McDonald’s Australia has revealed just how much local produce goes into a year of Macca’s runs, with its 2025 Aussie Shopping List topping 347 million kilograms of Australian ingredients. The fast food giant spent more than $1 billion with Australian farmers and suppliers last year, with more than 90 per cent of its produce and products now sourced locally. That local network supports more than 15,000 farmers across the country, covering everything from Victorian potatoes for Fries and Hash Browns to Queensland beef for burgers. The biggest number on the list is potatoes, because of course it is. McDonald’s sourced 140 million kilograms of Australian potatoes in 2025, keeping Fries and Hash Browns firmly at the top of the ingredient pile. Beef followed with 89 million kilograms used for burgers in Australian and international restaurants, while fresh milk reached 51 million litres across coffees, shakes and desserts. The full list also includes 23 million kilograms of chicken for burgers and sides, 21 million kilograms of wheat flour for buns, wraps and bakery items, and 6.8 million kilograms of canola oil for cooking. Breakfast did plenty of heavy lifting too. McDonald’s sourced 5.2 million kilograms of eggs, or about 89 million eggs, for McMuffins, while growth in fresh milk and eggs reflected demand across breakfast and McCafé. Apples recorded the strongest growth of any ingredient, increasing almost 15 per cent year on year through Apple Pies and Apple Slices. The shopping list also shows how limited-time launches can create new demand for local growers. Beetroot made the list through special menu items like the McOz, with McDonald’s sourcing 50,000 kilograms for limited-time burgers. Other ingredients included 3.3 million kilograms of lettuce for burgers and wraps, 2.6 million kilograms of Australian sugarcane for sugar sachets, 1.6 million kilograms of cucumbers for pickles, 1.5 million kilograms of tomatoes, 1 million kilograms of onions, and 240,000 kilograms of oats and 130,000 kilograms of almonds for dairy alternative milk. Australian beef and chicken also saw strong growth, helped by core menu demand and newer products including McCrispy, McWings and the Big Arch. Jeanelle Boyce, Director of Supply Chain at McDonald’s Australia, said, “Great-tasting menu items start with great-quality ingredients, and our Shopping List showcases the Australian farmers and suppliers behind many of the customer favourites Australians enjoy every day. “The quality of our menu starts long before ingredients reach our restaurants. It begins with the care, expertise and dedication of Australian farmers and suppliers across the country. “We’re incredibly proud of our long-standing partnerships with Australian farming communities, whose commitment helps us serve great-quality, great-tasting food and drinks to millions of Australians every year.” Toowoomba lettuce farmer and McDonald’s supplier Geoffrey Story said, “Growing lettuce for McDonald’s means our hard work on the farm ends up in millions of meals across the country. “There’s real pride in seeing Aussie-grown lettuce feature in something as iconic as Macca’s Big Mac burgers, and partnerships like this give us the confidence to invest back into our farms and our communities.” McDonald’s has worked with Australian farmers and suppliers for more than 50 years, but the 2025 list gives the scale of that relationship a number. Behind the burgers, coffees, nuggets and late-night fries is a very large grocery order, and a lot of it is being filled close to home. Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Beresford Estate has released its Classic Shiraz 2024 after a very big year for the McLaren Vale wine. The new vintage follows the international success of the Classic Shiraz 2023, which won the International Syrah Trophy and was named World’s Best Shiraz at the 2026 International Wine Challenge. That gives the 2024 release a little more attention than the usual next-vintage rollout. It is arriving after the previous bottle helped cement Beresford Estate’s reputation as one of Australia’s leading producers of contemporary McLaren Vale Shiraz. This year’s Classic Shiraz comes from a cooler, more consistent 2024 growing season, which encouraged slower flavour development across the region. For the wine, that means fruit with freshness, structure and balance rather than overblown weight. Beresford Estate Head Winemaker Natalie Cleghorn said, “The 2024 benefited from a longer, more even ripening period, which allowed flavour and tannin development to happen gradually. “That comes through in the finished wine: the fruit is bright and expressive, the tannins are fine and well formed, and there’s a natural balance through the palate.” The 2024 vintage is made from estate-grown fruit and parcels from long-standing grower partners across McLaren Vale, bringing together different parts of the region in one bottle. Fruit from richer valley-floor vineyards brings generosity and depth, while elevated sites influenced by cooling coastal breezes add freshness and lift. Together, they give the wine a broader regional expression rather than tying it to a single vineyard story. “When you have a long, even ripening period, the fruit develops beautifully,” said