McDonald's takes localization to new level with Boseong Burger

Down in Chungcheong, pigs are being fed green tea leaves from nearby Boseong while somewhere in Korea, cabbages and tomatoes are being harvested, all going toward the creation of a distinctly Korean burger: the Boseong Green Tea Pork Burger.

Models introduce McDonald's Korea's Boseong Green Tea Pork Burger. [MCDONALD'S KOREA]

Down in Chungcheong, South Jeolla, pigs are being fed green tea leaves — from nearby Boseong — while somewhere in Korea, cabbages and tomatoes are being harvested and red onions are being pulled from the earth, all going toward the creation of a distinctly Korean burger: the Boseong Green Tea Pork Burger.

It's from McDonald's Korea and is available from Thursday.

The fast food chain expects to use 140 tons of green tea-fed pork for the new burgers to build the ultimate localized menu item.

There's no lettuce to be found on this sandwich, as cabbage is a better when pork is involved, the burger company argues.

Ironically, Boseong is a McDonald's-less burg, though the powers that be at the corporation intend to remedy that, at least temporarily, with a pop-up location.

In July last year, McDonald's Korea signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the province of South Jeolla. The company then started the Taste of Korea project, aiming to offer more burgers made of locally-sourced ingredients.

Last August, the Changnyeong Garlic Burger was released. Over 1.58 million of them were sold last year, 42 tons of garlic grown at farms in Changnyeong, South Jeolla, used in the process.

The MOU will spin off more burgers made with locally-sourced ingredients, and while the two so far are only available in Korea, McDonald's Korea plans to bring some of it local products overseas.

"We will continue with our Taste of Korea project, and we are also considering bringing the products abroad," said Choi Hyun-jung, director of McDonald's Korea's menu management division. "We are also getting requests to bring other Korea-only burgers abroad, such as the recently introduced McCrispy Burger."

The Boseong Green Tea Pork Burger costs 6,300 won ($4.90) and a meal sells for 7,600 won.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]