Supply chains for all commodities experienced huge disruption beginning in March and into April. Grocery stores and restaurants all had to adapt to the impacts of COVID-19, and McDonald’s Canada was no exception. After temporarily changing its sourcing to about 20 per cent of its beef coming from outside of Canada, McDonald’s says it’s now on track to be back to 100 per cent Canadian beef by September 2020.
With the announcement, McDonald’s Canada says it is also continuing its beef sustainability journey by offering Quarter Pounder patties, from which a minimum of 30 per cent of the beef will be sourced from Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) certified sustainable Canadian farms and ranches.
McDonald’s Canada remains one of the largest purchasers of Canadian beef and a proud supporter of the Canadian beef industry, the company says. 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.
Jeffrey Fitzpatrick-Stilwell, sustainability and agriculture lead of McDonald’s Canada, says that as a founding member of the CRSB, McDonald’s Canada was a driving force in developing Canadian standards for beef sustainability.
“The stabilized supply of Canadian beef is important in allowing us to continue to progress our sustainability efforts,” he explains. “Offering Quarter Pounder patties made with beef from CRSB-certified farms and ranches is another meaningful step forward on our journey to delivering socially responsible, economically viable, and environmentally sound food to our guests.”