McDonald's is worried about potatoes

Jerôme de la Chambre, sustainability manager at McDonald's, said this on Wednesday (21 August) at the Potato Demonstration Day in Westmaas. "The high quality potatoes have brought us a lot as McDonald's," says De la Chambre. "Many of our customers make a special detour for a portion of McFries from one of our restaurants." The fast food chain has also summarized that feeling under the motto 'Good Times'. De la Chambre emphasizes that McDonald's no longer takes the availability of sufficient high-quality raw materials for granted. Or, as he summarizes, 'not every pager makes chips'. 

Making more varieties suitable
Weather extremes in particular, such as this year in the Netherlands with the prolonged very wet spring, mean that not all potatoes will meet McDonald's conditions. "We also realize that we do not have the easiest conditions," says De la Chambre. For example, the potatoes must be easy to process in the production process, baked in a restaurant in a maximum of 2 minutes, have a good color, and so on. “We also have to adapt to the new reality,” De la Chambre indicated.

So far, McDonald's uses the Innovator variety most often for its McFries, but the chain is working with the sector to look for more varieties to process into French fries. "We are working on making the Etana variety in Belgium, Chenoa in Germany and Donata in the Netherlands suitable for processing into McFries." Internally, we have also looked at serving other potato products in addition to French fries that do not require long potatoes. "But in terms of experience, that doesn't match our McFries." According to De la Chambre, the fast food chain is also looking further and is working with the chain on plans to make potato cultivation more resistant to weather risks. "We need a robust food system, because without potatoes there can be no Good Times."

Costs before benefits
For example, McDonald's is working with Farm Frites and Nedato in a project to increase the water storage capacity of plots, including by combating compaction. Thirty growers are participating in this project. "It will take a while before we reap the benefits, the costs outweigh the benefits. But we hope that we can manage the weather risks for growers and we want to invest in that. That is why McDonald's is also looking for rapprochement with the other parties in the chain ." De La Chambre hinted that McDonald's is also considering paying premiums to growers, for example if they comply with measures from the Arable Farming Biodiversity Monitor (BMA).