Cleghorn. “There’s a real harmony to the wine. Everything feels integrated, from the fruit through to the tannin structure and length.” Cleghorn said Classic Shiraz 2024 is produced from a “tapestry of vineyards” across McLaren Vale. “Working with growers across different parts of McLaren Vale gives us an incredible palette to work with. “Every vineyard contributes something unique, and blending those parcels together allows us to create a wine with balance, complexity and a genuine sense of place.” In the glass, Beresford Estate Classic Shiraz 2024 opens with vibrant red fruit aromas that move into darker blue fruits, with subtle oak complexity from maturation in French and American oak. The palate is fresh, bright and expressive, with generous fruit through the mid-palate, fine-knit tannins and a long, balanced finish. Beresford Estate Classic Shiraz 2024 is available now through Dan Murphy’s, BWS, Beresford Estate and selected independent bottle shops nationwide. The wine is vegan-friendly and retails for $25 AUD for 750ml. Source: HHPR Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

Crows Nest is getting a new Macca’s, with construction now underway on a $5 million-plus restaurant on Willoughby Road. The new McDonald’s Crows Nest will create more than 180 jobs across construction and restaurant roles, adding another North Shore location to the network of local licensee Bernard Kelly. Kelly’s Macca’s story started nearly 30 years ago as a crew member. He now employs more than 650 people across Victoria Cross, Gordon, North Ryde, Chatswood Interchange, Chatswood Concourse and St Leonards, with Chatswood East and Crows Nest next to join the list. Bernard Kelly, Licensee for McDonald’s Crows Nest, said, “We are excited to start construction on a new restaurant in Crows Nest and create over 100 jobs during construction and over 80 jobs once the restaurant is open. “Macca’s Crows Nest is committed to playing an active role in the local community through providing jobs, training and development opportunities, as well as supporting local causes and groups that are important to our customers and people. “We look forward to serving up our great tasting, great quality menu when the restaurant opens later this year.” Once open, Macca’s Crows Nest will trade from 7 am to 10 pm Monday to Saturday, and from 7 am to 8 pm on Sundays and public holidays. The restaurant will include modern décor and a McCafé. The new restaurant will be located at 31 Willoughby Road and is expected to open later this year. McDonald’s is also hiring across the North Shore, with crew, barista, management and maintenance roles currently available. Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Black Star Pastry is turning its Newtown store into an after-dark cake and cocktail destination from late August. The cult patisserie will launch the new Cake & Cocktail experience exclusively at Newtown, pairing its signature cakes with cocktails created to match their flavours. It gives the brand best known for its Strawberry Watermelon Cake a proper evening format, shifting the store beyond daytime pastry runs and into the kind of dessert-after-dinner territory Newtown already does really well. Black Star Pastry Head of Sales and Marketing Chérif Eldin said, “Black Star Pastry has always been about creating memorable flavour experiences and bringing people together through food. “This new concept is an exciting evolution of our brand, giving guests the opportunity to experience our signature cakes in an entirely new way. By pairing them with thoughtfully crafted cocktails and shareable bites, we’re creating an experience that’s playful, indulgent and made for lingering. Newtown, with its vibrant nightlife and thriving food scene, felt like the perfect place to bring this concept to life.” The main event is the Cake & Cocktail Flight Experience, priced at $99, with three signature cake selections matched with three bespoke cocktails. The guided tasting moves from brighter, fruit-led flavours through to richer, more decadent finishes. There will also be $35 Signature Pairings for anyone who wants to go straight to a specific cake and cocktail match. Strawberry Watermelon Cake – Matched with a Strawberry Watermelon Spritz Raspberry Lychee Cake – Paired with a Rose Lychee Martini Chocolate Oasis Cake – Served alongside a Chocolate Oasis Old Fashioned Origami Lemon Cake – Accompanied by a Yuzu Gin Fizz The evening menu also gives the experience more of a bar-snack rhythm, with sweet and savoury bites including a miniature version of Black Star Pastry’s Japanese Chicken Pie, whipped ricotta crostini, yuzu salt popcorn and smoked nut mixes. Home to the internationally celebrated Strawberry Watermelon Cake, often referred to as the world’s most Instagrammable cake, Black Star Pastry has become one of Australia’s most recognisable pastry brands. The Newtown launch makes sense for a suburb where dinner rarely has to be the last stop of the night. For Black Star Pastry, it is a way to move the cake cabinet into a later, more social setting without losing the thing people already come for. The Cake & Cocktail experience launches from late August at Black Star Pastry Newtown. Source: Good Appetite Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.