Westlife Foodworld Ltd (WFL), owner-operator of McDonald’s restaurants in West and South India, has teamed up with CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) to introduce a multi-millet bun in its burger menu. The offering will help reinforce the brand’s commitment to nutritious menu offerings, said the company.
The new multi-millet bun will be part of its classics, such as the McAloo Tikki and McSpicy Paneer burger, and is made with five different millets—bajra, ragi, jowar, proso, and kodo—sourced from different parts of the country, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. Arvind R.P, CMO, McDonald’s India (W&S), said, “The multi-millet bun, developed with the expertise of CSIR-CFTRI, embodies our dedication to mindful eating.”
The Indian wing of the global fast-food chain said the millet bun was developed keeping in mind PM’s vision of making India the world’s largest organic food-producing country.
Renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor is the brand ambassador for the bun launched to coincide with the National Nutrition Week celebrations.
Sridevi Annapurna Singh, director of CSIR-CFTRI, said,”By combining CSIR-CFTRI’s research with McDonald’s India’s operational expertise, we are paving the way for a future where food offers greater nutritional value and exceptional taste.”
Q&A: SAURABH KALRA, Managing Director, McDonald’s India (West & South)
“Sometimes McDonald’s gets falsely accused of not serving the best products”
Q: How does the new menu addition align with McDonald’s broader strategy of catering to local taste and dietary preferences?
There are two parts to this. First, it was in 2016 that we started to see that many consumers were asking for more nutritional options. The millet bun is a milestone event because we were able to rope in the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI). Second, it’s an Indian product, made by Indian scientists, with the millets representing six Indian states.
Q: How did you ensure there was balance between taste and nutritional value?
In India, the eating-out occasions are limited and people go out for the taste. There was zero tolerance as far as taste was concerned. That’s pretty much been the rule of thumb when we do any nutritional work around a product. And buns are the heart of burgers. Therefore, it was important for us to give it some time to develop.
We started talking about the multi-millet bun a year-and-a-half back and we have been working with CFTRI for a year now. Finally, we were able to crack it a couple of months back, and the product which you see is now the result of that.
Q: What are your expectations from the market?
People who eat it should feel a less guilty of eating at McDonald’s. There are a lot of balanced products on the menu and sometimes McDonald’s gets falsely accused of not serving the best products. McDonald’s serves the most wholesome, nutritious food with top hygiene standards amongst everybody around.
Q: What are your marketing plans for the new addition?
We’ve roped in Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and we’ve worked with him in the past too. What we like about him is that he asks a lot of questions, which are genuinely coming from a knowledgeable place. I think that’s a great balance.