For almost 50 years, McDonald’s has been a household name across Ireland – a brand that has built its reputation on consistency, quality and a deep connection to the communities which it serves.

Yet behind every iconic McDonald’s product lies a network of dedicated Irish suppliers, family farms and co-operatives, who ensure that the food on its menu meets the highest standards of freshness and sustainability.

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This dedicated Irish supplier list includes Lakeland Dairies

Lakeland Dairies Co-operative Society Limited is one of Ireland’s leading dairy co-operatives and its story highlights the partnership between land, farmer and community.

Founded nearly 130 years ago, the co-operative has harnessed Ireland’s lush green pastures and temperate climate to produce milk of exceptional quality – milk that now forms the backbone of many beloved dairy products enjoyed both at home and abroad.

Entirely farmer-owned, Lakeland Dairies represents more than 3,200 family farms across 17 counties island-wide. These family farms collectively supply two billion litres of milk each year, leading to a vast range of dairy food ingredients and consumer products that reach over 120 countries worldwide.

McDonald’s has long recognised the value of sourcing from local suppliers, particularly in Ireland, where food quality and provenance are a huge part of national identity.

One of the most recognisable outcomes of this partnership is Lakeland Dairies’ innovative 'Milk-in-a-Stick' – a single-serve portion of premium Irish milk that has become a staple in McDonald’s restaurants.

The innovation behind this product lies in its combination of premium Irish dairy and sustainable design. Each stick contains milk sourced from naturally grass-fed cows on Lakeland’s member farms, ensuring that customers enjoy the rich taste of authentic Irish milk.

For McDonald’s, this reflects a strategic commitment to sustainability, traceability and local economic development. For Lakeland Dairies and its farmers, it provides a stable, high-profile market for their milk, ensuring a fair return and long-term viability for rural communities.

Nationwide

This collaboration sits within a broader national context. McDonald’s operates 95 restaurants across the Republic of Ireland – each independently owned and operated by 19 Irish franchisees.

The company contributes over €400m to the Irish economy every year, which is a reflection of how deeply integrated McDonald’s is within the national economic fabric.

Ireland’s grass-based dairy system is among the most sustainable in the world, with cows grazing outdoors for most of the year on grass pastures. This results not only in superior milk quality, but also in a significantly lower carbon footprint compared with more intensive production systems elsewhere.

Irish agriculture has always been a key contributor to the nation’s economy and partnerships with brands such as McDonald’s help ensure that this contribution remains strong and resilient.

Each year, McDonald’s spends over €240m on produce from Irish farmers and agri-food producers – a figure that highlights the scale of its investment in Irish agriculture and its support for the country’s rural economy.

As Ireland continues to position itself as a global leader in sustainable food production, partnerships such as McDonald’s and Lakeland Dairies will play a pivotal role.

They exemplify how multinational businesses can engage with local Irish suppliers to create high-quality food solutions and ensure the long-term success of the Irish agri-food sector and farming industry.

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