McDonald’s has become the victim of public outbursts after critics of the company hijacked a promotional hashtag on Twitter created by the fast-food conglomerate. McDonald’s last week joined the social media bandwagon by releasing a campaign on Twitter featuring “paid-for tweets” – tweets which are sponsored advertising platforms that connect advertisers and large companies, I.E Mc Donald’s, to tweeters. This campaign was to appear at the top of all search results. The initial hashtag... ...Read more »

McDonald’s has appointed Mark Lollback, formerly chief marketing officer for ANZ Bank, as its new marketing chief. McDonald’s has announced the appointment of Mark Lollback as Chief Marketing Officer to lead its newly united Australian and New Zealand extended marketing teams. Mr Lollback will be responsible for the strategy and execution of this new structure and will oversee McDonald’s marketing for Australia and New Zealand in consumer and business insights and menu innovation. He will... ...Read more »

The State of Queensland has announced plans to introduce new legislation requiring fast food outlets to display the energy content of foods and drinks on their menus – a move which has already been voluntarily pre-empted by several of Australia’s major fast food chains. Several major quick service food chains in Australia now voluntarily display energy contents on their menus, including Subway, Hungry Jacks, Domino’s, and McDonald’s. Similar to laws are already in place in NSW and the... ...Read more »

Subway has announced that, from today, its Australian stores will display the kilojoule content of food products on their menu boards. Subway is the latest of several major quick service food chains in Australia to make this move. Other include Hungry Jacks, Domino’s, and McDonald’s. From today, Subway restaurants in Australia will also display nutritional content information on napkins, counter displays and store brochures. In a statement released today, a spokesperson for Subway said the labelling... ...Read more »

McDonald’s Australia has boasted its healthier food credentials by announcing that from tomorrow its customers will be asked if they would like salad as an alternative to fries. McDonald’s announcement coincides with the start of kilojoule labelling on McDonald’s menu boards at point of sale. McDonald’s Australia CEO Catriona Noble said that by making the option of salad part of every ‘Extra Value Meal’, McDonald’s is making it “easier for customers to enjoy a serve of fresh vegetables”. Ms... ...Read more »

Australian parents’ activist group the Parent’s Jury has slammed two major food companies, Kelloggs and McDonalds, claiming that their marketing campaigns in Australia are misleading. Both companies featured in the Parents’ Jury’s ‘Fame and Shame Awards 2011’. McDonald’s use of Australian cricket hero Shane Warne to endorse its Chicken McBites came under fire for “using sport to promote unhealthy food which influences children”. Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain cereal, which the... ...Read more »

McDonald’s Corporation, one of the world’s largest food chains, has announced financial results for the third quarter ended 30 September 2011. The company posted higher revenues, operating income and earnings per share compared with the prior year. McDonald’s Corporation reported that its global comparable sales increased 5 per cent, with the US business up 4.4 per cent, Europe up 4.9 per cent and Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa up 3.4 per cent. McDonald’s Chief Executive Officer... ...Read more »

In an interesting development today, fast food chain Hungry Jack’s announced that it would be offering broccoli alongside its burgers. Aaron McKie, CEO of Hungry Jack’s said the broccoli would be served as part of a vegetable medley comprising carrot, celery and capsicum sticks, hand-cut and served fresh in a cup supplying a full serve of vegetables. It will be accompanied by an optional hommus dip in a mini tub. “Salad Stix can only be described as a nutritional goldmine,” Mr McKie said.... ...Read more »

The National Heart Foundation of Australia today announced it will be ending its Tick licensing program in the takeaway food environment. Heart Foundation CEO Dr Lyn Roberts said, “We knew working in this area would be a bold move – and it was – but our work behind the scenes has seen massive improvements across the food supply chain, including healthier oils now being used in many takeaway and catering food outlets. “This even led to a change in the type of canola grown by Australian... ...Read more »

McDonald’s UK is the latest multinational chain to display the calorific content of items on its UK menus. Australian Food News can reveal that McDonald’s Australia plans to follow suit by displaying the kilojoule content of items on its restaurant menus across Australia later this year. McDonald’s UK is supporting a UK government initiative to tackle obesity by introducing calorific content information to its UK restaurant menus. Others supporting the UK initiative include KFC, Pizza Hut and... ...Read more »