The move means British customers will soon no longer be able to help themselves to Heinz sauce sachets as McDonald’s ends a relationship that dates back more than 40 years.
In April Heinz appointed Brazilian Bernardo Hees as its new chief executive. The former railway executive, widely lauded for turning around Burger King, moved to Heinz after the $28bn (£17bn) takeover by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital, which also controls Burger King.
McDonald’s said at the weekend: “As a result of recent management changes at Heinz, we have decided to transition our business to other suppliers over time. We have spoken to Heinz and plan to work together to ensure a smooth and orderly transition.”
Mr Hees is already known in Britain. In March 2011 he was forced to apologise after he told a group of American students that British women were unattractive and that English food was “terrible”. Recalling his time at the University of Warwick, he said: “The food is terrible and the women are not very attractive.” He said Britain had offered few distractions beyond work.