It’s 10+ printed pages but well worth the read.

A Conspiracy of Hogs: The McRib as Arbitrage

The McRib was, at least in part, born out of the brute force that McDonald’s is capable of exerting on commodities markets. According to this history of the sandwich, Chef Arend created the McRib because McDonald’s simply could not find enough chickens to turn into the McNuggets for which their franchises were clamoring. Chef Arend invented something so popular that his employer could not even find the raw materials to produce it, because it was so popular. […]

When the Time reporter visited the kitchen, Chef Coudreaut was cooking a dish that involved celery root—a fresh-tasting root that chefs love for making purees in the fall and winter. Chef Coudreaut proves to be quite a talented cook, but Time notes that “there is literally not enough celery root grown in the world for it to survive on the menu at McDonald’s-although the company could change that since its menu decisions quickly become global agricultural concerns.”

Yep, McDonald’s can change the world’s agriculture.

Elsewhere:

• Fast Food Autopsy: McDonald’s McRib
• How to Make a McRib

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