Martinez, McDonald's CEO, "20 Million Big Macs Sold Last Year, Repaying Korean Investment with Love"

1st Anniversary of CEO Matinez
McDonald's Sales Grow 7%
'Best Burger' Introduction Impact
Contactless Usage Soars Amid COVID-19

"Repaying 33 Years of Customer Support... Right Time for Active Investment in Korea"
Increasing Local Agricultural Supply
Expanding Eco-Friendly Activities & Social Contributions
Introducing Dual Car DT Usage

Anthony Martinez, CEO of McDonald's Korea.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Anthony Martinez, CEO of McDonald's Korea, on the 16th, marking his first anniversary in office, revealed McDonald's Korea's performance last year and the 'Our New Direction' strategy for future growth engines.

CEO Martinez stated, "The tremendous support Korean customers have shown McDonald's over 33 years has been truly remarkable, and to repay that support, I judged that now is the time for active investment in the Korean market," expressing his intention to expand investment in Korea.

Big Mac Sold Over 20 Million Units

On this day, CEO Martinez announced through an online conference video, "Last year, McDonald's recorded total sales including franchise stores of 980 billion KRW, a 7% increase compared to the previous year." Sales excluding franchise stores amounted to 790 billion KRW, growing 9.1% year-on-year.

McDonald's analyzed that sales grew despite the impact of COVID-19 due to the effect of the 'Best Burger' introduced in March last year. The Best Burger is a product created by changing the overall process of making burgers, including ingredients, cooking methods, and cooking equipment.

Since the introduction of the Best Burger, total burger sales increased by 18% from April to December last year. The Big Mac, McDonald's signature menu item where the Best Burger changes were most noticeable, sold over 20 million units throughout the year. With the rise of contactless consumption due to COVID-19, usage of McDrive and McDelivery also surged. Last year, McDrive sales grew 23% year-on-year, and McDelivery sales increased by 36%.

CEO Martinez explained, "Although we recorded high sales last year, there were increases in labor costs, delivery fees, and price hikes in beef, chicken, and eggs due to COVID-19 and avian influenza," adding, "As a franchise business involving more than 50 franchisees, we will continuously seek opportunities to improve operating profits for partners and the system."

"Now is the Time for Active Investment in the Korean Market"

At the conference, CEO Martinez emphasized four areas: 'Our Planet,' 'Ingredient Quality and Supply,' 'Community Engagement,' and 'Inclusive Employment and Employee Development,' stating, "I believe now is the time for active investment in the Korean market."

CEO Martinez said, "McDonald's sources 23.5 million eggs, 1,700 tons of tomatoes, and 4,200 tons of lettuce domestically each year," and explained, "We will continue to strengthen relationships with domestic suppliers and cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation to introduce more delicious and differentiated new menus including excellent Korean ingredients."

CEO Martinez also emphasized eco-friendly activities and expanding customized corporate social responsibility (CSR). Last year, McDonald's introduced the 'lid without a straw,' reducing plastic straw usage by 4.3 tons per month on average.

McDonald's plans to lead the creation of stable, quality jobs by hiring 500 full-time employees this year. Despite the COVID-19 situation last year, McDonald's hired 530 full-time employees and increased the full-time conversion rate by 3.4 times compared to the previous year. CEO Martinez added, "We also plan to launch a campaign to create an environment where employees can work with peace of mind and respect in stores."

New Concept Store Debuts in Korea

In response to the spread of contactless consumption due to COVID-19 last year, McDonald's will expand new concept stores this year.

McDonald's plans to enhance McDrive service speed and introduce the Tandem drive-thru, which allows two vehicles to use the service simultaneously, for the first time in Korea. They also plan to add menus specialized for McDelivery, upgrade kiosks, implement customer loyalty programs, and open new stores. Additionally, they will renew not only menus but also side menus to increase customer satisfaction. Earlier this January, McDonald's upgraded McCafe coffee by increasing the amount of coffee beans used by 14%.

CEO Martinez stated, "About 400,000 customers visit McDonald's daily, and nearly 200 million annually. This is a very proud result but also a great responsibility," adding, "We will further expand and accelerate investments for sustainable growth that coexists with our future, environment, society, and community."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.