McDonald’s Fiji marks 30 years of growth and local partnerships

McDonald’s Fiji has marked 30 years of operations, celebrating its growth, workforce and long-standing partnerships at an event in Nadi on Monday.

Vuvale Restaurants, trading as McDonald’s Fiji, brought together staff, suppliers and partners at its Nadi outlet to reflect on three decades in the country since opening in 1996.

Managing director Marc McElrath credited people and partnerships as the backbone of the company’s success.

“So I guess we’re 30 years old, and it’s an opportunity for us to say thank you to all of you for what you’ve done over the last 30 years,” Mr McElrath said.

“We’ve worked with a lot of suppliers locally who have been with us through thick and thin, and we’d like to thank them for getting us this far. We hope to grow bigger and better into the future.”

He also acknowledged the contribution of long-serving staff.

“Thank you again to all our staff who have been here a long time. It’s been a great ride.”

“We have some great teams, and we excel because we have good people; time will change, people will change, and systems will change, but one thing in McDonald's is that the people are the backbone of our business, and that's one thing that we must never forget,” he said.

Mr McElrath’s journey with the company began in 1995 after meeting McDonald’s Australia representatives, leading him from working as a diving instructor in Denarau to training in Sydney and helping open Fiji’s first McDonald’s restaurant in Nadi in 1996.

Since then, the company has expanded nationwide, opening outlets in Suva (1997), Laucala Bay (2002), Lautoka (2015) and Nakasi (2023), while training thousands of Fijians and supporting local suppliers.

Future Farms Pte Limited chief executive officer Stanley Raniga congratulated the company on its milestone.

“Congratulations to Marc and the McDonald’s team on reaching 30 years. We are a proud supplier to McDonald’s for the hot and spicy chicken meal, and I wish them many more years,” Mr Raniga said.

McDonald’s Fiji says it plans to continue expanding while maintaining its focus on people and local partnerships.