Over the course of three days, the six Quality Correspondents will tour McDonald's apple supply chain - from the farm to the supplier. They are exploring an apple orchard near Buffalo, New York, a nearby produce packing facility, and Missa Bay, an apple and produce supplier in Swedesboro, New Jersey. The Quality Correspondents are seeing first-hand how the apples are picked, sorted, bundled, washed, cored, peeled, seeded, sliced, chilled and packaged ready to be delivered to the restaurant.
In addition to meeting the Missa Bay quality assurance team, the Quality Correspondents will speak with McDonald's produce quality assurance and menu development experts. They will learn how Missa Bay and McDonald's have worked together to develop innovative techniques that put fresh produce, such as apples in Apple Dippers and the Snack Size Fruit and Walnut Salad, on the menu and to ensure produce quality at McDonald's restaurants. Demand for these menu items has made McDonald's the no. 1 buyer of apples in the US restaurant industry.
"McDonald's really pioneered the concept of ready-to-eat sliced apples," said Sal Tedesco, Chief Operating Officer of Missa Bay. "We specifically built the production line to process apple slices for McDonald's. During their tour, the Quality Correspondents will see the entire process of how the apples are handled, from the orchard where they are grown to the processing plant where they are prepared to be sold at the restaurant."
Tonia Welling, a McDonald's Quality Correspondent and mother of four from Bentonville, Arkansas, is learning as much as she can about McDonald's food quality so she can make informed choices for her family. "During our vacation, I let my children know on two occasions at McDonald's that they would be getting Apple Dippers instead of French Fries for their meals. I like being able to mix and match menu items and customise meals for my family."
Welling says, "During our second tour, I learned a lot about the level of detail, commitment to quality and safety, and the manufacturing process of McDonald's beef and pork suppliers. This time, I am looking forward to discovering how the apples are handled and the different quality checks that are done throughout the packaging process." In addition to Welling, the other McDonald's Moms' Quality Correspondents are:
· Joanna Canizares, Miami, Florida - mother of two
· LaShawna Fitzpatrick-Hughes, Encino, California - mother of two
· Monica Fuentes, Anthem, Arizona - mother of three
· Tina Hoxie, Mulliken, Michigan - mother of two
· Gilda McHenry, Downingtown, Pennsylvania - mother of three
These moms will share their personal experiences from the apple orchard, produce packing facility, and Missa Bay plant via downloadable videos and online journal entries at www.McDonaldsmom.com in late September.
