In a Pickle

Pickles and McDonald’s are a long-standing partnership. But many of us may not have thought about how those perfect circles are grown, fermented, sliced, and finally, served up on your burger. Incredibly, there is just one family responsible for all those Maccas pickles Australia-wide. The Parle Family has been producing pickles for the fast-food chain, on their farm in Griffith, NSW for over three decades. Operations Manager, Ben Parle, is here to share the story of the famous Parle Pickle.

The Parle journey with McDonald’s has become a vital partnership for this small Australian family business. There’s no doubt, the contract means they a bound to the highest standards. “They say the first day you miss supply is the last day you supply, and we’ve never missed a supply,” Ben shares. Meeting those deadlines though, has taken commitment and unrelenting quality. Ben recalls, “When the McDonald’s contract first came about, we were thrilled. It was a game-changer. Even in tough times, McDonald’s stuck with us – as long as we could supply.”

What makes a Parle Pickle?

A pickle is more than just a vegetable; it’s the result of an exacting process. “We’re monitoring everything. It’s a bit of an ancient science,” Ben explains. The cucumbers are grown and harvested in the summer months, but the real magic happens when they’re fermented in brine.

“A gherkin is a special variety of cucumber. It’s an immature cucumber designed for the fermentation process.”

Ben describes it like this: “A good pickle isn’t just about the cucumber itself – it’s about the brine and the fermentation. The brine pulls the flavours from the cucumber, and then it’s all about controlling the temperature and timing to get the perfect flavour and crunch. If you do it right, it takes about four to six weeks.”

Once the fermentation is complete, the cucumbers are pulled from the tanks, washed, sliced into those signature circles, and packaged. “Then we send them out in kilo packets and off they go to McDonald’s, ready to be placed on burgers around the country,” says Ben.

The farm grows enough cucumbers during summer to keep McDonald’s supplied year-round. “It’s around 1,800 tonnes annually, so it’s a consistent demand.” It’s a delicate balancing act, ensuring that the quality remains high, and the supply is steady.

Overcoming setbacks

In the early 2000s, the Parles started a rapid expansion into frozen foods, but it created financial struggles. “We got into frozen corn, beans, and other products. It grew too fast, got out of hand. The business was nearly broke,” Ben shares.

Despite these challenges, their McDonald’s contract kept the family afloat. “We had a rough patch, but we never missed a delivery,” Ben explains. “McDonald’s could have easily walked away, but they didn’t. As long as we could supply, they stayed loyal.”

Ben, who joined the family business at 17, remembers his first job: “I wasn’t coming in to save anything. My first job was sorting pickles on the conveyor belt. We just slowly, slowly grinded away, and eventually, we got back on our feet.” It’s incredible to think he’s now Operations Manager. That certainly was never part of his plan as a child.

“For a long time, I wanted to do anything but be a pickle farmer!”

While the highest-quality cucumbers make it to McDonald’s, the rejects are put to good use. “The ones that don’t make it to McDonald’s go into cattle feed,” says Ben. “The cows absolutely love them. They’re full of water, and apparently, they chase the trucks down the road when we’re tipping off the pickles. It’s pretty funny to see.”

Recognition: A humbling award

In 2023, the Parle family was awarded McDonald’s Australia Supplier of the Year. Ben remembers, “We’re a small business. There are 114 McDonald’s suppliers. Most of them are big multinationals, so winning that award felt absolutely wild.” It came as a complete surprise. “They emailed my dad and said, ‘We want you and Gaye and Ben to come down to Sydney,’” says Ben. “Dad said, ‘Oh, Ben will go.’ Then they told him, ‘Tony, you’re going to win.’ He didn’t believe it at first. It was really nice recognition after all these years.”

“We’re a small business. 10 staff. We’re pretty much a mum and dad operation.”

Despite the scale of their operation, the Parle family has always kept the business light-on employees. “We’re a small operation, and we like it that way,” says Ben. “People often think we’re much bigger because of the volume we produce, but we’ve always kept it personal and hands-on. That’s important to us.”

Ben enjoys the satisfaction of working on the farm. “I love the outdoors, working hard, and working with my hands. There’s something satisfying about being completely exhausted at the end of the day, knowing you’ve worked hard and made a difference,” he says. “Watching the land change through the seasons, from seedlings to lush green paddocks, is the most fulfilling part of the job for me.”

Looking ahead, Ben remains committed to sustainability. “As farmers, we’re at the mercy of the weather, government policies, and the market. But we can influence a lot of things,” Ben reflects. “We’ve always tried to do right by the land, and that’s what we’ll keep focusing on as we look ahead.”

And no surprises when Ben is asked what the best part of a burger is – extra pickles all round!

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