From Canada with Love: Celebrating 30 Delicious Years of the McFlurry®
Join McDonald's Canada in Honouring the Atlantic Roots of the McFlurry with New Flavours, Art and a Summer of Celebration
TORONTO, June 10, 2025 /CNW/ - A Canadian invention as iconic as poutine, the McFlurry® – one of Canada's tastiest creations – is celebrating its 30th anniversary this summer! Created in June 1995 by Ron McLellan, a visionary Canadian franchisee from Bathurst, New Brunswick, the McFlurry has transformed from its humble beginnings as a local favourite into an international phenomenon, enjoyed in 99 countries around the world.
This summer, McDonald's Canada is inviting people across the country to dive into a celebration filled with new flavours, art, and Canadian spirit. "The McFlurry is more than a dessert; it's a testament to the Canadian spirit of innovation and a source of national pride," said Ron McLellan, McDonald's Canada Franchisee and inventor of the McFlurry.
While the McFlurry might have captured hearts globally, its roots remain planted in Atlantic Canada. As we mark this significant milestone, McDonald's Canada invites guests to celebrate the innovation and community spirit that the McFlurry embodies by picking up a McFlurry this summer and enjoying a sweet bite of unique Canadian history. "Creating the McFlurry was about sharing joy," McLellan reflects. "Seeing it embraced around the world is a dream."
Taste the Celebration: New Menu Lineup
Celebrate the McFlurry all summer long with limited-time flavours that promise an explosion of taste. Canadians can mark this milestone with the Birthday Cake McFlurry – made with creamy vanilla soft serve, confetti cookie dough, and a splash of birthday cake syrup. They can also indulge in the luscious Cheesecake McFlurry, with four flavour toppings to choose from, including: Strawberry, Fudge, Caramel, and Oreo. Following this, McDonald's Canada will introduce another new flavour to help Canadians beat the heat while quantities last. Every McFlurry is made with 100% Canadian dairy, reflecting McDonald's commitment to quality and Canadian sourcing.
Art Meets Dessert: East Coast Originality in Action
To pay homage to the birthplace of the McFlurry, McDonald's Canada is launching its "An East Coast Original" campaign to celebrate where it all began. As part of this tribute, seven talented artists across the East Coast were commissioned to craft and produce original McFlurry-inspired artworks in each of their unique mediums to bring this campaign to life. These pieces will highlight the dynamic culture and vibrant spirit of Atlantic Canada, instill pride, and showcase local originality, in recognition of the McFlurry 30th anniversary.
The artists included in the campaign are:
- Vanessa Thomas, Painting & Mixed Media, Nova Scotia
- Adam McNamara, Wood Sculpture, Nova Scotia
- Cynthia DeCoste, Painting, New Brunswick
- Janice Goguen & Les Hookeuses du Bor'de'lo, Rug Hooking, New Brunswick
- Sarah Nicole Dart, Cynography, PEI
- Jill O'Reilly, Stained Glass Mosaic, Newfoundland
- Jonathan and Elizabeth White, Quilting, Driftwood & Painting, Newfoundland
McFlurry Fast Facts
- The McFlurry was first created on June 7th, 1995, in Bathurst, New Brunswick, by Ron McLellan, McDonald's Canada franchisee
- It was named McFlurry because a flurry felt like a cool, crisp, catch-a-snowflake-on-your-tongue moment of delightful possibility that engaged the senses and lifted people's moods
- The first-ever McFlurry flavour was Oreo, and still one of the most beloved flavours today
- At launch, there were six flavours at Ron McLellan's Bathurst, New Brunswick location: Oreo, Smarties, Coffee Crisp, Crispy Crunch, SKOR, and Fudgee-O
- Ron McLellan's favourite McFlurry flavour is caramel with a double shot of Oreo!
- Some global unique flavours include Baci® Perugina® in Italy, Matcha in Japan, and Durian Crunch in Singapore
About McDonald's Canada:
In 1967, Canada welcomed the first McDonald's restaurant to Richmond, British Columbia. Today, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited has become part of the Canadian fabric, with McDonald's restaurants serving nearly two million guests every day and employing almost 100,00 people across Canada. More than 90 per cent of McDonald's 1,450 Canadian restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent franchisees, with the remaining restaurants corporately owned and operated by McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited. Of the almost $2 billion spent on food and paper by McDonald's restaurants, over 80 per cent is purchased from suppliers in Canada. For more information on McDonald's Canada, visit mcdonalds.ca.
SOURCE McDonald's Canada