Capital Region McDonald's Lauches New Happy Meal with Apples in Every Meal

GLENMONT, NY (10/27/2011)(readMedia)-- On Friday, October 28, 2011, at 11:00 am, McDonald's restaurants in the Capital Region will launch the new Happy Meal in support of the company's recently announced "Commitments to Offer Improved Nutrition Choice," which strives to help customers – especially children and families – make nutrition-minded choices whether visiting McDonald's or elsewhere. McDonald's will be joined by the New York Apple Association at the Western Avenue, Guilderland restaurant to announce the launch of the new Happy Meal which include fresh New York apple slices in every meal.

At the event, New York Apple Association President Jim Allen and McDonald's Western Avenue restaurant owner Doug Arnott will be joined by growers, agriculture officials, McDonald's officials and other invited guests, distributing free packets of apple slices to the first 200 children who come to the restaurant. Free apple slices packets will also be distributed at the McDonald's restaurant in Amsterdam, New York on Friday. On Saturday, free apple packets will be distributed at the Saratoga Springs and Karner Road in Colonie restaurants from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

"Moms and dads will be lovin' the fact that their kids will automatically get fresh and healthy New York grown apple slices in every Happy Meal," said Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association. By adding fruit in every Happy Meal, McDonald's hopes to address a challenge children face in meeting the recommended daily consumption of produce.

According to Renee Reardon, local restaurant owner and president of the McDonald's Owner/Operators Capital Region Co-op, "With the new Happy Meal, we're hoping to support parents in encouraging their children to enjoy the foods that are good for them along with the foods they love by automatically including both apples and fries as part of a balanced, kid-appropriate meal. We're excited this new offering will introduce about 100 million cups of apples annually into the diets of our youngest customers."

McDonald's has been sourcing apples from New York orchards since 2004 when the company first introduced apples slices to the menu. Traditional New York-grown apple varieties like Empire and Gala have been ideal for slicing due to their high acidity, flavor and resistance to browning.

McDonald's will give exposure to our fruit for a new generation of fans," Allen said. "Some kids are going to taste our apples for the very first time. We hope to get them excited and have them become livelong apple customers." The New York Apple Association will be distributing nutrition information at their displays at the restaurants.

According to Kaari Stannard, president of New York Apple Sales, "As a Mom of two young girls, I think this is an excellent, positive move by one of the most recognizable restaurant chains in the World. By including apples in every "Happy meal", McDonald's is encouraging a generation of children the importance of healthy diet choices."

The new Happy Meal that includes 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, apple slices, new smaller size French fries and 1% low fat white milk or fat-free chocolate milk delivers produce and dairy – two food groups encouraged by the USDA's Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 and My Plate, as well as at least 10 percent of the Daily Value for vitamins A and C, calcium and vitamin D.

McDonald's is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to millions of customers every day. Nearly 80 percent of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local franchisees. Customers can now log online for free at any of the 11,000 participating Wi-Fi enabled McDonald's U.S. restaurants. For more information, visit www.mcdonald's.com, or follow us on Twitter (@McDonald's) and Facebook (Facebook.com/McDonald's) for updates on our business, promotions and products.

The McDonald's Operators of the Capital Region Co-op consists of 20 owner/operators who own 70 restaurants in the following counties: Albany, Bennington (VT), Berkshire (MA), Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Rutland (VT), Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Ulster, Warren and Washington.