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“I have been with McDonald’s Canada for almost nine years now, and (back then) no one ever wanted to talk to the supply chain guys. Now I go to a party and everyone is lined up to ask me about where the food comes from, what’s in it, who makes it for us — people are interested in this stuff, and our guests are asking for it.”

Monday’s announcement follows the Canadian quick-serve restaurant giant’s decision last month to use only free-run eggs in its meals during the next 10 years, eliminating eggs sourced from hens in confining battery cages.

Both of the moves stand to heavily influence food production in Canada, given McDonald’s size and profile. It is the one of the biggest buyers of chicken among foodservice providers in Canada, and uses only Canadian-sourced meats, including chicken and eggs.

“We will hear this message from more and more restaurant operators,” said Robert Carter, executive director at Toronto market research firm NPD Group.

“People want to eat healthier and their perception of healthier is to learn more about what is in their food,” he added, citing a recent study finding 73 per cent of restaurant consumers wanted to know more about the food served at restaurants.

“People are trying to eat a so-called ‘clean’ diet and the momentum is massive right now,” Carter said. “The new way of eating is more tied to avoiding food with certain substances in it — hormones, antibiotics, artificial sweeteners” — rather than food with specific health claims, he said.