The Canadian Cattlemen's Association

November 2, 2009 - BIC continues work with McDonald’s Canada to ensure Canadian beef supply

The Beef Information Centre (BIC) has developed a strong alliance with McDonald’s Canada, partnering on a number of promotional initiatives nationwide – all designed to drive commitment to Canadian beef. This is especially timely in light of an email hoax spreading false information about McDonald’s Canada’s beef sourcing practices.

Most recently BIC partnered with McDonald’s Canada to include the Canadian beef brand mark and consumer messaging on their website, with a media release scheduled this week to highlight their commitment to Canadian beef.

This alignment is the result of several years of relationship building and an increase in promotional activities that communicates to their customers that McDonald’s Canada uses only 100 per cent Canadian beef for their burgers.

When an email hoax re-surfaced last week, McDonald’s Canada called on its partnership with BIC and Canadian beef producers to help them refute the hoax.

“When the hoax came to light, we worked together with McDonald’s on the development and delivery of a joint media release and website updates to reinforce to their customers that they only use Canadian beef,” says John Gillespie, BIC chairman and a feedlot operator at Ayr, Ont. “McDonald’s Canada is a huge supporter, so when it comes under attack, it impacts the entire Canadian beef industry.

“McDonald’s Canada has made a commitment to Canadian beef which today translates into the company using 100 per cent Canadian beef for all its burger offerings,” adds Gillespie. “As the largest foodservice purchaser of beef in Canada, this is a significant alliance for Canada’s beef industry.”

Throughout Canada, McDonald’s serves approximately 2.5 million customers every day and its annual shopping cart includes more than 64 million pounds of locally-raised beef.

“McDonald’s Canada proudly supports the Canadian beef industry,” says Jeff Kroll, McDonald’s Canada’s senior vice president, National Supply Chain. “Beef is at the core of our menu, and with the help of our dedicated Canadian partners in the industry, we are meeting the needs of our customers by delivering safety, quality, consistency and innovation in our varied beef offerings.”

The initial appearance of the hoax email earlier in the year prompted McDonald’s Canada to post a statement on its website refuting the claim with facts, most notably that McDonald’s Canada proudly sources 100 per cent of its beef from Canadian producers.

BIC encourages Canada’s beef producers to forward McDonald’s Canada’s response on to anyone who questions the company’s sourcing and use of Canadian beef. McDonald’s Canada’s response:

This email chain is a hoax. At McDonald’s Canada, we currently source 100 per cent of our beef from farms and ranches right across Canada and have no plans today to purchase any beef from South America. In the past, we have purchased small quantities of beef from New Zealand, Australia and the United States, but we have always sourced the vast majority of our beef from right here in Canada.

The first email on this topic originally surfaced in the U.S. in 2002 – at that time referencing the Texas Cattle Feeders Association – and it has re-surfaced again in 2005, 2007 and most recently in 2008. In 2009, a Canadian version of the Internet hoax emerged that’s practically identical to the one that originated in the U.S.

McDonald’s Canada remains one of the largest and most consistent purchasers of Canadian beef. We are very proud supporters of the Canadian beef industry and Canadian cattle producers.

Read more about McDonald’s Canada Beef Quality Facts or at The Beef Information Centre

BIC’s efforts to maximize demand for Canadian beef and optimize the value of Canadian beef products is funded in part by cattle producers through the National Beef Check-Off, and through beef industry market development funds provided by the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta.

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