Keeping pace with the current shift towards more natural ingredients, McDonald's announced that it is now testing preservative-free Chicken McNuggets. While the new recipe is currently being tested in just 140 stores, the chain hopes to expand the initiative across the country just ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics.
As McDonald's explains, the new preservative-free Chicken McNuggets will feature a slightly different recipe, with ingredients that "are more recognizable to consumers, such as lemon juice solids and rice starch." This means that the new nuggets will consists of little more than chicken and breading, which is a stark contrast from the current 34-ingredient recipe. These changes ultimately mean the nuggets will have a shorter shelf life, but they will still taste the same as the original version.
The effort to make one of its more popular menu items free of additional preservatives demonstrates the chain's effort to cater to the growing consumer demand for more natural food products.
Preservative-Free Chicken
McDonald's is Now Testing Preservative-Free Chicken McNuggets
Trend Themes
1. Preservative-free Food - Opportunity for food companies to develop and market preservative-free versions of popular products.
2. Clean Label Movement - Potential for businesses to capitalize on the consumer demand for more recognizable and natural ingredients.
3. Simplified Recipes - Innovation opportunity for companies to create simpler and healthier versions of complex recipes.
Industry Implications
1. Fast Food - Disruptive innovation opportunity for fast food chains to offer preservative-free options and appeal to health-conscious consumers.
2. Food Manufacturing - Opportunity for food manufacturers to develop new production methods to create preservative-free products while maintaining taste and shelf life.
3. Health and Wellness - Potential for businesses in the health and wellness industry to promote and support the availability of preservative-free food options.