Day 059 - 01 Dec 94 - Page 26


     
     1
     2   Q.   In these respects, for example, salads or salt reductions
     3        or fat reductions, to what extent are you led, if any, by
     4        what goes on in America?
     5        A.  We largely follow the American specifications.  We do
     6        not entirely follow their specifications.  If we think it
     7        is right for this market, we will follow it.  But,
     8        normally, a lot of the impetus comes from America
     9        originally but not all of it.  The reduction in fat in
    10        cheese slices, for example, is purely a UK initiative which
    11        is now being picked up, has been picked up by the rest of
    12        Europe and is likely to be picked up by the rest of the
    13        world assuming they could make that change.
    14
    15   Q.   So, on questions of that kind, nutritional or compositional
    16        question, is there an exchange of information throughout
    17        the whole McDonald's worldwide organisation or not.
    18        A.  There would be an exchange Europe-wide.  Then that
    19        exchange is documented and it would go to the McDonald's
    20        Headquarters in Chicago and then disseminated out to other
    21        zones of the world.
    22
    23   Q.   The Americans had (or perhaps still have, I cannot
    24        remember) an item called a "McLean"; are you familiar with
    25        that?
    26        A.  McLean Delux, yes.
    27
    28   Q.   Do we have that here?
    29        A.  We do not, no.
    30
    31   Q.   What is the reason why we do not have a McLean Delux in
    32        this country?
    33        A.  To be honest with you, we did not think much of the
    34        product and we did not think it would sell and that has
    35        proved to be the case.
    36
    37   Q.   I see.  What about what some people all veggie burgers,
    38        have you thought about those?
    39        A.  A lot.  We currently have a lot of products under
    40        development.  We have tested vegetable McNuggetts in the
    41        restaurants.  To my knowledge, today there are at least 12
    42        vegetable products under development, some of which are at
    43        a very advanced stage.   We have been working with them for
    44        more than two years in most cases, and it is very likely
    45        that we will be testing one or two of these products
    46        in 1995 as a flavour of the month and, if they sell, we
    47        will make it permanently on to the menu.
    48
    49   Q.   I want to ask you what the reason is for your consideration
    50        and, apparently, serious consideration of products of that 
    51        kind, vegetable products? 
    52        A.  Well, there is a growing vegetarian population in the 
    53        UK.  But, more importantly from our point of view, the
    54        vegetarian people would tend to influence other people on
    55        their choice of restaurants.  So, if you had six people
    56        going out for a meal and one was vegetarian, you would
    57        obviously try to accommodate the one that was vegetarian.
    58        Frankly, the menus to serve these people need to be
    59        expanded.  However, having said that, we do not see this as
    60        ever being a very large market and certainly today it is

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