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McDonald's sorry for burger blunder - "McAFRIKA" burger flops in Norway
Aftenposten - English version ^ | 08.22.02 | Nina Berglund/

Posted on 08/22/2002 10:20:28 PM PDT by prisoner6

McDonald's sorry for burger blunder

"Tasteless," is how charitable groups have branded a McDonald's burger in Norway that they claim ignores the starvation crisis in Africa. McDonald's is red-faced, and may donate proceeds from its controversial "McAfrika" burger.


This is the promotion that's left aid organizations in Norway seeing red... and McDonald's officials red-faced.
PHOTO: KNUT FJELDSTAD/SCANPIX
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"It's inappropriate and distasteful to launch a hamburger called 'McAfrika' when large portions of southern Africa are on the verge of starvation," says Linn Aas-Hansen of Norwegian Church Aid.

She stood outside a McDonald's restaurant in downtown Oslo this week, passing out free "catastrophe crackers" to passersby in protest. "This is a special, protein-rich cracker that we hand out to people in the hunger-stricken areas," she said.

Among those who got a taste of the crackers was an apologetic spokesperson for McDonald's in Norway, Margaret Brusletto.

She said McDonald's was sorry the name of its new burger, meant to reflect an African recipe, has negative connotations. "That wasn't our intention," she said. "At the same time, we acknowledge that we have chosen an unfortunate time to launch this new product."

There was no word as to whether McDonald's will pull its "McAfrika" burger off the market despite the protests in Norway, where aid organizations have launched one of the world's largest relief programs ever aimed at getting food to starving millions in southern Africa.

McDonald's officials, however, were due to meet representatives of the aid organizations on Thursday. "We expect that McDonald's will contribute to the fight to stem starvation," said Bjorg Mide of Norwegian Church Aid. "The company can, for example, share proceeds from the sale of this hamburger with the aid organizations."

Brusletto said that's "a possibility we will consider."



TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: food; mcafrika; mcdonalds; norway; politicallycorrect
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To: rightwingreligiousfanatic
Ooooh...That IS GOOD!

Bumpers for the late afternoon crew.

prisoner6

41 posted on 08/23/2002 12:46:32 PM PDT by prisoner6
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To: ZULU
Perhaps Scandinavia is where that illness originated.

I suspect so...

Not much else to do on those long winter nights except think about idiotic issues like this one

Well to be fair they do get to think...tough as that may be... about a few other things. How to spend the dun from the oil for one. Also connectivity. That may manifest itself in many ways. Sex...computers...internet...and of course Ericssen (sp..sorry) phones and messaging.

Their Viking ancestors would turn over in their graves

Most assuredly they are!

prisoner6

42 posted on 08/23/2002 12:54:04 PM PDT by prisoner6
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To: prisoner6
McYuck. I hate to think what is in it.
43 posted on 08/23/2002 12:57:56 PM PDT by AppyPappy
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To: flying Elvis
Its predecessor was the McIdi Amin burger.

Manwiches?

44 posted on 08/23/2002 1:01:03 PM PDT by weegee
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To: Darheel
"catastrophe crackers" ???

And their complaining about the name "McAfrika burger"?

45 posted on 08/23/2002 1:03:26 PM PDT by weegee
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To: SAJ
"Give the Africans another X years of their idiotic tyrants, and continued enforced starvation, and I wouldn't wonder but they'd kill even for a noxious McLude (and if you don't know about ludefisk, hold your comments (g!))."

What do you have against rotted fish...???

46 posted on 08/23/2002 1:04:38 PM PDT by okie01
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To: weegee
Just for the record YOU said it, I didn't.

It's still funny as Hades though...

prisoner6

47 posted on 08/23/2002 1:05:23 PM PDT by prisoner6
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To: weegee
"Can I get a McA-frikan burger???"


48 posted on 08/23/2002 1:06:39 PM PDT by weegee
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To: ZULU
I really don't get it. Africa is an entire continent, and they just named a supposedly African-style sandwich after Africa. You mean there can be no positive food references to Africa when there is famine in part of the continent??? Wierd, really wierd. Why is everybody going to Indian restaurants, then?
49 posted on 08/23/2002 1:06:42 PM PDT by Williams
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To: prisoner6
McDonald's officials, however, were due to meet representatives of the aid organizations on Thursday. "We expect that McDonald's will contribute to the fight to stem starvation," said Bjorg Mide of Norwegian Church Aid. "The company can, for example, share proceeds from the sale of this hamburger with the aid organizations."

This is what it's all about, folks. The predators look for a hook -- any hook, however contrived -- that lets them mount a PR attack against a deep pocketed target. No honest person would have twisted this into a hit on McDonalds, but the predators aren't honest. The Norwegians don't have a corner on it, either. This is pure Jesse Jackson stuff. Our trial lawyers have raised it to a fine art. Any opening will do.

50 posted on 08/23/2002 1:09:32 PM PDT by sphinx
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To: HiTech RedNeck
I guess that we won't be seeing the McIrish corned beef sandwich anytime soon.
51 posted on 08/23/2002 1:11:37 PM PDT by weegee
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To: prisoner6
I wonder if their meat comes from unfortunate McMissionaries?
52 posted on 08/23/2002 1:11:55 PM PDT by Destructor
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To: prisoner6
Mayor McCheese is going to have a riot on his hands if he doesn't get some spin control.

(It took this long to get to a cheese reference???)

53 posted on 08/23/2002 1:13:22 PM PDT by weegee
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To: prisoner6
McDonalds could solve Africa's starvation problems by shipping plane loads of their worthless products. They could set up temporary McDonalds factories in Zimbobwe (or is it Zimbob-me?) and turn their kangaroo burgers out by the millions.

In no time at all hungry, starving Zimbobweans would be practically non-existant. The cemeteries would be full.

54 posted on 08/23/2002 1:20:05 PM PDT by elcaudillo
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To: prisoner6

"Welcome to McDowell's, may I be of assistance in offering you some refreshing native delicacies?"

55 posted on 08/23/2002 1:22:42 PM PDT by TADSLOS
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To: TADSLOS
The cemeteries would be full.

And there...like here... the scum sucking lawyers would be angling for whatever they could.

prisoner6

56 posted on 08/23/2002 1:25:27 PM PDT by prisoner6
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To: no one in particular
I used to have a roommate from Ethiopia. Interesting culture, interesting food.

They make a spongy flatbread called injerta from the native grain teff. It has a wonderful complex flavor. It's used like an (Asian) Indian uses naan, or an (American) Indian uses tortillas, to pick up morsels of food. Mostly spicy glops of stewed this or that served on a common platter.

Try it if you get a chance...

57 posted on 08/23/2002 2:29:43 PM PDT by null and void
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To: Paleo Conservative
All their food is tasteless.
That's what the "special sauce" is for, to give it taste. You know..."two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun!"
58 posted on 08/23/2002 3:15:34 PM PDT by philman_36
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To: philman_36
Aren't all special sauces just "mayonaise with ketchup" or "thousand island dressing"?
59 posted on 08/23/2002 3:43:43 PM PDT by weegee
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To: flying Elvis
Its predecessor was the McIdi Amin burger.

Well, now that you mention it, the marketing of this new sandwich is a bit vague. Is it made out of foods that are common in Africa? Is it made out of *Africans*? Or is it being marketed TO Africans?

*ahem*...

;-)

60 posted on 08/23/2002 4:01:12 PM PDT by Charles Martel
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