McDonald's Holding Co., the Japanese subsidiary of McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) has found some pretty serious problems in Japan.
According to the Wall Street Journal (subscription required), "McDonald's Holdings' core unit, McDonald's Co. Japan, said several employees at the former franchisee that ran the stores had instructed part-time workers to mislabel salads and yogurts with production dates to give the impression they had just been made. It also said the stores had used expired shake mixes and sliced tomatoes."
McDonald's will be parting ways with the franchisee responsible for these locations. While this might be bad PR for the company, it's very good news for shareholders that the parent company is keeping a close eye on things in Japan -- careful quality control is the only way the company can continue to strengthen its brand overseas.
Oversight of individual locations in a global empire can be a pretty tall task, but McDonald's appears up to the challenge, and that's very bullish for the company's future.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-02-2007 @ 4:49PM
web said...
Maybe the food is expired because nobody eats that garbage in Japan!
12-07-2007 @ 8:57AM
C said...
Web,
Sorry, I live in Tokyo...ppl eat McDonald's all the time. They are EVERYWHERE here! They actually have some selections that are even worse than the ones in the States.
12-02-2007 @ 8:15PM
Brockage said...
I agree with your blog; it's great to know a gigantic company can focus down on even one franchise to protect the customer. In the US we have a ton of choices for essentially the same food, so the only things separating one fast fooder from another are service and cleanliness. Way to
go Mc.
12-03-2007 @ 10:29AM
Brian Patterson said...
My son got e coli 0157 H:7 from eating a McDonalds meal in August 2002. He was in the hospital on morphine for 7 days. Both McDonalds and Zurich Ins denied any liability yet the CDC National PulseNet database found random PFGE matches in their database. My advice to anyone is to save their receipts and a uneaten portion of their meal for further testing and confirmation.
12-12-2007 @ 3:06AM
WB said...
What's the matter? Couldn't cash in on your kid's illness? Looking for the million dollar band-aid? Keep trying Brian, maybe you can get your granmother to slip and fall in a Wal Mart so you can get your share.
12-12-2007 @ 12:37PM
Brian Patterson said...
Clearly WB does not understand what PFGE is, the connection between the CDC National PulseNet database and PFGE matches found in their database.
You should spend some time and educate yourself about how e coli 0157 H;7 is reported by hospitals and departments of health (local and state) and then captured in the CDC database and its DNA links to individuals. E coli 0157 H:7 is a deadly toxin if left untreated. Obviously, WB is uneducated.
12-13-2007 @ 7:13PM
WB said...
Even an uneducated person knows that you wouldn't continue your little smear campaign if you had gotten your payday! Get a hobby! If there was enough evidence of ANY wrongdoing, PETA would be all over McD's. Your son got sick somehow 5 years ago. Move on...
12-17-2007 @ 11:50AM
Brian Patterson said...
WB, what are you talking about PETA....you just don't get it. E Coli 0157 H:7 was confirmed by the CDC with matching links. Your making a fool of yourself.