Day 125 - 12 May 95 - Page 03
1 happen to be. I do know that he is, I believe, from some
2 comments from colleagues, that he is engaged in some
3 operations training at present.
4
5 Q. But he still visits countries, different countries, around
6 the world as part of his duties, does he?
7 A. I am not immediately conversant on what his recent
8 duties have been; that may or may not be true.
9
10 Q. Do you know Edie Bensilum?
11 A. I do not know. I have heard the name; I do not know
12 him well, no.
13
14 Q. It is a woman actually.
15
16 MR. JUSTICE BELL: That answers your question, does it not?
17
18 THE WITNESS: I have heard the name but ......
19
20 MR. MORRIS: Do you know about sesame seeds? You use sesame
21 seeds in your product?
22 A. Yes, sesames are used for Big Mac buns.
23
24 Q. I am not sure where we have heard this, but we heard that
25 all your sesame seeds are bought from Mexico. Are you
26 aware of that?
27 A. I believe that is true. There was a change a couple of
28 years ago but I am not absolutely certain of that. You
29 will have to enquire from our Purchasing.
30
31 Q. We asked Mr. Oakley, Senior Vice President of McDonald's UK
32 and Ireland and Chief Purchasing Officer for Northern
33 Europe, I think -- do you know him?
34 A. I have met him on occasion.
35
36 Q. We asked him about McDonald's policy of buying products
37 locally, wherever possible, and he said that they buy the
38 products locally, but not necessarily the ingredients of
39 the products. Do you understand the distinction between
40 product and ingredients ---
41 A. Yes, I do.
42
43 Q. -- to buy finished products locally? Is that a general
44 corporate policy, to buy finished products locally where
45 possible but not necessarily the ingredients?
46 A. Where possible we try to buy, not only the finished
47 products, but the ingredients that also go into the various
48 products, if it makes economic sense.
49
50 Q. So is that a policy, to buy ingredients locally?
51 A. I would not call it a "policy". It is the general
52 rule, general guideline, to try to do so. There is not a
53 definite policy. What we want to try to do is have the
54 very best products that we can provide our consumer at the
55 most economic -- at the best prices.
56
57 Q. So it is dependent upon economics?
58 A. Partially. As I have just indicated, quality is utmost
59 -- of utmost importance and next to that would be value.
60
