Kids can get pretty honest and that's what Don Thompson, CEO of McDonald's, realized when Hannah Robertson, a 9-year old from British Columbia, confronted and grilled him during the annual shareholder meeting at the corporate headquarters in Illinois last Thursday.
The little girl's voice never wavered as she delivered her piece to the top executive of one of the biggest brands in the world.
"There are things in life that aren't fair - like when your pet dies," said Hannah. "I don't think it's fair when big companies try to trick kids into eating food. It isn't fair that so many kids my age are getting sick," Robertson said.
"I make cooking videos with my mom that show kids that eating healthy can be fun and yummy. We teach them that eating a rainbow of fruits and veggies makes kids healthier, smarter and happier because that is the truth," added the fourth grader. She closed her statement with a question, "Mr. Thompson, don't you want kids to be healthy so they can live a long and happy life?"
Thompson was surprised but not flustered. "First off, we don't sell junk food, Hannah," he replied.
The McDonald's CEO went on to explain that his kids also eat food from McDonald's and that the fast food chain is already serving vegetables and fruits and even has included salads and apples on their menu. He also promised that McDonald's is planning to include healthier options.
Kia Robertson, Hannah's mom, was also present during the meeting. She was sitting as a representative of the Corporate Accountability International, an advocacy group based in Boston and with offices in other countries as well. The 36-year old mother is the creator of "Today I Ate A Rainbow", an interactive nutritional game launched in 2009. She is also a nutrition blogger.
"As a corporation you might not "have to" think about the effects of your marketing...but as parents and grandparents there must be a part of you that knows it's just not right," Kia pointed out to Thompson.
Kia continued by asking the company to consider changes in the fast food industry and for McDonald's to spearhead such changes. Not McDonald's, but parents should decide what is best for their children, she said.
We don't know whether Thompson was looking around for a McHelp button when he was facing the flak.
