Understand McDonald's India's decision to eliminate tomatoes from the menu

Tomato prices in India have reached an all-time high, with an inflation rate of 288% recorded in just one month.

In July 2023, the wholesale price of a kilo of tomatoes jumped from 22 rupees (R$1.29) at the beginning of the year to 140 rupees (R$8.19). This increase has directly impacted the Indian consumer, who now pays even more for tomatoes by retail standards.

Photo: Tim Graham/Getty Images

This situation aroused a curiosity: Tomato prices have overtaken gasoline prices in India, which currently stands at around 96 rupees ($5.62) per litre. Some people even joke that it's cheaper to buy a politician than a tomato now, highlighting the significant financial impact that high prices are having on consumers.

Against this background, fans of the classic McDonald's tomato burger in India will be disappointed by a recent news.

According to a Reuters report, several franchises of the fast food chain have decided to remove the tomatoes. from the menu, including popular burgers and wraps, such as the famous Maharaja chicken burger mac. This decision was prompted by concerns about rising prices and the poor quality of available tomatoes.

Although the Indian government attributed the rise in tomato prices to the difficult monsoon season, which affected the harvest, some question this explanation. They argue that food inflation is affecting many sectors, including items that normally would not be impacted by the weather.

In addition to the high prices, the quality is questionable.

McDonald's store managers in India are attributing the removal of tomatoes from the menu mainly to questionable quality rather than high prices. Connaught Plaza Restaurants, the company responsible for operating the locations of the McDonalds in North and East India, stated that this is only a temporary seasonal issue.

According to store managers, the quality of the tomatoes available on the market did not meet the standards required by the company. This concern for quality is a priority for McDonald's, which strives to offer fresh, high-quality products to its customers.

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