The next time you go into a McDonald’s or whip around their drive thru, you may want to think about the pork in your Sausage McMuffin® and the milk in your McFlurry®. That’s because the McDonald’s system buys a lot of these products from Indiana farms.
“Indiana farmers are the backbone to what we do,” says Zack Wojtowicz, who owns and operates six McDonald’s locations with his family across Johnson and Shelby counties in central Indiana. He is taking the time this National Ag Day to thank the great farmers across Indiana.
“McDonald’s as a system buys about $30 million worth of products from Indiana farmers,” according to Wojtowicz. “That includes nearly 13 million pounds of pork, more than eight million gallons of milk, and 12 million pounds of sugar from Indiana’s farmers.”
In addition, the McDonald’s system also buys millions of eggs, as well millions of pounds of flour from Indiana suppliers.
Wojtowicz says the support that McDonald’s gives to Indiana farmers goes well beyond National Ag Day and National Ag Week.
“We don’t want it just to be a sterile relationship where we buy the product and that’s the end, so we want to make sure that we are invested in the local community,” says Wojtowicz. “McDonald’s is a big supporter of FFA, which is huge in Indiana. We also have a giant legacy with the National FFA Convention held in Indianapolis every year, as well as partnering with Purdue University’s agriculture department, so it’s not just a transactional kind of approach. We want to make sure we are truly partners and a part of what Indiana farmers are doing for their legacy.”
He also thanks Indiana farmers for providing quality products to the McDonald’s system.
“We often see in our lobbies those same Indiana farmers because they love to be customers as well,” says Wojtowicz. “I think it’s awesome that within Indiana, 95% of farms are family owned and operated. It’s almost the exact same for the McDonald’s in Indiana—about 95% of restaurants are family owned and operated. It’s great to be shoulder-to-shoulder with these farmers.”
What message does Wojtowicz have for Indiana’s farmers?
“Thank you for all you do and your hard work,” says Wojtowicz. “Thank you on this National Ag Day to those farmers for helping supply the wonderful food we get to serve at McDonald’s each and every day.”
Click BELOW to hear C.J. Miller’s news report and interview with Zack Wojtowicz, as he discusses the importance of Indiana farmers and suppliers to the McDonald’s system.
