MEDIA RELEASE PR38307
Olympic Legends Team Up With McDonald's to Kick Off Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games
VANCOUVER, B.C., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
McDonald's chef, latest food news and fun competition featured
the day before Opening Ceremonies
Today at the McDonald's restaurant in the Olympic Main Media Center,
McDonald's officially launched its global activities for the Vancouver 2010
Olympic Winter Games. Olympic gold medalists Cassie Campbell, Shawn Johnson,
Picabo Street and Katarina Witt participated in a fun food competition as the
Company provided a first look at an upcoming McDonald's menu item, Real Fruit
Smoothies. As the only Official Restaurant of the Olympic Games feeding the
athletes, McDonald's also shared details of sponsorship activities taking
place in Vancouver and in markets around the world.
The Olympians, McDonald's President and Chief Operating Officer Don
Thompson, McDonald's Canada President John Betts and McDonald's Director of
Culinary Innovation Chef Dan Coudreaut were joined by representatives from
the International Olympic Committee, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and United States Olympic Committee
to showcase McDonald's commitment to serving the world's best athletes
quality food.
"McDonald's has been feeding the Olympic athletes for nearly two decades
-
athletes tell us they love our food and we've earned their trust," said
Thompson. "We use the finest ingredients and insist on the highest standards
from the farms of our trusted suppliers to our front counter - whether that
counter is in a neighborhood McDonald's or in the Olympic Village."
Feeding the Athletes
Vancouver marks McDonald's eighth consecutive Games as the Official
Restaurant. Over the years, McDonald's has served millions of meals to
Olympic athletes, media and fans as a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic
Movement.
Coudreaut, a five-star chef, graduate of the Culinary Institute of
America, father and musician, works with a global network of top chefs and
suppliers to create new McDonald's offerings for customers around the world.
The latest product is McDonald's Real Fruit Smoothies in two flavors:
Strawberry Banana and Wild Berry. The new Smoothies are debuting at the Games
in McDonald's three Olympic restaurants and will be available in U.S.
McDonald's restaurants this summer as part of the McCafe lineup. "Mini
versions" of McDonald's customers' favorites, including Big Mac sandwiches,
Chicken McNuggets and French Fries, were served today at the event to give
media and guests a fresh look at McDonald's quality food.
"I've served McDonald's favorites to some outstanding people, from movie
stars and famous musicians to my family, friends and neighbors. Feeding
Olympic athletes in Vancouver is one of my top career highlights," said
Coudreaut. "It's incredibly rewarding to know how much athletes want our
food, whether it's basketball players making McDonald's their first stop in
the Olympic Village or the world's fastest man enjoying our Chicken McNuggets
before setting world records."
Olympic gold medalists - Canadian ice hockey team captain Cassie
Campbell, U.S. gymnast Shawn Johnson and U.S. alpine skier Picabo Street were
each teamed with a pair of McDonald's Champion Kids (MCK) to create their own
smoothie flavors and earn McDonald's first "medals" of the Games. The
McDonald's Champion Kids program debuted at the Beijing Games in 2008. It
provides children ages 6-14 with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see
the Games first-hand.
The panel of competition judges included Olympic gold medalist and German
figure skater Katarina Witt, McDonald's Canada and Latin America Group
President Jose Armario and Sportscaster for the CTV Olympic Broadcast
Consortium Louis Jean.
"Since working with Ronald McDonald House Charities in Germany, I have
admired and appreciated the unique opportunities McDonald's provides," said
Witt. "I'm happy to be part of this latest Olympic experience with McDonald's
Champion Kids and plan to enjoy a McDonald's Snack Wrap while at these Winter
Games."
McDonald's two new restaurants in the Olympic Villages in Vancouver and
Whistler are feeding more than 10,000 athletes, coaches and officials, and
the McDonald's restaurant in the Main Media Center feeds the nearly 3,000
media expected. These restaurants are open 24 hours a day and offer McCafe
beverages and snacks. Chicken McNuggets, the favorite McDonald's menu item at
the last Games, are featured on the McDonald's Olympic menu, served with a
choice of dipping sauces, including a new Spicy Szechwan option. McDonald's
Big Mac sandwich, Egg McMuffin, Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait, and many other
customer favorites also are available. For the first time at the Games,
McDonald's is serving Snack Wraps created by Coudreaut and his culinary team,
in addition to the new Real Fruit Smoothies.
