McDonald’s is inviting its customers to celebrate their grandmothers with a new Grandma McFlurry, available beginning May 21 for a limited time. The McFlurry includes “syrup and chopped candy pieces” blended with vanilla soft serve ice cream.
According to Reddit users, those candy pieces are butterscotch flavored, similar to Werther’s Original candy. In a statement, Marcelo Fajnerman, McDonald’s vice president of menu strategy, said the Grandma McFlurry was created by a culinary team member who is a grandmother.
“She was relentless in perfecting a deliciously craveable treat meant to evoke special memories with the grandma or the grandma-figure in your life, drawing from her own experiences,” Fajnerman said.
“Grandmas have always held a special place in our hearts, and today they’re having a major moment influencing culture – inspiring trends in fashion, decor and now, even food with our newest McFlurry,” Tariq Hassan, chief marketing and customer experience officer, added in a statement. “The Grandma McFlurry tastes like a trip down memory lane, and we’re excited to give our fans that experience while honoring the grandma figure in all our lives.”
In tandem with the launch, McDonald’s is teaming up with singer/songwriter Remi Wolf and Latin Grammy nominee Jay Wheeler to re-create new versions of classic songs. Wolf’s cover of “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” and Wheeler’s cover of “Piel Canela,” will both be available May 21.
Also, Grandma’s McFlurry Mobile – McDonald’s take on a traditional ice cream truck – rolls out May 17 and May 18 around New York City. The truck will offer free Grandma McFlurrys at locations including senior centers and assisted living homes to “create more moments of connection between grandparents – a generation that often deals with loneliness – and their families,” according to the company.
McDonald’s will also donate to Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly, a national organization whose mission is to support older adults experiencing isolation and loneliness. A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shows that more than one-third of adults aged 45 and older feel lonely, and nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated.
This campaign comes on the heels of McDonald's UK's campaign supporting Mental Health Awareness Week. As part of that campaign, McDonald's removed the iconic smile from millions of its Happy Meal boxes for a limited time, hoping to ignite communication among children and parents that "it is OK not to be happy all the time."
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