McDonald's spends €241.7m each year with Irish farmers and agri-food suppliers, the global fast food chain has revealed.

Among some of the companies supplying McDonald's with Irish beef, bacon, chicken, eggs and dairy are Dawn Meats, Dew Valley Foods, Flahavan’s, Kerry Group, Moy Park, Lakeland Dairies and Lee Strand.

Celebrating 50 years in Ireland in 2027, McDonald's has said it is committed to growing its impact further in the coming years.

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Contributing over €414m to the Irish economy each year, the business employs 7,000 people across 95 locally owned restaurants.

A stakeholder event was recently hosted by McDonald's to shine a light on its social and economic impact in the Republic of Ireland.

The event in Dublin city centre was attended by over 100 industry leaders and representatives from McDonald’s Irish suppliers.

Significant

Guests heard from Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon and Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole, who described McDonald’s as a “very significant” part of the agri-food supply in Ireland.

“Through our extensive collaboration with McDonald’s as part of our Quality Assurance programme, Bord Bia is pleased to have established a longstanding partnership grounded in shared commitments to supply chain resilience and sustainability,” said O’Toole.

“Irish farmers, along with the entire supply chain, recognise the significant value McDonald’s delivers on an annual basis. Achieving approved supplier status for the McDonald’s brand represents a benchmark reflecting the highest standards of food safety and traceability," he added.

Meanwhile, CEO McDonald’s UK and Ireland Lauren Schultz reaffirmed McDonald’s commitment to Ireland and said that McDonald’s has an "important role" to play here in Ireland.

"We’re committed to growing our impact here further in the coming years and marking our 50th anniversary in Ireland in 2027.

"Since opening our first Irish restaurant on Grafton Street in 1977, we’ve continually evolved to meet the needs of our customers and communities in Ireland.

"Whether through new restaurant formats, supporting employee career growth or helping our suppliers tackle sustainability challenges, we are committed to progress and supporting every part of our business – franchisees, restaurant employees and suppliers – to really make it.”

Franchisees

McDonald’s has 19 franchisees in Ireland – each independent entrepreneurs running their own small- and medium-sized business under the McDonald’s brand and living in the local communities they serve.

Over half started off as crew people in the business before working their way up the career ladder over many years to own and operate their restaurants.

Franchisee Jimmy Edwards, who owns and operates three McDonald’s restaurants in the greater Dublin area, said: “McDonald’s is a place of opportunity where we encourage our people, of all ages and from all backgrounds, to flourish and achieve their full potential.

"This results in unparalleled longevity among our crew, with employees thriving in the restaurants and staying with us for decades."