McDonald’s “special sauce,” which has long been a closely guarded secret available only with the purchase of their sandwiches, is now available for commercial sale. The fast-food giant has revealed that the ingredients for its Big Mac include mayo, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, onion powder, white wine vinegar, garlic powder, and paprika. Furthermore, McDonald’s seems to be aiming to sell this sauce along with two of its other sauces in grocery stores.
McDonald’s is certainly not the first, nor will it be the last, restaurant to venture into grocery retail. Brands like Bob Evans, TGI Fridays, Famous Dave’s, and Jamba Juice have sought alternative revenue streams by offering popular items outside their original dining establishments. It appears that McDonald’s may be using Canada as a testing ground for this rollout before making a decision about entering the U.S. market. In the end, this is just another product that will compete for shelf space. Grocery stores will only allocate prime locations if consumers are eager to fill their carts with it.
While McDonald’s has the brand recognition to aid its transition into grocery retail, the success of these products will depend on their ability to resonate with health-conscious consumers seeking healthy options. If marketed correctly, these sauces could be positioned as healthier alternatives, especially if they highlight ingredients like calcium citrate. However, unless they sell well, their presence on the shelves may be short-lived.