Where Does the Beef Come From for McDonald's? A Global Supply Chain Analysis

November 26, 2025 •

3 min read

McDonald's burgers are famously made with 100% pure beef, a fact they widely advertise. But many customers still wonder: where does the beef come from for McDonald's? The answer reveals a complex, global network of dedicated suppliers and region-specific sourcing programs that prioritize quality and sustainability.

Quick Summary

McDonald's sources its 100% beef from a network of trusted suppliers and farmers worldwide, with practices varying by region, such as Lopez Foods in the U.S. and British/Irish farmers in the UK, all adhering to strict quality and sustainability standards.

Key Points

Regional Sourcing: The origin of McDonald's beef varies significantly by country, with the company using local suppliers and farmers in most markets.
100% Pure Beef: All McDonald's patties are made from 100% pure, inspected beef, with nothing added but salt and pepper after cooking.
Major Suppliers: Key suppliers include Lopez Foods in the U.S., British and Irish farmers in the UK, and Aussie farmers in Australia.
Stringent Standards: Beef suppliers must meet rigorous food safety, animal welfare, and quality control standards, with third-party audits performed annually.
Sustainability Initiatives: McDonald's is a founding member of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef and invests in initiatives like regenerative grazing to reduce its environmental impact.
Cuts of Beef: The patties are made from whole cuts of beef, such as chuck, round, and sirloin, which are ground and shaped before being frozen.

A Locally Focused, Globally Coordinated Supply Chain

McDonald's operates a global business model, but its beef sourcing is managed at a regional level to ensure freshness, support local farmers, and comply with diverse food safety and quality regulations. This approach means the origin of your burger's beef depends largely on where you are in the world. Despite the regional differences, a few key standards remain consistent globally, such as using 100% beef with no additives or fillers.

Sourcing in the United States

In the U.S., a key supplier is Lopez Foods, based in Oklahoma City. Lopez Foods has been a long-time partner, providing USDA-inspected beef for the U.S. market. McDonald's U.S. patties are made from trimmings of whole beef cuts like chuck, round, and sirloin, which are ground and formed without preservatives. The company also highlights its use of 100% fresh North American beef for its Quarter Pounder® burgers, cooked to order in most U.S. restaurants.

Sourcing in the United Kingdom and Ireland

McDonald's UK & Ireland supply chain is distinct, sourcing all its beef from over 20,000 British and Irish farmers. These farms must adhere to strict nationally recognized farm assurance schemes like Red Tractor or Bord Bia. The patties are made from whole cuts of forequarter and flank beef, minced and shaped by local butchers, ensuring a regionally transparent and controlled process.

Sourcing in Australia and New Zealand

For its Australian restaurants, McDonald's uses only 100% Aussie-grown beef, sourcing Angus beef from farmers across the country. In New Zealand, the beef is sourced domestically from the country's lush pastures and is so highly regarded that a significant portion is also exported to other McDonald's international markets.

Quality and Sustainability Standards

Across its global operations, McDonald's enforces rigorous standards for its beef supply. These include:

100% Pure Beef: Patties contain only pure, inspected beef, with salt and pepper added after cooking.
No Fillers or Preservatives: The beef is free of fillers, additives, and preservatives.
Stringent Audits: Suppliers undergo annual, third-party audits to ensure compliance with standards for food safety, animal welfare, and workplace accountability.

McDonald's is also a founding member of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB), an organization dedicated to advancing beef sustainability globally. The company actively participates in regional roundtables and funds research into regenerative grazing and carbon reduction pilots on beef farms, particularly in the UK and Australia.

Comparison of McDonald's Regional Sourcing


Feature	United States	United Kingdom & Ireland	Australia	Canada
Key Supplier(s)	Lopez Foods, Keystone Foods	Local British & Irish farmers	Aussie farmers	Canadian farmers & ranchers
Certification	USDA-inspected	Red Tractor or Bord Bia	Aussie Grown (Local)	Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB)
Cuts of Beef	Chuck, round, sirloin trimmings	Forequarter & flank	Variety of 100% Aussie cuts	100% beef cuts
Fresh vs. Frozen	Quarter Pounder fresh, others flash frozen	Blend of fresh & frozen	100% fresh is implied	100% beef (details vary)

The Journey from Farm to Fryer

The supply chain for McDonald's beef is a detailed and carefully managed process. Whole cuts of beef from approved suppliers are delivered to meat plants, where they are minced and formed into patties. These patties are then flash-frozen to lock in freshness and delivered to restaurants in refrigerated trucks. In the restaurant, the patties are cooked on a two-sided grill without added fats or oils, with only a pinch of salt and pepper added for seasoning. Each step, from farm to grill, is monitored for quality and food safety, with traceability systems in place to track each batch.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the question of where does the beef come from for McDonald's has a multi-faceted answer. It's not a single location but a network of regional suppliers and farmers who adhere to the company's strict global standards. While sources vary dramatically by country, the commitment to 100% pure beef with no additives or fillers is consistent. This localized sourcing model, combined with global standards for quality and sustainability, allows McDonald's to maintain consistency while adapting to regional supply chains. For more on these efforts, see the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef: https://grsbeef.org/.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, all McDonald's burger patties are made with 100% pure beef. They contain no fillers, additives, or preservatives, with only a touch of salt and pepper added after cooking.

Yes, McDonald's sources its beef regionally to ensure freshness and support local agriculture. For example, beef in the UK is sourced from British and Irish farmers, while in the US it comes from North American suppliers.

Lopez Foods is a major beef supplier for McDonald's in the U.S., having a long-standing relationship with the company.

Most classic burger patties are flash-frozen to lock in flavor and freshness, then cooked from frozen. However, some regional products, like the Quarter Pounder® in the U.S., use fresh beef cooked to order.

McDonald's uses whole cuts of beef for its patties, including trimmings from cuts like the chuck, round, and sirloin in the U.S., and forequarter and flank in the UK.

Yes, McDonald's is a founding member of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef and is involved in numerous regional sustainability initiatives to reduce agricultural emissions and promote responsible farming.

No, McDonald's has confirmed it does not use 'pink slime' (lean, finely textured beef treated with ammonia) or any fillers in its burger patties.