Food

57% Of Irish Residents Who Participated In New McDonald's Survey Said Their Appreciation For Locally-Sourced Food Has Grown In 2020

By Dave Simpson
57% Of Irish Residents Who Participated In New McDonald's Survey Said Their Appreciation For Locally-Sourced Food Has Grown In 2020

57% of Irish residents who participated in a survey that was recently conducted by fast food chain McDonald's said that they have developed a greater appreciation for locally-sourced food since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

1,000 adults living in Ireland took part in the survey, with 57% of them saying that they now have a greater appreciation for food that is sourced locally by takeaways and restaurants, while 54% of them said that they now care more about the quality of food in their meals.

Eggs and beef are the two ingredients that the survey's participants said that they most want takeaways and restaurants to source from local suppliers, with 80% of participants saying that they want eggs to be sourced locally and 76% saying that they want beef to be sourced locally.

New Campaign To Highlight Local Ingredients In McDonald's Products

The publication of the survey's results coincides with the launch of a new McDonald's campaign to highlight the local ingredients that go into the fast food chain's products, which McDonald's said are are sourced from over 7,000 farmers in Ireland.

McDonald's also has long-term partnerships with a number of Irish suppliers including Kerry Group, Dawn Meats, Dew Valley Foods and Greenfield Foods.

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According to the fast food chain, in 2017, its direct spend with Irish suppliers generated €53 million of revenue for the Irish economy.

"Extremely Proud"

McDonald's UK & Ireland head of sustainable and ethical sourcing Nina Prichard stated, "We are extremely proud of our large network of local Irish suppliers. We know that our customers expect a quality experience every time they order from us, which is why we work so hard to source the best quality local ingredients wherever we can. McDonald's is one of the largest purchasers of Irish beef by volume, working with over 1,900 farmers in Ireland who supply beef to all McDonald's restaurants nationwide. We have been working with many of these farmers for decades.

"As this research shows, now more than ever, people care about their local area and want locally-sourced food and quality ingredients. That is why we are committed to continuing to support them and the overall future of Irish farming, working together with our farmers and suppliers to constantly improve and innovate. We are launching this campaign to champion the Irish farmers who work tirelessly to deliver quality, local produce for our delicious menu, day in, day out."

© 2020 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.