McDonald's: Serving Up Sustainability with Every Bite

McDonald’s: Serving Up Sustainability with Every Bite

Imagine enjoying your favorite meal with the added satisfaction of knowing it supports sustainable practices. Sounds great, right? Today, we’re not just concerned about the taste of our food, but also about the social and environmental responsibilities of the companies that produce it. Few family restaurants deliver that feel-good factor quite like McDonald’s, and they’re on a mission to ensure that sentiment extends all the way back to the source of their ingredients.

Commitment to Local Farmers and Sustainability

McDonald’s is a steadfast supporter of local farmers and growers. This commitment benefits producers, the environment, the economy, and you, the customer. It’s a win-win-win-win situation that requires the certainty that McDonald’s food can be produced in a way that contributes to a thriving global food system. The company backs this commitment all the way, striving for sustainability across its entire supply chain.

Global Goals and Local Impact

McDonald’s efforts are yielding results both in New Zealand and around the world. Last year, the company announced a global goal to decarbonize its operations, setting a target of net-zero by 2050. By 2030, McDonald’s aims to have sustainable food production systems in place and resilient agricultural practices implemented. Steps taken since 2018 have already achieved genuine, measurable change.

As a major buyer of beef, McDonald’s is part of a holistic system that supports the wellbeing of people, communities, animals, and the planet. The company recently joined with AgResearch on a regenerative farming trial in Hawke’s Bay that’s investigating ways to improve soil health and reduce carbon emissions. In fact, McDonald’s has been working with New Zealand’s beef and dairy farmers for more than a decade. The New Zealand Roundtable for Sustainable Beef’s mission is to have our meat recognized as the world’s most sustainable.

Partnering with Local Producers

Partnering with local producers who share McDonald’s high standards helps ensure the protection of human and animal rights, water sources, and forests, as well as reducing food and packaging waste. McDonald’s serves New Zealanders 6,500 tonnes of top-quality beef each year. A key player in this is Gisborne’s Whangara Farms, the first beef farm outside Europe to be invited to the McDonald’s Flagship Farmers program, and a benchmark for local sustainable practices.

Those irresistible fries come to you from Canterbury, where 12,000 tonnes of fresh potatoes are transported to the McCain’s facility in Timaru annually to be washed, checked, and chopped, before being fried, boxed, and served.

Evolving for the Better

With local relationships and sustainable systems ever-evolving for the better, now is a great time to enjoy the taste of McDonald’s. The next time you walk or drive through those Golden Arches, you’ll be loving it all the more, knowing the ingredients were responsibly sourced right here, from farm to table.