McDonald's Olympic Games Activities
McDonald's Canada President John Betts was joined at today's media event
by members of McDonald's Olympic Champion Crew, comprised of 300
top-performing restaurant employees from across Canada who are staffing the
three McDonald's Olympic restaurants.
"McDonald's is proud to welcome the world to Vancouver and we're proud to
celebrate the Games," Betts said. "We have our best serving the world's best
athletes. Imagine going from serving your friends and neighbors in Montreal,
to providing a Big Mac to a hockey star from Russia or a cappuccino to a
German ice skater. Our employees are proud to be part of this Olympic
experience."
At more than 1,400 restaurants across Canada, including more than 30
McDonald's restaurants in Vancouver and Whistler, customers can enjoy new
limited-time menu offerings such as the S'mores Pie and the Creme Brulee
Crunch McFlurry. For our youngest fans, Happy Meals feature fun, interactive
toy replicas of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games mascots.
Around the globe, McDonald's has created special campaigns to share the
Olympic spirit and excitement of the Games.
Customers in the U.S. are seeing some of their favorite winter athletes
on packaging in the 14,000 McDonald's restaurants. Graham Watanabe (men's
snowboard), Jennifer Rodriguez (women's speedskating), J.R. Celski (men's
speedskating), Dustin Byfuglien (men's hockey), Patrick Deneen (men's
skiing), Kelly Clark (women's snowboard), Angela Ruggiero (women's ice
hockey) and Paralympian Sean Halsted (alpine skiing) are currently featured
on cups and bags. The latest McDonald's USA promotion features Chicken
McNuggets and a new, limited-time Sweet Chili dipping sauce, available
starting February 12.
McDonald's in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway are offering special
Chicken McNuggets promotions under a "Share the Gold" theme, which include
television and in-restaurant advertising. In Russia, the iconic Big Mac
sandwich is being featured in print and television advertisements in honor of
the Games. The new commercial celebrates athletes coming together at a
McDonald's restaurant following Olympic Games events.
McDonald's Olympic Games History
McDonald's became an Official Sponsor of the Olympic Games in 1976 and
has a long-standing commitment to the Olympic Movement, which first began
more than 40 years ago. At the 1968 Olympic Winter Games, McDonald's
airlifted hamburgers to U.S. athletes competing in Grenoble, France, after
they reported being homesick for McDonald's food. Since then, the company has
served its menu of choice and variety to millions of athletes, coaches, their
families and fans. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games marks McDonald's
seventh Olympic Games as a Worldwide Partner and eighth as the Official
Restaurant of the Olympic Games. McDonald's current sponsorship will continue
through the London 2012 Olympic Summer Games.
About McDonald's
McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) is the leading global foodservice retailer with
more than 32,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. Approximately 80
percent of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by
more about the Company.
For more information and updates on McDonald's Olympic Games sponsorship,
including the McDonald's Olympic Champion Crew, McDonald's Champion Kids,
Ronald McDonald House Charities 2010 Olympic Games host country gift,
environmental contributions and images from the McDonald's Ultimate Smoothie
Challenge, please visit
For video from today's media briefing visit
A video feed will also be available:
*For questions related to the video feed, please contact Globecast TOC at
310-845-3800
FEED DATE: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH, 2010
FEED TIME: 4:00 - 4:15 PM EST (1:00 - 1:15 PST)
COORDINATES: C-BAND Galaxy 19 / Transponder 13
AUDIO 6.2 & 6.8 / DOWNLINK 3960 (V)
Media Contacts
Lisa McComb, McDonald's; lisa.mccomb@us.mcd.com or 630-484-1158
Suzanne Valliere, McDonald's; suzanne.valliere@us.mcd.com or 630-235-8128
Emily Fullmer, GolinHarris; efullmer@golinharris.com or 612-716-6688
(c)2010 McDonald's
The following trademarks used herein are owned by McDonald's Corporation
and its affiliates; McDonald's, the Golden Arches Logo, McDonald's Champion
Kids, Big Mac, Happy Meal, Snack Wrap, McCafe, Chicken McNuggets, Egg
McMuffin, Ronald McDonald House Charities.
SOURCE: McDonald's
CONTACT: Lisa McComb,
+1-630-484-1158,
lisa.mccomb@us.mcd.com, or
Suzanne Valliere,
+1-630-235-8128,
suzanne.valliere@us.mcd.com,
both of McDonald's; or
Emily Fullmer of GolinHarris,
+1-612-716-6688,
efullmer@golinharris.com,
for McDonald's
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