Leslie Massey
McDonald's beef patties are made from a combination of forequarter and hindquarter trimmings, as well as whole muscle cuts. The beef is ground, formed into patties, seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled for 40 seconds, and placed in a warming bin for a maximum of 15 minutes. In 2012, McDonald's spent $609 million on produce for its Australian operations, including the purchase of 26,000 tonnes of Australian beef. Globally, the company uses about 120,000 tonnes of Australian beef annually, with 57,000 tonnes of manufactured patties exported from Australia each year for use in McDonald's restaurants worldwide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of meat | Beef |
| Source of meat | Australia |
| Other ingredients | Salt and pepper |
| Preparation | Ground, formed into patties, seasoned, grilled for 40 seconds, and placed in a warming bin |
| Freezing | Flash frozen |
| Sustainability | Recycles cardboard and oil, conserves energy |
| Annual production capacity | 25,000 tonnes |
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What You'll Learn
- McDonald's Australia sources beef locally
- The beef is ground, formed into patties, and flash-frozen
- McDonald's uses forequarter and hindquarter trimmings, as well as whole muscle cuts
- Before serving, the patties are seasoned, grilled, and placed in a warming bin
- McDonald's Australia spent $609 million on produce for its Australian restaurants in 2012
McDonald's Australia sources beef locally
McDonald's Australia sources its beef patties locally. The company has stated that its first preference is always to source locally. In 2023, McDonald's Australia purchased ingredients and products, including beef, from suppliers across Australia. The company supports Australian producers and manufacturers and sources locally whenever it is viable and appropriate to do so.
McDonald's Australia purchases quality ingredients and products such as locally sourced beef, chicken, milk, wheat, crisp lettuce, and fresh tomatoes from thousands of farmers in Australia. The company is committed to supporting Australian producers and manufacturers and has evolved its menu over the years to focus on quality, nutrition, and providing more balanced choices for its customers.
While McDonald's Australia primarily sources its beef locally, it may also import produce from other countries such as New Zealand or the United States due to changes in availability or seasonality. The company has stated that it is committed to driving climate action and keeping waste out of nature.
McDonald's Australia serves a range of burgers with beef patties, including the BBQ Bandit Burger, which was sold for a limited time and included a beef patty, cheese, bacon, onion rings, barbecue sauce, and mayonnaise. The Aussie Angus Deluxe, which is a hamburger offered by McDonald's in Australia, consists of a 100% Angus beef patty, bacon, beetroot, caramelized onions, lettuce, cheese, and a special sauce, served on a sesame seed bun.
In addition to sourcing beef locally in Australia, McDonald's US is also a significant customer of Australian beef. The company sources large volumes of frozen lean manufacturing beef from Australia and New Zealand each year for blending with fattier US beef trim to produce the desired beef burger.
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The beef is ground, formed into patties, and flash-frozen
McDonald's beef patties are made from ground beef. The beef is ground and formed into patties, which are then flash-frozen to ensure quality and flavour when they are eventually cooked and served in restaurants. This process is used across all McDonald's restaurants, including in Australia.
In 2012, McDonald's spent $609 million on produce for its Australian restaurant operations, including the purchase of 26,000 tonnes of Australian beef. Globally, the company uses about 120,000 tonnes of Australian beef each year. Some 57,000 tonnes of manufactured patties are produced in Australia annually and exported for use in McDonald's restaurants in South East Asia, Japan, and the US.
The beef used in the patties comes from forequarter and hindquarter trimmings, as well as whole muscle cuts. Forequarter refers to the front half of a side of beef, and hindquarter refers to the rear half. Forequarter primals include the blade, brisket, chuck, and spencer roll, while the hindquarter includes primals such as the hind shank, silverside, thin flank, and topside.
Before being served, the patties are seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled for 40 seconds, and placed in a warming bin for a maximum of 15 minutes.
McDonald's Australia is committed to supporting local producers and manufacturers and sources its ingredients from within Australia whenever possible.
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McDonald's uses forequarter and hindquarter trimmings, as well as whole muscle cuts
McDonald's beef patties are made from a combination of forequarter and hindquarter trimmings, as well as whole muscle cuts. Forequarter refers to the front half of a side of beef, while the hindquarter refers to the rear half. The forequarter primals include the blade, brisket, chuck, and spencer roll, while the hindquarter primals include the hind shank, silverside, thin flank, and topside.
