'tite Pomme product. Whereas McDonald's sells apples all year round, pears are only available seasonally, for two months between mid-September and mid-November, during which 150 tonnes of fruit or 1m bags are sold.
The pear slices are sold in similar sachets, which highlight the fact that the fruit is grown in France. AZ Méditerranée, Florette's partner since 2001, was chosen due to its pear-ripening experience and its close relationship with the producers of Sica Vergers de Beauregard, for whom it handles sales.
The Guyot variety is offered until early October, when William takes over until mid-November. Harvested between mid-July and mid-August, these pears are initially kept in coldstorage before they are ripened. They are then sent to Florette Food Service in Toreilles, where they are washed, chopped, treated and bagged, before being sent daily to the eight distribution centres run by McDonald's in France, which supplies its 1,300 restaurants in the country three times a week.
The fast food chain stated that its 30-year relationship with Florette Food Service, which also supplies it with salads and tomatoes as well as fruit products, showed the company's commitment to long-term partnerships.
The volume of fruit sold at McDonald's rose threefold between 2008 and 2013. According to the chain, half the fruit that French children now consume outside the home is bought at its restaurants.
