McDonald's Welcomes Back Sun Pacific's Cuties
OAK BROOK, IL - Cuties clementines are a bet McDonald’s says is paying off.
Last week, the citrus partner came back to the golden arches, and will be available throughout the nation until early May, according to QSR Magazine.
“They were very popular when they were in restaurants previously, and they really are a great compliment to the menu to supplement all of the other wonderful ingredients we have, including apple slices and low-fat yogurt,” Chef Jessica Foust, Director of Culinary Innovation, said, according to the report. “All of this work is really in an effort to build a better McDonald’s.”
Cuties will be available in both the Happy Meals and the a la carte menu, and McDonald’s expressed high hopes that last year’s successful reception will be repeated.
The fast food giant has made many moves in the last year to change its perception in the public eye to a healthier image, including incorporating salad bars, fresher formats, and a host of other tests in foreign markets to find the perfect mix.
“We’ve spent a lot of time over the past year or so really taking a hard look at ingredients, and Cuties fit within our strategy for really delivering quality, fresh, seasonal flavors that our customers feel good about,” Foust said.
Foust called Cuties “nature’s perfect snack,” totaling in 35 calories while bringing in plenty of Vitamin C and do not necessitate much to reach children.
“You don’t have to do anything to it; it’s easier for kids to peel, which is critical,” Foust said. “When you’re trying to get your children to eat more produce items, it’s pretty easy when you have such a great-tasting ingredient to work with.”
According to QSR, only about 17 percent of Cuties purchases were a la carte when McDonald’s first offered them last year, December 2014-March 2015, meaning 83 percent of consumption was through kids’ meals.
As McDonald’s continues to work towards its 2013 pledge with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to increase its fresh produce offerings significantly by 2020, AndNowUKnow will continue to follow this and other partnerships the chain makes to help promote produce consumption.
