Posted on 08/23/2002 9:51:01 PM PDT by panther33
New from McDonald's: the McAfrika burger (don't tell the 12m starving)
Andrew Osborn
Saturday August 24, 2002
The Guardian
McDonald's has been accused of extreme insensitivity after releasing a new sandwich called the "McAfrika" in Norway, one of the world's richest countries, at a time when 12 million people are facing starvation in southern Africa.
The launch of the new hamburger has infuriated the Norwegian equivalent of Christian Aid and the Norwegian Red Cross and generated a storm of bad publicity for the American fast-food giant.
The concoction of beef, cheese, tomatoes and salad in a pitta-style sandwich is said to be based upon an authentic African recipe and is being sold to Norwegian consumers for about £2.80.
But aid agencies trying to raise funds to stave off a famine in southern Africa say that the timing of the McAfrika marketing campaign is insensitive, crass and ill-considered and have demanded remedial action from McDonald's.
"It's inappropriate and distasteful to launch a hamburger called McAfrika when large portions of southern Africa are on the verge of starvation," Linn Aas-Hansen of Norwegian Church Aid told the newspaper Aftenposten.
Protesting members of the aid group have been doling out "catastrophe crackers" - the protein-rich biscuits given to starving people in Africa - to fast-food lovers outside the firm's restaurants in Oslo.
"Twelve million people are suffering from starvation in countries such as Malawi and Zimbabwe; it is one of the biggest humanitarian disasters we have ever seen. We have nothing against McDonald's but the timing of this is insensitive," said Gunstein Instesjord, a senior policy advisor at Norwegian Church Aid.
"McDonald's must see that the launch has not been successful."
Aware that it has a public relations embarrassment on its hands, McDonald's Norway has been quick to launch a damage limitation exercise, making conciliatory noises in the Norwegian media.
Margaret Brusletto, a spokeswoman for the company, said she was sorry the name of the product had offended many.
"That wasn't our intention," she told Aftenposten. "We acknowledge that we have chosen an unfortunate time to launch this new product."
Faced with mounting protest about the new McAfrika, she initially said the company would "consider" a request to share proceeds from its sales with aid agencies but a meeting with the Norwegian Red Cross and others produced no such agreement.
Nor has McDonald's agreed to withdraw the offending product from sale.
But it has offered to allow aid agencies to leave collection boxes and fundraising posters in its Norwegian restaurants - but only in those selling McAfrika burgers and only for as long as the "special promotional burger" remains on sale.
In a statement issued to the Guardian from its UK head office in East Finchley yesterday, McDonald's said: "All of the involved parties are happy with this solution. We hope this will put a wider focus on the important job that these organisations are doing, and McDonald's in Norway is pleased to be able to support this."
All the clementine oranges you buy here in CT are from South Africa. Well, a few are from Spain, but most from South Africa. I like the Clementines.
All the clementine oranges you buy here in CT are from South Africa. Well, a few are from Spain, but most from South Africa. I like the Clementines.
In light of current Zimbabwe politics, wouldn't the receipe be more timely and authentic if it featured a "white meat" rather than beef?
1. McTexas American Burger and Broccoli cheese nuggets
2. McBrazille Burger and Rain forest rolls
3. McAfrica and Konga chicken nuggets
There is another menu item, I forget what it was...but they had a Japanese sandwich earlier this year.
People who are "outraged, just outraged!" by this are fools who think aborting children after 31 weeks is just peachy.
But this makes them feel morally superior and better about themselves. They care!
Damned if you do and damned if you don't.
The less attention we pay to all of these Eurowhiners the better.
Are they as upset about the fact that the reason that the people in Zim are starving is that the black leader there (who was installed with the help of scandanavian lefties) is staging a pogrom against the white farmers?
What is more important? Ranting against an american corporation for "appearing insensitive" or standing up against a brutal dictator who is starving his people because of his racist ethnic cleansing program?
Hey...insensitive or not...the ugly truth is a beautiful thing.
"That wasn't our intention," she told Aftenposten. "We acknowledge that we have chosen an unfortunate time to launch this new product."
Bad reaction. She should simply have explained how the name was not offensive. She shouldn't have apologized for the "timing."
(Africans will continue to starve until they get rid of their corrupt and racist politicians who pick on White farmers, reject capitalism, and pocket the "humanitarian aid" sent them to relieve the famine.)
LOL!!!
g
ROTFL! Wouldn't that cause explosive gas?
To ban an African RECIPE because there is HUNGER in Africa is the same thing as to ban COLOR RED in the U.S. because we are battling FIRES in the West. Another point: if we ever have a FLOOD along the Mississippi --- something that does occur now and then --- we must ban all SOFT DRINK manufacturers from introducing new varieties.
Clearly, only a nut, upon hearing that you used red color in remodeling your house, would say, "How insensitive: this reminds me of fires in the West." Similarly, only a nut, upon hearing of a new soft drink, would say, "How insensitive: too much water; this reminds me of the recent flood." These people are nuts, too, if upon hearing of a recipe or cuisine, they think of hunger. Complete nuts. And Marion County is full of them, not just Norway.
I'm sure it did; but I'm equally sure the average sane, hungry Norweigan wasn't offended or infuriated in the least.
What the hell do these socialist Euros want, for Mickey D's to open up outlets in Africa and give away burgers for free?
How about the genocide against white farmers in Zimbabwe? Do these leftists give a rats @ss about that?
"..in Norway, one of the world's richest countries.."
May I ask just how much food rich Norway has sent. I know they sent 200 trucks there to help distribute our food, but you can't eat a truck.
And it doesn't help when Europe scares the Africans by calling our genetically modified corn "Frankenfood", and they refuse it.
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