McAfrika facts for kids

The McAfrika was a special hamburger sold by the fast food company McDonald's in Norway and Denmark. It was offered for a limited time, especially during the Olympic Games. However, this burger caused a lot of public discussion because of its name and when it was launched.

What Was the McAfrika?

The McAfrika sandwich had beef, cheese, and tomatoes. These ingredients were wrapped inside a type of flatbread called pita bread. McDonald's said that the recipe for this burger was inspired by an authentic African dish.

Why People Were Upset

The McAfrika was first sold in 2002. At that same time, a serious food shortage, or famine, was happening in several countries in southern Africa. These countries included Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Lesotho, and Swaziland.

Many people immediately criticized the burger's name. They felt it was very insensitive, especially since it was sold in Norway, which is one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

Organizations like Norwegian Church Aid and the Norwegian Red Cross were helping people in southern Africa during the famine. They said that McDonald's decision was thoughtless and inappropriate. A spokesperson from Norwegian Church Aid, Linn Aas-Hansen, stated that it was "distasteful to launch a hamburger called McAfrika when large portions of southern Africa are on the verge of starvation." CARE Norway even asked McDonald's to stop selling the burger. As a form of protest, Norwegian Church Aid gave out "catastrophe crackers" to customers going into McDonald's restaurants in Norway.

However, not everyone was against it. The group African Youth in Norway actually supported McDonald's. They liked that Africa's name was used in a positive way, rather than always being linked to war and poverty.

McAfrika Returns in 2008

The McAfrika burger was brought back for a short time in 2008. This was done to promote the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Just like before, its return also received negative comments from the public.