McDonald’s chicken to go 100% British at Olympics

McDonald’s has announced that 100% of its chicken served at the Olympics will be British and Red-Tractor certified.
The move comes after the fast-food franchise was maligned when the London Organising Committee revealed that only 10% of McDonald’s chicken meat sold at Games venues would be British.
The remaining 90% was going to be imported from Brazil and Thailand, sparking concerns about the firm’s commitment to British farming.
A spokesperson from McDonald’s said: “We have taken the decision to only serve British chicken in our four restaurants at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“This will come from our existing UK supply and is possible because of the recent increase in volumes of British chicken breast meat that we have been purchasing.”
McDonald’s said it felt recent comments had created confusion over their commitment to British farming and was keen to re-iterate its commitment. “We are a proud partner of the London 2012 Games and have been a good customer of British farming for decades. We spend over £300 million each year on our UK supply chain, purchasing from thousands of farmers across a wide range of categories.”
NFU head of food chain unit Lee Woodger welcomed the move. “The NFU is delighted to hear McDonald’s has listened to concerns and will be showcasing even more British food at the Olympic Games.
“We have worked hard to ensure that the Games can create a lasting catering legacy and this decision enhances the value of the Olympics Food Vision, underpinned by UK Red Tractor standards,” he said.