Day 078 - 26 Jan 95 - Page 49


     
     1        something about:  "There is a limit to the percentage of
     2        frozen beef which we can incorporate into the finished
     3        patties"?
     4        A.  Yes.
     5
     6   Q.   Just explain what that means.
     7        A.  Well, as the McDonald's patty is a fresh meat patty, to
     8        get the quality that McDonald's require, it has to be
     9        fresh, but we spend a lot of time talking about
    10        bacteriology.  There is a technical reason why in each
    11        batch you put 10 per cent frozen, and that is to keep the
    12        temperature down from the friction of grinding when you are
    13        making the burger.  To make the perfect burger is a fresh
    14        meat burger, but you have 10 per cent just to hold the
    15        temperature down.  That meat must not be more than plus one
    16        degree when it gets to the forming machines.
    17
    18   Q.   So the usual percentage of frozen beef put into the
    19        manufacturing process is 10 per cent, roughly?
    20        A.  Maximum.
    21
    22   Q.   Maximum is 10 per cent.  So this balance sheet beef would
    23        have only made up 10 per cent of the patty?
    24        A.  That has been my point all along.  In the context £1.4
    25        million of meat a week, 83 tonnes over six months is
    26        peanuts.
    27
    28   Q.   When you said that the Ministry of Agriculture had put --
    29        "They were pressing at the highest level, i.e. ministerial
    30        level, to get us accepted for the balance sheet beef", why
    31        was it at such a high level?
    32        A.  It was a matter of principle.  Balance sheet was
    33        available, balance sheet was available to manufacturers
    34        within the United Kingdom.  It was perceived that we
    35        contributed, as a company and as an organisation, as much
    36        to the farming community of this country or more than any
    37        other food manufacturer using meat.  It was a point of
    38        principle that if there was a scheme which would help us
    39        economically, we should have access to it.  It did become
    40        political because Customs & Excise were saying "no" and the
    41        Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food were saying
    42        "yes".
    43
    44   Q.   Mr. Oakley talked about meetings with Ministers where
    45        suppliers attended; did you attend meetings with
    46        Ministers?  I think he talked about dinners with Ministers?
    47        A.  On this subject?
    48
    49   Q.   Yes.
    50        A.  No. 
    51 
    52   Q.   But other occasions you have done? 
    53        A.  Other occasions I have met Ministers, yes.
    54
    55   Q.   Were you hoping that once the balance sheet scheme, if it
    56        had worked, there would have been a long-term success for
    57        McDonald's?
    58        A.  Yes, I was hoping that -- that was me, personally, yes.
    59
    60   Q.   Does that mean that the regularity would have increased or

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