McDonald's sources its beef from various countries, including Australia. In 2012, McDonald's spent $609 million on produce for its Australian restaurant operations, including the purchase of 26,000 tonnes of Australian beef. Globally, the company uses about 120,000 tonnes of Australian beef annually, with 57,000 tonnes of manufactured patties produced in Australia being exported for use in McDonald's restaurants in other countries.
The process of making the patties involves grinding the beef, forming it into patties, and then flash-freezing them. This flash-freezing technique helps to ensure the quality and flavour of the burgers when they are cooked in the restaurants. Before serving, the patties are seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled for 40 seconds, and placed in a warming bin for a maximum of 15 minutes.
In terms of the beef itself, McDonald's Australia assumes that at least some of its cattle spend time grazing before heading to a feedlot to be finished on grain. While they do not guarantee that their beef is grass-fed, they acknowledge that farming practices vary. Generally, much of the cattle in the US, including those used for McDonald's beef, are grass-fed for the first part of their lives. When they enter feedlots later on, they are provided with a balanced diet that may include grains, grasses, and mineral blends.
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Before serving, the patties are seasoned, grilled, and placed in a warming bin
McDonald's beef patties are made from a combination of forequarter and hindquarter trimmings, as well as whole muscle cuts. The forequarter refers to the front half of a side of beef, and the hindquarter refers to the rear half. After the patties are formed, they are flash-frozen to ensure quality and flavour.
Before serving, the patties are seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled for 40 seconds, and placed in a warming bin. According to a McDonald's crew member, Katie Geoghan, the cooked burgers are kept warm for a maximum of 15 minutes, but they typically don't stay in the bin for long due to high customer demand.
This process is part of McDonald's commitment to providing timely service, ensuring that customers receive their food as quickly as possible. The company prioritises consistency, safety, and reliability in its food preparation, which has contributed to its global success.
In Australia, McDonald's sources a significant amount of its beef locally, spending $609 million on Australian produce in 2012 alone. The company also exports Australian-made patties to other countries, including Japan, the US, and Southeast Asia.
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McDonald's Australia spent $609 million on produce for its Australian restaurants in 2012
McDonald's Australia has a strong commitment to its Australian supply chain and sources a variety of produce locally, including beef, lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, chicken, milk, and wheat flour. This commitment has had a positive impact on Australian farmers and rural communities, with McDonald's consistent and reliable weekly orders contributing to the growth and success of local businesses.
For example, lettuce supplier Golden State Foods credits McDonald's consistent orders as instrumental in their expansion into a thriving 100-acre farm with over 30 employees. Similarly, Ben Parle, a third-generation pickle farmer from Griffith, New South Wales, is one of McDonald's 14,000 farmers and suppliers, showcasing the company's long-standing relationships with Australian producers.
The company's supply chain is built on partnerships and collaboration, with sustainability and food safety as key priorities. In 2023, McDonald's Australia spent over $1 billion on Aussie produce, reflecting the significant demand for Aussie beef from international McDonald's restaurants and the consistent purchasing of other Aussie produce. This included the purchase of 80 million kilograms of Aussie beef and 20 million kilograms of RSPCA-approved chicken.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, McDonald's Australia sources its beef from farms and feedlots across the country, and the beef patties are made from 100% beef with no additives, preservatives, or fillers.
Yes, McDonald's Australia offers the McVeggie burger, which is a vegetarian option made with a vegetable patty that includes ingredients like green peas, carrots, tomatoes, capsicum, and beans. The patty is fried separately from meat products.
Yes, McDonald's Australia has offered limited-time burgers with chicken patties, such as the BBQ Bandit Burger and the Chicken Parmi Burger.
McDonald's Australia has stated that it prioritizes sourcing ingredients locally and supports Australian producers and manufacturers. However, some imported ingredients may be derived from genetically modified sources, such as the soybean oil in their tartare sauce. There are also rumors about the use of meat from a company called "100% Beef" to advertise 100% beef while incorporating other meat or soy products.
