McDonald's® Goes Beyond an Apple a Day

McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) leaders speaking at the U.S. Apple Association's 2004 Apple Crop Outlook and Marketing Conference today in Chicago, Illinois, extended their commitment as the world's leading food service retailer to drive economic expansion for apple growers by adding apple-based products to its national menu.

"McDonald's has given the apple industry a significant boost with their exciting innovation around apples and apple slices," says Jim Cranney, Vice President, U.S. Apple Association. "They've provided a whole new avenue on ways to increase apple consumption and to my knowledge, McDonald's is the leading purchaser of apples in the restaurant industry."

"The growing presence of apples on our national menu is part of our ongoing commitment to offering customers high quality, great-tasting food choices that meet their changing lifestyles," said Ralph Alvarez, President, McDonald's USA. "We will continue to explore new choices based on the feedback we receive from our customers."

In June, McDonald's launched Happy Meal Choices®, which offers children new choices like Apple Dippers and Minute Maid® Apple Juice in place of or to accompany traditional Happy Meal favorites. Based on current sales data, McDonald's estimates that it will sell over 35 million pounds of apples annually just through Apple Dippers. With the combination of Apple Dippers, Minute Maid Apple Juice and baked Apple Pies, McDonald's has sold nearly 118 million apple products in the first half of 2004.

"We are excited that McDonald's is providing customers portable, friendly and fun ways for children and adults to eat apples," said Ed Kershaw, U.S. Apple Association Board Member and CEO of DOMEX in Yakima, Washington. "Apples have tremendous health benefits, great taste and now McDonald's will bring these benefits to consumers by helping to provide more servings a day to more people."

Kershaw facilitated a panel discussion at the meeting regarding McDonald's new apple menu additions and its expected benefit for apple growers.

The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 40 state and regional apple associations representing the 7,500 apple growers throughout the country, as well as more than 400 individual firms involved in the apple business. USApple's mission is to provide the means for all segments of the U.S. apple industry to join in appropriate collective efforts to profitably produce and market apples and apple products.

McDonald's is the world's leading food service retailer with more than 30,000 local McDonald's restaurants serving 47 million customers each day in approximately 120 countries. More than 70 percent of McDonald's restaurants around the world are owned and operated by independent, local businessmen and women.

For more information, please visit http://www.mcdonalds.com/ and http://www.usapple.org/ . To obtain images and materials for McDonald's Happy Meal Choices®, please visit http://www.mcdepk.com/ .

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SOURCE: McDonald's

CONTACT: Steve Tompos of McDonald's, +1-630-623-8127, or Jim Cranney of
U.S. Apple Association, +1-703-362-2551

Web site: http://www.mcdonalds.com/
http://www.mcdepk.com/
http://www.usapple.org/