Guess, who is now watching over your health. Good ol’ McDonald’s. McDonald’s Corp is cutting the amount of calories and salt on its Indian menu as it fights to hold on to customers in a rapidly growing developing market where newer, healthier fast-food options are just starting to catch on.
The burger chain is known globally for the consistency of its food, down to the thickness of fries or the amount of cheese on burgers, and changes run the risk of upsetting customers who expect the same taste on every visit, everywhere.
Amit Jatia, vice president of one of India’s two main McDonald’s franchisees, said that changes to reduce sodium and calories in fries, buns and sauces had been done gradually, and were subtle enough to keep taste consistent and customers happy. McDonald’s has not talked about these changes previously.
“It wasn’t as if we suddenly cut the salt in our foods one day. Our menu and sourcing teams have been working to make slight alterations for months now,” Jatia told Reuters in an interview.
McDonald’s in India has cut sodium in its sauces and buns by 10 per cent and in fries by 20 per cent, Jatia said. Calories in sauces are down by 30-40 percent over the last six months.
Loyalists interviewed in Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai said they did not detect any difference in taste.
“I order in from McD’s at least twice a month and think it tastes pretty much the same,” said Rahul Dutta, 29, a marketing executive based in New Delhi.
Rising levels of obesity, once just a problem of rich nations that the World Health Organisation says is increasingly affecting low and middle-income countries, has put pressure on fast food chain’s globally to offer healthier food.
The reduction of salt in fries, buns and nuggets was part of a global push to reduce sodium levels in its food, McDonald’s said, while the reduction of oils in sauces was a local initiative in India. The changes have reduced the calorie impact of a burger by 7-8 per cent, it said.
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