McDonalds awards Dew Valley multimillion-euro contract
Tipperary-based bacon producer Dew Valley has been awarded a multi-million euro contract to supply up to 9 million pieces, or 36 tonnes, of cooked Irish bacon to McDonald’s Ireland each year.
The deal will see all 84 McDonald’s restaurants in Ireland supplied with 100pc Irish bacon, sourced by Dew Valley from Bord Bia Quality Assured Irish farms, with the potential to supply other McDonald’s markets in Europe in the future.
Dew Valley is a privately owned, independent company, headquartered at a production facility in Thurles, Co Tipperary. The company employs 250 people in Ireland.
McDonald’s uses around 9 million pieces of individual bacon in its Irish restaurants annually, across its breakfast range, including Bacon and Egg McMuffin and Bacon Roll, as well as in a number of its beef and chicken sandwiches. Breakfast is a growing segment for McDonald’s with all 84 restaurants nationwide now open for breakfast from 7am.
“McDonald’s is sourcing more and more Irish produce from quality Irish suppliers,” said Adrian Crean, managing director of McDonald’s Ireland. “This latest partnership with Dew Valley is evidence that McDonald’s is committed to supporting the Irish agri-food sector. Dew Valley has demonstrated quality and reliability in the ability to meet McDonald’s high standards and we look forward to working with the company over the years to come.”
Last year, McDonald’s announced that it was switching to Ballygowan Natural Mineral Water in its restaurants. The company also sources all of its beef, eggs and dairy produce from Irish suppliers. Before this announcement, McDonald’s was supplied with bacon from the UK.
Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney said the deal is a significant vote of confidence in the Irish agri-food sector from McDonald’s. “While this contract is to supply McDonald’s Ireland for now, there may be potential to supply McDonald’s Europe, which is further good news,” he said. “As global consumption of pigmeat products is expected to grow steadily over the period to 2020, the challenge for the Irish industry is to share in that growth – this deal is a great example of an innovative Irish company rising to that challenge. Companies like Dew Valley are leading the way in terms of quality, commitment to sustainability and efficiency.”
