Steve Easterbrook, chief executive of McDonald’s UK, told last week’s Oxford Farming Conference that 70 per cent of the food sold in its £460 million chain of UK restaurants is sourced from a network of 17,500 British and Irish growers.
During the UK lettuce season, for example, 100 per cent of the lettuce topping the firm’s burgers is grown in East Anglia, Shropshire and Sussex. In 2006, said Easterbrook, 4.8m lettuce heads were grown on 121 hectares for consumption in the company’s restaurants.
Cambridgeshire lettuce grower Michael Fairey is currently featuring on the McDonald’s restaurant tray sheets, as the chain pushes its local sourcing credentials.
“We have moved from a society where most of our population was eating to survive to one today that consumes food for enjoyment,” said Easterbrook, pictured, adding that McDonald’s customers, and consumers in general, now make choices on constant issues, such as price, convenience and value. “This is the premium life,” he said. “Customers are looking for excitement in food and enjoyment in eating out, as well as greater choice and options. However, some constants such as quality, transparency, taste, ethics and trust are changing. People wish to know how their food is grown, where it is sourced, what is in it and the method of preparation.”
McDonald’s market research shows that 70 per cent of consumers consider “green” issues important when eating out, Easterbrook told delegates, whilst 64 per cent would purchase free-range food, but are stopped by lack of availability.
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