Sales of chicken meat patties and nugget to McDonald’s will increase by 42% this year to 1bn baht, according to major supplier McKey Foods Service.


The company, a joint venture between US-based Keystone Foods Corp and Thai company GEPT PCL, also revealed that it will focus this year on supplying outlets of the burger chain in the EU and South Korea, while looking to emerging South Asia markets.  


Robert Maquire, general manager, explained that demand for the company’s products has rocketed because the country is still free of BSE, or mad cow disease.
 
During the course of 2001, McKey Foods plans to produce 12,000 tons of chicken, from a total capacity of 16,500 tons and exports are currently divided in the following way: Singapore (55%), Japan (13%), Hong Kong (2%). The balance is sold to local McDonald’s restaurants.