There’s nothing quite like a hot crispy chicken nugget. But have you ever wondered where the chicken actually comes from? Meet the Rametses, some of the farmers responsible for supplying the chicken used in McDonald's tasty chicken products.

Norman and Sinah Rametse started their farming journey with a humble 100 hectares of land in 2011. It was only after buying the farm that the husband and wife team realised the massive potential it had for building chicken houses. With the help of their neighbour, Norman and Sinah introduced environmentally controlled chicken houses. Since then, they have invested a lot of time and resources into buying state-of-the-art equipment and following farming best practices.

Fast-forward to 2024, and the Rametses’ farm has grown into one of the largest poultry enterprises in South Africa. 

Norman’s passion for farming started at a young age when he was a schoolboy helping at his parents’ butchery. Over the years, he’s gained invaluable experience as both a farmer and businessman, understanding that great quality comes with great responsibility. “Business is like playing chess,” he says. “Farming is like any other business – you have to move at the right time.”

Sinah, on the other hand, takes a more nurturing approach to chicken farming. “Being a woman on a chicken farm is like being the mother of the chickens. They’re soft little things, so you must treat them with patience and care.”

When it comes to the daily upkeep, Jacob the farm manager, considers hygiene non-negotiable for maintaining healthy chickens. “It makes no difference if you step out for two seconds or for the whole day, you must sanitise your feet when you walk back into our farm. We cannot take chances,” he says.

Sam, a farm worker whose primary job is to keep all the chickens fed and warm, believes his hands-on approach contributes towards the farm’s success. “It can rain the whole week I’m not around, but when I step onto the farm, things change.”

Although Zungu is one of the youngest employees at the Rametse farm, he always puts the needs of the chickens before his own. “I’ll only eat when I’ve made sure every one of my chickens has eaten, too.”

For the Rametses and their employees, prioritising happy, healthy chickens is key to producing the highest quality poultry.

Broiler chickens, exclusively used for chicken products, are typically raised in climate-controlled barns that protect them from extreme weather, predators and disease. These barns have automated systems for food and water, ensuring the chickens have access to nutritious food and clean water. The chickens are bred without being force-fed, which allows them to grow naturally.

Farmers, like the Rametses, work hard to regularly monitor the chickens’ environment. It’s their responsibility to make sure everything works correctly to maintain healthy conditions for the chickens – this includes regulating the temperature, humidity, light levels and ventilation.

McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets^® are made from real chicken – not slime, artificial substances or filler products. They are made from a mixture of chicken breast, chicken skin and seasoning, which is then shaped and coated with a tempura-style batter.  

No chemicals are used either, and ingredients are all carefully sourced from suppliers who follow strict food safety and quality standards. Chicken McNuggets^® are kept frozen until they are cooked, which helps minimises the risk of any contamination and potential food poisoning.

Food safety is the main objective across the supply chain to ensure that safe, high-quality food, reaches customers. Norman’s long journey in farming has taught him one important lesson: there are no shortcuts when it comes to producing quality chickens.

“Our top priority is serving customers great-tasting, quality food,” says Daniel Padiachy, Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald’s South Africa. “We believe in serving food in a way that supports quality ingredients, as well as sourcing beef, chicken and fresh produce from farmers who share the same values as we do.”

McDonald’s is confident about the quality of food served and makes sure all chicken is ethically and sustainably farmed and sourced.