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Media release
1 May 2007

McDonald’s® celebrates return of iconic burger with Kiwi communities

Today McDonald’s New Zealand celebrated the relaunch of the original KiwiBurger® with the first of a series of community lunches.

The lunches, which are about Celebrating Kiwiness, will be hosted by well-known New Zealanders who helped define what being a Kiwi was in the year the KiwiBurger was first launched: 1991.

The first was hosted by All Black legend Ian Jones who caught up with the rugby squad from his old High School, Kamo High, today.

Thirty rising stars enjoyed the chance to tuck into some KiwiBurgers while listening to the inspiring words of the Kamo Kid. The squad also received a donation from McDonald’s to go towards travel costs for out of town games.

On Friday, former Olympic swimmer, Anna Simcic-Forrest, will be hosting a lunch at Merivale McDonald’s for Parafed Canterbury – a facilitator of sports and recreation for people with disabilities.

“These guys are the toughest Kiwis I know. It’s great to have the chance to celebrate everyday New Zealanders who represent the fighting spirit that makes us so different from the rest of the world,” says Mrs Simcic-Forrest.

Former Sale of the Century host Jude Dobson will also be holding a lunch at Otahuhu with members of Every Child Counts – an organisation dedicated to helping children have the best start in life – free from poverty or abuse.

Each organisation will receive a donation from McDonald’s and its likely more lunches will roll out over the next month.

McDonald’s NZ Country Manager Mark Hawthorne says the purpose of the Celebrating Kiwiness lunches is to acknowledge true Kiwi spirit by connecting local legends with everyday Kiwis at the grass root level.

“Kiwiness is as unique to New Zealand as the KiwiBurger is to McDonald’s New Zealand. It’s in a country like ours that celebrities will actually spend time with and inspire our future heroes.”

Mr Hawthorne says the relaunch of the KiwiBurger has been much anticipated.

“The KiwiBurger was a favourite on the local McDonald’s menu and customers have been asking us to bring back the burger for some time. It really is the original burger with beetroot and egg – a McDonald’s menu item you can’t buy anywhere else in there world.”

The KiwiBurger includes a 100% pure beef pattie, Farmer Brown® egg, Wattie’s® beetroot, tomato, lettuce, Mainland® cheese, onions, ketchup and mustard in a toasted bun. The burger will be available nationwide as part of a promotion from 1 May 2007 and will retail for $6.20, with a medium combo available for $8.20.

ENDS

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