Managing director and local operating partner Azmir Jaafar said at present, there are 16 McDonald’s outlets in Sabah providing job opportunities for 1,600 people.

He said the new outlets will create 5,000 job opportunities for the entire state, particularly in Kota Kinabalu as well as small towns such as Kudat, Tuaran, Telupid, Putatan, and Kota Belud.

“Besides that, two new outlets will be opened in Tawau,” he said in a media briefing at the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between McDonald’s Malaysia and Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) today.

Azmir said the collaboration involves the acquisition of 1.6 hectares of land owned by KKIP for the construction of manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and delivery centres.

The integrated facility would function as a comprehensive food hub that caters to McDonald’s operations in East Malaysia.

Among McDonald’s prominent suppliers who will be involved in the food hub are Bimbo QSR for bun and bread supplies, and Tyson Foods for food supplies such as vegetables and protein products like nuggets and meat slices.

Havi Logistics will also act as the main distribution company, providing facilities for supply delivery to McDonald’s.

“These three suppliers have been partners of McDonald’s Malaysia and McDonald’s at the global level,” Azmir said.

The MoU signing ceremony was followed by an official launch of McDonald’s Jalan Sulaman 2 restaurant’s “drive-thru” by chief minister Hajiji Noor as well as a zakat contribution of RM100,000 to the Sabah Islamic Board.