By Alice McFarlane

McDonald’s Canada renew commitment to Canadian beef

Aug 13, 2020 | 2:51 PM

McDonald’s Canada will return to sourcing 100 per cent Canadian beef next month.

The company has used 100 per cent Canadian beef since 2003 but temporary sourcing adjustments needed to be made back in April due to constraints brought on by the pandemic.

Since that time, McDonald’s said it maintained over 80 per cent of its supply from Canadian sources supplementing with imported beef from pre-approved McDonald’s suppliers.

McDonald’s also said it will continue to source 30 per cent of the beef for its Quarter Pounder patties from Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) certified Canadian farms.

Speaking at the 2020 Canadian Beef Industry Conference this morning, McDonald’s chief supply chain and sustainability officer Francesca DeBiase said it shows the company’s commitment to sustainable practices.

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“We will now be serving the Quarter Pounder where a portion of the beef has been sourced from CRSB certified operations,” she said. “We’ll now be using the CRSB logo with both the Angus and Quarter Pounder burger.”

The program creates a specific value chain for animals raised and processed according CRSB standards. Farms, feedlots and processors must pass an audit and then that beef goes to specific end-use partners like McDonalds.

“I think it shows our support for the Canadian beef industry,” she explained. “The logo shows this to various stakeholders from consumers to shareholders and it builds trust.”

DeBiase said Canadian farmers and ranchers do a fantastic job and the CRSB framework allows McDonald’s a critical layer of credibility and verification.

“Stakeholders don’t have the benefit of visiting ranches and farms and understanding where their beef comes from because fewer and fewer people understand farming and ranching.”

McDonald’s Canada is one of the largest purchasers of Canadian beef and a supporter of the Canadian beef industry. At the height of the pandemic, the organization made a $100,000 contribution to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Foundation to support educational efforts and the development of future leaders through the Cattlemen’s Young Leaders program.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF