McDonald’s News
The story behind the creation of the fast food giant McDonald’s could be set to hit the silver screen, according to reports.
Reports in The Guardian and film press claim talks are under way to bring the story of McDonald’s origins to life, with director John Lee Hancock in discussions to direct.
It is said the story, which is titled “The Founder”, will focus on the relationship between founding brothers Mac and Dick McDonald and Illinois businessman Ray Kroc, who eventually took full control of the business in the early 1960’s.
Reports say, “The Founder” will be in the same vein as the Oscar-winning movie about Facebook, The Social Network, and Hancock most recently directed Saving Mr Banks about the creation of the classic Walt Disney film Mary Poppins.
A key supplier to fast-food chain has won approval to grow GM potato, but McDonald’s has quoted it ‘will not change sourcing practices’
Fast food giant McDonald’s (USA) has said it will not buy a recently-approved GM potato from one of its key suppliers.
The US department of agriculture (USDA) approved Idaho-based food producer J.R.Simplot’s genetically modified potato, named the Innate potato, last week. It now has permission to cultivate the crop, which is said to produce less acrylamide and is engineered to bruise less easily.
“McDonald’s USA does not source GMO potatoes, nor do we have current plans to change our sourcing practices,” the company said in a statement.
Simplot is a major supplier of french fries, hash browns and other potato products for restaurant chains like McDonald’s, local paper The Idaho Statesman reported.
A spokesman for Simplot, Doug Cole, told the paper that Innate would be accepted by the fresh potato market, although he did not comment on the company’s plans to supply the fast food or dehydrated potato markets.
A Liverpool University study found that McDonald’s children-targeted meals don’t lead to youngsters choosing healthier food.
Adverts for ‘healthy’ McDonald’s Happy Meals are not all they seem, an obesity conference has heard.
A Liverpool University study found that the children-targeted meals don’t lead to youngsters choosing healthier food, and – in most cases – actually make them like fast food more.
According to Mail Online, the researchers said the findings show the power of McDonald’s branding, and accused the fast food giant of quickly and cleverly getting round advertising rules.
In the study, 59 boys and girls aged between seven and 10 years old were shown a series of adverts for toys.
They were then asked to choose a main course, drink and side order from the options available for McDonald’s Happy Meals – the latter of which includes apple slices and a salad pot, alongside French fries.
The children involved in the study were also asked how much they liked junk food, Mail Online reported.
The process was repeated two weeks later – but this time some of the toy commercials were substituted with ones for McDonald’s.
Despite being shown a Happy Meal made up of fish fingers, fruit and a bottle of water, the majority of youngsters still favoured burgers and fries when asked to choose their own meal.
Plus, the UK Congress on Obesity in Birmingham heard, they said they liked fast food more after seeing the Happy Meal ads.
Researcher Emma Boyland said that showing fruit and water rather than milkshakes and chips meant the commercials “cleverly” complied with regulations on the advertising of food to children.
She added that holes in the rules mean that fatty and sugary food can still be advertised during TV programmes like X Factor, despite them being watched by millions of children.
And according to Mail Online, Dr Boyland said that in an ideal world, all such advertising to children would be banned.
She said: “It sounds extreme to say you shouldn’t advertise to children, but children don’t understand persuasion and advertisers shouldn’t be trying to sway children’s choices.”
A spokesperson for McDonald’s said that it adheres to some of the most stringent marketing regulations in the world, has worked hard to improve its menu, and does not advertise fatty and sugary foods to children.